XPS 8940, random freezing

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Well that didn't take long. PC still freezes.

So to update this saga; I tried both 471.41 and 471.11 versions of the nVidia driver, and the 'game ready' and 'studio' versions, all to no avail.  However one PC on 471.11 has not frozen again since I installed them, the other PC freezes at least once every 6 hours or so.

My next step was to wipe the PC and do a clean install of Windows 10 (not using Dell's OS recovery.)  The only drivers I installed were the latest from nVidia (511.79) for the GTX 1660 TI, and I let Windows install a host of drivers as it saw fit. I know this may not be optimal but I'm trying to keep it as stock as possible.  It's only been about 12 hours but so far the PC hasn't frozen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

If this continues we'll pursue returning the PC or both to Dell and ordering something else.  The amount of work lost and time spent chasing this down has become unacceptable.

Kiran

I have the same setup as you and the exact same problem.  Any luck in getting it resolved?

What BIOS are you running?  There are several threads with the XPS 8940 freezing or having BSOD after applying BIOS 2.4.0.  I am one of those individuals.  I don't believe, but again my own opinion, that it has to do with the Video card.  I have RTX 2060 and have random freezes, this started after applying latest BIOS which was released late Jan/ early Feb.

Yeah, we tried the Nuke-and-Pave over here, as well as the Nvidia Studio driver over here.

https://www.dell.com/community/XPS-Desktops/XPS-8940-new-out-of-the-box-intermittent-crashes/m-p/8142183#M68592

Sounds like he is getting burnt-out. Was thinking of pulling Nvidia cards (to further simplify config) but didn't sound like customer was willing to try (maybe you could instead). Both are getting frustrated.

This is a good thread as it links out to many other threads or users with similar XPS-8940 problems.

https://www.dell.com/community/XPS-Desktops/XPS-8940-system-hanging/m-p/8150642#M68996

Hopefully you can stay on 2.3.0, Windows Update might try to "force" it back.  Windows Update is telling me daily that a reboot is needed to get back to 2.4.0, but the machine has been running fine now for 3 days on the old bios and I hate to reboot.  There was also recommendations to disable capsule updates which is within the BIOS settings.  I have not done this yet, as like I said I'm afraid to reboot when all is working with the old BIOS.

These PCs have BIOS 2.4.0.  We're trying 2.3.0 now to see if there's any change.  I pretty much ruled out the video drivers as being the issue.

Kiran

Guys you know what? I think the freezing might have started for me in Jan when I upgraded to bios 2.4.0 as well.  I was getting BSOD REFERENCE_TO_POINTER intermittently since I bought this XPS 8940 and updated the bios trying to resolve that.  I found the BSOD REFERENCE_TO_POINTER to be caused by the Dell SupportAssist software, but had upgraded the bios to 2.4.0 in the process.  I solved the BSOD by uninstalling SupportAssist, but seems the freezing started possibly same time as 2.4.0 update.  You guys are genius.  Now only if Dell can fix this ASAP.  I have a Nvidia GTX 1660 Super, I may try running with the onboard graphics to see if that helps in the meantime.  I'm on Win11 btw.  Let's keep this thread alive for awareness.

I don't want really add to this as I have had a slightly different situation of Freezing in the LAST 3 days.

I've been on 2.4 basically since it was out. No problems.

I've got the 8940 of course, i7 11700, Nvidia RTX2060, and a USB wireless Logitech mouse and keyboard on W11.

I mention the USB wireless as my problem has happened when the PC is brought out of sleep. 2 of the times, it did wake up the system (shake the mouse) but I could not see the pointer. Double clicking the CTRL key didn't show it. Keyboard was DEAD too... So I got out the wired mouse and keyboard and plugged that in. Didn't help. So I powered off via the power button. Only one difference today, it came out of sleep fine, and I went to use the mouse as I saw the pointer, and it did move, clicked on a desktop icon, poof, froze...

In all 3 instance, both the Reliability Monitor AND the Event Viewer has only the POWER OFF error?

