XPS 8910, won't boot/start after updates

Question

I was playing internet golf on my computer when a small window popped up on the lower right hand corner of my screen saying 5 Dell Updates available. I thought ok, but I won't restart, if necessary, right now. But, without my permission, my screen changed to all blue with the circular arrow, dots blinking and the word "restarting" in the middle. 30 seconds later, the screen went all black and the computer shut down.

I now can't start the computer. When I press the power button, it makes a quiet whirring sound, and the led light lights, for about 2 seconds. Than nothing happens. It doesn't start.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a fix?

Thanks in advance.

JOcean · Answer

The only update that I can think of which would cause the problems you have would be a BIOS update. Try the following site. Also it's worth a try to reset the BIOS. Power off the system and pull the plug. Then press the power button. Now pull the CMOS (coin cell) battery and leave it out for at least 15 minutes (Intel recommends 30 minutes). Now reinsert the battery and try again.

https://www.dell.com/community/XPS-Desktops/Dell-XPS-8910-SE-will-not-turn-on-after-I-got-the-quot-update/td-p/5704339

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/sln300716/bios-recovery-options-on-a-dell-pc-or-tablet?lang=en

golfermack · Answer

Thank you very much for your reply and suggestion. I'll give it a try today and report back.

golfermack · Answer

'Also it's worth a try to reset the BIOS. Power off the system and pull the plug. Then press the power button. Now pull the CMOS (coin cell) battery and leave it out for at least 15 minutes (Intel recommends 30 minutes). Now reinsert the battery and try again.'   I gave that a try, but no change. Power light comes on for 1-2 seconds with a slight whirring sound, than stops. Monitor stays black.

RoHe · Answer

Did you try the BIOS recovery option at the link JOcean posted? And read this link to see if BIOS Recovery version 2 applies to your system:
https://www.dell.com/community/Inspiron-Desktops/BR2-BIOS-Recovery-2-Desktops/m-p/6074805#M4656

And read Dell's policy about BIOS updates that fail:
https://www.dell.com/community/Customer-Care-Wiki/Dell-Policy-BIOS-update-breaks-motherboard-CMOS/ta-p/6063959

golfermack · Answer

Ron& Others,

This is an interesting link you provided:

https://www.dell.com/community/Customer-Care-Wiki/Dell-Policy-BIOS-update-breaks-motherboard-CMOS/ta-p/6063959

FWIW, I come under the Out of Warranty and "automated software suggestion to install" and am therefor not entitled to the Dell one time free repair. I had called Dell support Friday to report my issue. After explaining my issue in detail, they said I was out of warranty and would have to pay for the repair. I later read on this forum where another member, who had this exact same problem, was polite but persistent with Dell that he shouldn't have to pay to repair a problem a Dell update created. So, Saturday I called Dell back and was persistent and they have agreed to repair my computer at no charge. However, I have to ship the computer to them, they warned me I may lose files, and the process will take ~2 weeks.

golfermack · Answer

Thank you Ron for your interest in my problem.

Per your link:

BR2 is on Dell desktops that shipped after December 2015

I purchased my XPS 8910 from Best Buy in Oct. 2016. So, I believe I have the BR2.

* Disconnect all peripherals from the desktop. Only have the USB mouse, USB keyboard and monitor connected to the desktop

Will do.
* Restart the desktop

That's my problem. I can't restart the desktop.
* Press and hold the CTRL key + ESC key on the keyboard until the BIOS Recovery page appears

Doing this while pressing the power button makes no difference.

* Select Reset NVRAM (if available) [press Enter]
* Select Disabled [press Enter] if you wish to save the current BIOS settings
* Select Recover BIOS [press Enter]
* The desktop may restart a few times during the process of BIOS recovery

RoHe · Answer

@golfermack wrote:

Thank you Ron for your interest in my problem.

Per your link:

BR2 is on Dell desktops that shipped after December 2015

I purchased my XPS 8910 from Best Buy in Oct. 2016. So, I believe I have the BR2.

* Disconnect all peripherals from the desktop. Only have the USB mouse, USB keyboard and monitor connected to the desktop

Will do.
* Restart the desktop

That's my problem. I can't restart the desktop.
* Press and hold the CTRL key + ESC key on the keyboard until the BIOS Recovery page appears

Doing this while pressing the power button makes no difference.

