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XPS 8910, update bricked my PC
I got a Windows 10 notification of some "important driver updates" from Dell yesterday. Looking to find out more about these updates I clicked on the notification. Instead of showing details of what the updates were it seemed to start a program. Something went wrong - I couldn't see the program and my mouse and keyboard stopped responding. I left it a few minutes but it didn't improve. I pressed ctrl-alt-del and Windows showed me a few options (sign out, shutdown and lock screen, if I remember correctly). Still no mouse control and escape didn't dismiss the options. I hit alt-S and Windows signed me out. I was able to then login again successfully. I noticed that win-L didn't lock the screen and thinking this might be due to an OS glitch I decided to reboot.
When the PC had finished the shutdown part of the process it simply stopped.
Now, when I try to power the PC up:
- the LED lights up on the power button
- I hear a fan start to turn
- I see the small round LED to the right of the power button flash twice (this is the CD drive)
- Then the lights go out and the fan stops.
I.e. my PC is bricked!
Note that since the failure happens so early (it is within less than a second) there is no time to show the Dell logo, so I can't access BIOS setup using F2. I have also tried the "ctrl-esc during power-on" access to BIOS recovery, but this doesn't work either. I have a strong suspicion that the "important driver updates" included a BIOS change and that this borked for some reason.
As usual, I'm just outside warranty period (over by 6 weeks) and as usual I can't find any useful information via Google.
Anyone got any experience recovering from such a scenario? I don't want to have to buy a new motherboard (though that seems to be what the search results I've found seem to suggest).
Any help gratefully received!
speeder3333
6 Posts
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January 21st, 2018 14:00
I had the same exact thing happen 3 days ago. I made a thread about it (it's a few links down the page).
I'm still looking for a resolution. I can't even power mine on. A new motherboard seems to be where it's at. But at what cost?
It is really upsetting.
RoHe
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January 21st, 2018 15:00
You can try to reset BIOS...
Does it boot now?
If not, contact Dell Tech Support ASAP and have your Service Tag handy...
sawkilla
19 Posts
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January 21st, 2018 17:00
grr sorry to hear that. Search on here for my other replies on this subject. Your answer is there:) But please, although it sounds like you did it by accident, for future reference, always flash your bios to upgrade it, dont upgrade it through windows:)
Goodluck and let me know if you need more help:)
Phil W XPS
4 Posts
0
January 22nd, 2018 00:00
Ron (and sawkilla),
Thanks for the advice. I had tried something similar already and have now done exactly as you suggested (though waiting 20 and 40 seconds respectively) to no avail.
I'll call tech support. It seems to me that I should have some consumer rights on my side here as the issue happened when I clicked a notification (the text, not the "Install" button) that Dell had sent me via Windows 10 - as I mentioned, I wanted to see what these "important driver updates" were rather than actually install them. (Also note that this notification said "driver" not BIOS. However, I can't see an OS driver causing this sort of problem.)
Phil
Phil W XPS
4 Posts
0
January 22nd, 2018 00:00
Hi sawkilla,
I looked for your post (I guess the 8930 one is the one you mean), but I don't think I am able to follow the instructions since I can't even get to POST. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Phil
vtoy116
307 Posts
1
January 22nd, 2018 04:00
It appears that Dell has pulled the lasted BIOS Version 1.1.5 from their site. When I looked this morning the BIOS Version now available is 1.1.3. Version 1.1.5 was posted on 1/9/18 and I have it on my XPS 8910. I am not sure what this means, but Intel had reports of randoms reboots with the micocode update for Spectre and of course there are reports here of bricked systems with BIOS updates. This Dell document, http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/sln308587/microprocessor-side-channel-vulnerabilities-cve-2017-5715-cve-2017-5753-cve-2017-5754-impact-on-dell-products?lang=en, still lists Version 1.1.5 as fixing microprocessor side-channel vulnerabilities. Version 1.1.5 was also supposed to fix Intel Management Engine firmware.as a result of Intel ME/TXE vulnerability.
sawkilla
19 Posts
1
January 22nd, 2018 05:00
Yeah, looks like this morning Dell removed all the bios updates(unless you have an 8th gen processor)..If you do, you should still see a bios update available. This bios update was gear for 8th gen processors but for some reason EVERYONE started updating their bios...
