XPS 8940, randomly freezing

On my XPS 8940, this field is checked, and I do not recall setting it.

@ishmael  - If your XPS 8940 is having freezes, try unchecking that box on the IMEI#1 power management screen in Device Manager and see if that helps.

IDK if that will help, but it's worth a try...

Hi Ron,

Fortunately, so far at least, I am not experiencing the lockup/freezing issues that others seem to be having.

So I was getting random freezing also.  I would find my computer completely locked up and the fan inside was running loud..  Dell support suggested a reformat and after that they did diagnostics and there was a critical error stating that there was a problem with the CPU fan.  Months ago I had switched out the back case fan with a Noctua fan with no issues.  But maybe after a recent BIOS update, it was causing an issue with fan.  So i put the stock dell fan back in and sure enough the diagnostics came back with no errors and havent had any random freezing for the past 2 weeks.  The cooling is so poor in the 8940 that even the Noctua fan helped a bit and was thinking of getting a Noctua cpu fan as well.  But fear that if i replace both these fans I will run into the random freezing again.  The only thing dell could offier would be to replace the cpu fan if i am concerned about the temperatures.  

Hi Irv,

I am not experiencing any lockup or freezing issues once I have booted into Windows.   And that IME Interface property is checked to turn it off to save power, checked apparently by default.

@ishmael 

So you are not experiencing freezing at all other than at one time a boot problem? You have the IME Interface property checked to turn it off to save power, right?

@robbysee 

You have a fan problem, and when you locked up the fans were running, which others have not experienced?

I have the random lock up without warning or any errors. My IME Interface is NOT checked to turn of to save power?

Does any one else have this checked and is locking up?

Reading on-line what that does (although it is not clear if it is the IME itself or the OS Interface) it would seem to be something you don't want to turn off?

@ishmael 

Mine was sent NOT to turn it off?

I wonder it this is due to how I got W11 Installed? Dell Support had me do a variety of Windows installs. All on W11 after it was upgraded from W10 due to a different problem?

Did you migrate from W10? @RoHe I think is on W10?

I wonder if ALL that are experiencing the lock-up have it not set? Although 'logic' says not turning it off should  not cause a problem either whereas having it turned off could?

Odd....

There is also a lot of links on the web that say it should be off as well?

https://wrongtree.info/2018/03/01/weird-laptop-power-problem-turn-off-intel-r-management-engine-interface/ 

All that I can find are like the above, turn it ON and that would solve the Shutdown problem. A problem my wife had for a few months on her XPS8500 running W10. Then, at some point, it was shutting down again. Can only assume an MS file change.

I guess my logic is if it stays on, especially on an A/C powered PC, like a Desktop Tower, this should not matter if it were on or off (assuming off doesn't cause a problem)?

Anyone with the Lock up problem reading this thread, please check your setting and post if it is ON or OFF?

I am running Windows 10 :

On my XPS 8940, I replaced the rear stock fan with a Noctua NF-A9 92mm fan, replaced the stock CPU fan with a Vetroo 5, added a Dell VRM heatsink, and am using HWinfo64 to monitor CPU/GPU.  I have not experienced any random lockup or freezing issues once booted into Windows.  My CPU/GPU temps at the moment are 29 and 31 degrees C, respectively.

@ishmael 

I know you've not experienced the lock ups I'm having, but my Stock XPS is not really near the high Tjmax for the CPU either.

Matter of fact, I can't say, other than running from Video Performance and PC Performance measurement program ANY fan speed up? Nor the CPU cutting aback speed due to heat. Yes, I know some people had problems, related to heat, but it might be because of usage and ventilation around the tower.

I'd like to thin that Dell designed the cooling for the way most people use computers. I know on the 8950 water cooling was an option though.

Don't consider my GPU too high either:

Yes, cooler is better and it can extend life, I get that. However, is it needed?

Yes, I do have some programs that push the XPS and use more power and raise the temps, but nothing too high?

"Yes, cooler is better and it can extend life, I get that. However, is it needed?"   Good question.  Am guessing that probably for most of us who are not gamers or video editors, pursing temperature reduction is unnecessary.  I mainly did it for fun, because I read about others doing it and the cost was relatively minor, about $30 total, I think. 

Jumping in on this thread.  I'm still on BIOS 2.3.0 just so I don't experience the lock-ups.  If I understood @ispalten request, looking for state of Intel ME Interface.  Here is what mine is set to:

I have went back to 2.3 and have not had any issues with the freeze. This is not a permeant answer and Dell has to do what is necessary to fix this.

Having another lockup today. "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" under Power Management of Intel Management Engine Interface #1 was unchecked. Checked now. Will see how it goes.