I am starting to wonder if this is Nvidia Related??? I've been going back and forth on the Game Ready and Studio drivers... (trying to solve my Black Screen problem). Right now, I'm on the Studio Driver, V 511.65 from 2//1/2022... may go back to the Studio one as a test.

Again, it has only happened 3 times, and the PC's been woken up from sleep well over a dozen times during these 3 days without incident.

I reverted back to bios 2.3 and disabled automatic driver updates in group policy to stop it from forcing to update back to 2.4.  We'll see if I have any more random freezing.

During attempt to locate the issue I removed Nvidia GeForce Experience w/ Game Ready driver and did a clean install of of the bare Nvidia 511.65 Studio WHQL driver w/ Control Panel.  From my testing the video driver doesn't seem to change anything.

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I agree with @handyvorb, I don't believe the problem to be associated with the video driver.  Also @ispalten, my problems have been similar to you.  I would "wake up" (again I don't use Sleep or Hibernation) computer and sometimes it would be immediately frozen, other times I could get keyboard or mouse control for a few minutes and then it would freeze.  Also, there were some mornings everything was fine and it happened the second morning, so it was not consistent.  Although it did typically happen when bringing monitors alive in the morning after several hours of no activity.

As I have reported on other threads, this all started with the update of BIOS 2.4.0.  I had updated it first via Support Assist, I rolled it back manually to 2.3.0 and everything was fine until Windows Update forced an updated back up to 2.4.0.  Then the problems started again.  I have since manually rolled back to 2.3.0, Windows Update wants me to reboot to reapply the newer BIOS but I have not.  I've been frozen free and am avoiding any reboot as I don't have any issues until BIOS 2.4.0 gets applied.

@handyvorb 

I've trying to stop another problem, and it all appears for be Nvidia related. All releases of both Dell and Nvidia drivers which are the Game Ready. From Nvidia I also tried the Studio ones. I too deleted ALL Nvidia stuff, and used DDU to completely remove everything many times. Didn't help me once re-installed any Nvidia Drivers. Using the HD750 from Intel on the motherboard I did NOT have my 'black screen' problem.

However, my 'freezing is something new.

Interestingly, this morning when looking at Facebook it didn't load when I scrolled down? Closed my Firefox browser and it worked fine. Left, and when I came back, FireFox was closed and when I tried to open it, then it froze on me.

What I also didn't list was I started to suspect my USB driver might have closed? That because I sort of suspected the USB keyboard and mouse wouldn't work? I even used different ports. I know that I can hot-plug them in as I've done it a few times and they work, even with the wireless USB devices connected.

I can't be sure but it is possible even that my problem IS the USB drive(s)? They failed, locked the PC up, and couldn't WRITE the ERROR to the Event Manager?

In all the treads about a freeze, I think most if not all have an RTX video card. I can't tell though that it might not be the card but the USB driver? Unless one has a TOUCH SCREEN, you more than likely need USB working to do any sort of operation on the PC?

If this IS the root problem, I don't know how to 'catch it'? All the 3.0 USB drivers are 10.0.22000.65, dated 7/3/2021 from MicroSoft?

I have moved the Logitech Dongle/Receiver to a different USB port yesterday and still got the Freeze today.

Checked in Device Manager if there is an Updated driver, but there appears to be none.

I also checked the LogitTech USB Input Device, also up to date?

There are many reports of USB problems on W 11 if you Google "Windows 11 USB ports not working", but it seems there are problems where the ports are not starting or can't 'see' a device.

I'm starting to think this could be a BIOS problem?

The fact that other than the Power Off error none shows is odd I'd think?

Well, there is ANOTHER crucial piece of information that I think will tie the Nvidia Driver and USB together.

My Monitor is a Dell S3221SQ and it HAS USB ports. There IS a USB cable going to it. I used HDMI 2 as input as well.

There 'could' be interaction to the Monitor's USB port (I do NOT use it) and the Video drive as well as the sound drivers  since my Monitor has speakers.

Since with the HD750 I don't seem to have freezes, it could even be the Nvidia USB driver (although MS makes it but Nvidia installs it with its drivers)?