It was like watching a new fad come in to style. Literally, thousands of people who didnt need this update (people that didnt have an 8th gen processor)tried to update anyway.
This update was not for mainstream computers. It was geared towards computers with 8th gen processors that were build in the past 2-3 months.
To tell you the truth, Ive never seen so many people try to update their bios at once in my entire life lol.
Now maufacturers have to catch up and help people fix this brick they helped people create this past few weeks.
Im sorry, I cant really be of any help right now with the updates pulled for certain models.
On another note, Dell will most likely be releasing a fixed bios update soon.
vtoy116
307 Posts
0
January 22nd, 2018 06:00
I am not sure what BIOS update you are referring to that is geared toward 6th gen processors. My XPS 8910 came with a 6th gen processor and the update that was pulled was supposed to fix the Intel ME/TXE vulnerability. The update details were later revised to include the microcode/firmware fixes for the Spectre vulnerability although when I first looked at the details Spectre fixes were not listed. The BIOS update was posted on 1/9/18 and the Dell document (at that time) of when the side-channel vulnerabilities were going to be fixed for the XPS 8910 listed 1/19/18. That Dell document now lists BIOS version 1.1.5, the version that has been pulled..
Phil W XPS
4 Posts
0
January 22nd, 2018 14:00
Hi speeder3333,
It took a long time, a call significantly over one hour, but I raised this with Tech Support and hopefully they will be helping me get this resolved (probably a new motherboard). I suggest you give them a call. I had the bonus that my premium support only expired recently (they seem to be taking this into account). I also pointed out that it was their updates that bricked the PC so they were, to my mind, responsible for this situation (I also said it wasn't reasonable to expect me to pay in this case). Staying calm and being persistent seems to be the order of the day.
As I said, have the conversation and see where you get to.
Phil
sawkilla
19 Posts
0
January 22nd, 2018 15:00
Youre not wrong Phil... I suggest anyone that this has happened to, should call Dell. Cause warranty or not, they did have a pop up of urgent driver updates, which led to people clicking the shiny red button. Especially if youre a consumer. There are rules set in place for customers like you who this has happened to. If your Dell is out of warranty, it shouldnt matter in this case...
, so Im sure companies will be more helpful than ever to get this resolved.
Even if you dont have a Dell, and this has happened to you. You should call that manufacturer.
Good job Phil..
RoHe
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43.5K Posts
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January 22nd, 2018 16:00
FWIW: A user with problems with a recent BIOS update on an XPS 8900 said he wiped the hard drive and reinstalled Windows using Dell's OS recovery tool downloaded from the support page for that model, and that fixed the problem.
Obviously that's an entirely different model with a different BIOS so this may or not work for the XPS 8910...
If your files aren't backed up on external media and aren't stored on a separate internal HDD, you will lose everything. In this case, you could temporarily move the hard drive into an external USB drive enclosure so you can connect the drive to another PC to rescue the files. Then put the drive back and wipe and reinstall.
If all your files are stored on a separate internal hard drive, you could disconnect the SATA cable to that drive, and then just wipe and reinstall on the boot drive. And after everything is reinstalled, you can reconnect the data drive.
But like I said, that worked for an entirely different PC model for one user -so far, and it may or not work here...
Vlacus
4 Posts
0
April 3rd, 2018 03:00
Hi.
I unfortunately went through a similar issue - 4 days before warranty was out, but because I didn't report until a few days later (due to hectic work schedule) - no warranty.
Thanks Dell for the "critical update" for my bios system. As a long time customer of dell and helping to procure Dell systems for tens of thousands of employees for a large energy company - I will no longer recommend Dell.
I still have the desktop sitting in my office closet with hopes of one day being able to replace the (intentionally by Dell?) bricked motherboard - as soon as a reasonably priced one is found online.
For the record, I did contact Dell.ca who's only advice was to get a new motherboard (duh...). Another conversation had a dell rep suggest that I get a new computer... which to me rings great truth to the possibility of purposefully "updating" a bios system to create issues / obsolescence.
Not happy with Dell...
Think I'll post this to Facebook....
RoHe
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April 3rd, 2018 09:00
Read this:
Dell Policy, BIOS breaks motherboard CMOS
(Don't know if it applies in Canada...)