XPS 8930, two, both have random shutdown

I can now confirm it is not the power supply

the computer shut down 5 times overnight sitting idle and the only thing i get out of the logs is 

event ID 1074 RuntimeBroker.exe has initiated the restart of computer on behalf of user for the following reason: Other (Unplanned) Reason Code 0x500ff

Shutdown Type Power off

@lrellis 

Windows updates are failing and you may have rootkit issues.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/waas-restart

• Turn off auto-restart for updates during active hours prevents automatic restart during active hours.
• No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations prevents automatic restart when a user is signed in. If a user schedules the restart in the update notification, the device will restart at the time the user specifies even if a user is signed in at the time. This policy only applies when Configure Automatic Updates is set to option 4-Auto download and schedule the install.

@lrellis  - See if WhoCrashed (free) can point you at a cause for these crashes...

You've replaced almost everything in this PC without finding a solution so maybe it's time to look beyond the PC.

• If you use a surge protector and/or power strip, remove them. Plug PC directly into the wall outlet and see what happens.
  
  
• Is there something on same circuit (eg, frig/freezer, A/C etc) that causes a voltage drop? See what happens if you plug PC etc into outlets on an entirely different circuit, not just into different outlets.
  
  
• Is it possible your electric company is causing power "blinks" which crash the PC? 

In any of these cases, maybe an uninterruptable backup power supply would solve the problem.

RoHe

You may be on to something, I have tried everything else.

And I do see flickering in my overhead lights at times.

I went out and purchased a APC UPS and put it in line, I will post again tomorrow to let you know if the computer stayed up or not through the night.

Thanks to all of you for the advice, I hope this is the end of it.

RoHe,

I have not had a unknown shutdown so far, so it does look like the UPS will help.

Thinking back I did have a new AC unit installed 4 or 5 months ago. It has a variable speed condenser and air handler motors.  I will contact them and start asking questions.

You are right, everything in my house has chips in the.

Thanks again for your insight and your advice.

RoHe,

You are correct once again.

A case and some Ram and I have another 8930. 

I think a birthday present is in store for my daughter.

I live in central Fl. and have a surge suppressor on the whole house but this might be normal for Florida power and electric. And we have been having quite a few storms lately.  Lots of lightning.

UPS for the Video entertainment system is next I think.

Thank you for your help and advice once again.

@lrellis  - Glad to hear the UPS seems to be helping, but the day is young...just kidding!

And if the UPS is the solution, all the PC parts you previously removed/replaced may still be perfectly functional. So don't toss them. At this point, all you'd probably need is some RAM and a new XPS 8930 case, and you'd have enough to build another PC...

Hope the AC guys and/or an electrician can find/fix the problem...

Today, November 14, 2021, I was playing Civilization and the computer shutdown. When I tried to restart it, Dell did some diagnostics, advised me that the problem could not be fixed, and I eventually shut the computer back down and went to Best Buy. Best Buy looked at it for 5 minutes, started it back up, it worked fine, and they gave it back to me. It seemed like Dell Diagnostics kept intervening when I was trying to start it up. The screen would say OSRecovery was loading and then the screen would freeze and I would have to shut down. I recently installed Windows 11 and wondered if that was part of the problem. I also use Express VPN. When I use Express VPN, ESET keeps complaining about Cloud connectivity. So, this is like my friend passed out, the doctor revived him, now he seems OK, but there obviously is an underlying problem and we don't know what it is. I tried calling Dell technical support. They said my warranty expired, it was Sunday, and to call back Mondy.

Yes, we starting having this problem as soon as we started to use it more frequently. 

It's been 3 years and we were able to do windows update, we did a windows 10 pro refresh.

Thought this would work bc since the beginning the time would not give us the correct time. 

Like said 3 years later, I got this to working and everything fell into place.

Well we thought until today, computer started to turn on after we shutdown completely.. 

So I checked and disabled windows updates settings and power options.

And noe, it doesn't want to stay on, it shuts down without any error messages, etc. 

Only thing, I might do is to change out power supply.

Whats strange, the power button was orange to no color during the software issues but after is lit up normally. 

But now, computer shuts doen, minutes later it turns on, then shuts down.  

@SMAIR  If you haven't you replaced the motherboard battery recently, you might want to start there, if nothing else than to rule the battery out for only ~$2.

Did you run the PSU BIST test, using the button on back of PC?

Have you run diagnostics from F12 menu?

Try reseating RAM, video card, WiFi card and all cable connections to/from the motherboard too.

Any signs of overheating?

I am having the same issue on four XPS machines. They are powered by an enterprise level UPS. The UPS is also powering a rack of hard drives and two other non-XPS machines. Nothing else shuts off or has problems but these four XPS machines will all power themselves off.

I'm running Ubuntu Desktop and it's not a going to sleep issue. It's a hard power-off for no good reason.  What is going on!?

@BWFree  Did you try the suggestions I made to SMAIR above?

Is the UPS providing pure or simulated (modified) sign wave output?

I have replaced the motherboard, Memory, and power supply.

I have installed a UPS, and I am still getting a random Shutdowns and Startups.

I have the issue and have had it for a while now.

I have now removed the Wireless card and let it run for a couple of hours and it stayed up.

I am now ordering a new wireless card, intel AC 9260, to see if that works.

No dumps, no information in the logs, the only thing left is the GPU, but from what I have read that is not the problem.

I will post again after I receive it and run it for a while.

Any new updates on this? I've had the same issues since I bought the system.