* Select Reset NVRAM (if available) [press Enter]
* Select Disabled [press Enter] if you wish to save the current BIOS settings
* Select Recover BIOS [press Enter]
* The desktop may restart a few times during the process of BIOS recovery

Don't press the power button while trying to launch BIOS Recovery 2. Just press power button like you normally would to start the PC and immediately press and hold the CTRL key + ESC key.

If you're going to ship the PC back, I'd take the hard drive out and install it in a USB hard drive enclosure. Connect the enclosure to another PC and back up your personal files and/or create a complete hard drive image on another USB drive, so you don't lose your files. You can use free version of Macrium to image your drive.

And while the drive is in that enclosure, delete all your personal files/data you wouldn't want anyone else to see. Not suggesting anybody would "borrow" your info at Dell's repair center, but why take chances? :Wink: And then put your drive back in the 8910 before shipping it out.

golfermack · Answer

@RoHe wrote:

Just press power button like you normally would to start the PC and immediately press and hold the CTRL key + ESC key.

I tried that a few times. When I press the power button it lights up and makes a quiet whirring sound (like booting up), but only for 1-2 seconds and then the light goes out and the whirring sound ends. Doesn't seem like enough time for anything to happen by pressing the two keys. But I'll try it again.

If you're going to ship the PC back, I'd take the hard drive out and install it in a USB hard drive enclosure. Connect the enclosure to another PC and back up your personal files and/or create a complete hard drive image on another USB drive, so you don't lose your files. You can use free version of Macrium to image your drive.

And while the drive is in that enclosure, delete all your personal files/data you wouldn't want anyone else to see. Not suggesting anybody would "borrow" your info at Dell's repair center, but why take chances? :Wink: And then put your drive back in the 8910 before shipping it out.

Excellent suggestions. Thanks.

When I bought the computer, I immediately replaced the original hard drive with a solid state hard drive that I cloned the OS to. I've been thinking of putting the original HD back in before I ship it back to Dell. While I believe my problem is with my mother board or BIOS, perhaps it's with some software on my solid state hard drive. Hmm, after thinking about that, if the problem is with the SSHD, I guess my computer should boot with the original HD. I'll test that.

RoHe · Answer

Maybe you need a second pair of hands. One to press the power button and the other to press/hold Ctrl+Esc as soon as the power button is released.

Well, assuming it could boot from the original HDD, if BIOS wasn't hosed, and there's no personal info on that HDD, that would be an easy way to remove all your personal stuff without needing a USB enclosure and software to image and then cleanse the SSD.

And Dell typically wants the user to restore the PC to factory hardware configuration before they work on it anyway. So that' would be a good thing to do.

golfermack · Answer

LOL, no. I’m pretty confident I’m pressing the power button, releasing it and immediately pressing and holding down the two keys with my other hand.

i tried it a few more times without any success.

I’ll put the original HD in and try booting it up. And report back.

What bay is your original HD in?

RoHe · Answer

Don't want to be a kill-joy, but I tend to doubt it will boot from the old HDD if it's not booting from the SSD.

Don't have this model PC so it doesn't matter which bay my HDD is in. It doesn't really matter as long the bay is the right size to hold the HDD, and both the SATA power and data cables reach the drive without being pulled or stretched when the case is closed.

golfermack · Answer

You're not being a kill joy. I'm hoping it won't boot up with the original HD either. I don't want there to be a problem with my SSHD.

I have a HD in each of the 3 bays. The SSHD (C drive) and two other data drives. I'm removing all 3 and putting the original HD back in before shipping to Dell. I just wanted to put the original HD back in the original bay it was in.

Ok, looking at some online videos, it belongs in the bottom right bay.

golfermack · Answer

Well, it wouldn't boot up with the original HD either. No surprise.

I think I've done all I can do. I'm now waiting for the carton Dell is sending me to ship the computer to them for repair.

Thanks for all your help Ron.

golfermack · Answer

Just to complete the story to this issue. I got my computer back from Dell today. They replaced the 'main logic board'. Computer seems to work fine now.

RoHe · Answer

:Yes: :Yes: But no more BIOS updates ever again using SupportAssist or Dell Update, please. If you must do another BIOS update, do it manually and keep both those apps out of things. :Wink:

XPS Desktops

XPS 8910, won't boot/start after updates

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