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35 Posts

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February 28th, 2024 16:32

Dell Automatic Drivers and Downloads Update not Working.

XPS 8940

XPS 8940

The Dell Support Assist, Dell Update and Dell Support Website automatic driver updates have not been working for over a week.  I contacted Dell Technical Support and have a Service Request Number, but I haven't heard anything back from them in 9 days now.  I have an active ProSupport service agreement, but there hasn't been any activity on my request.  Is this a known problem?  Is it occurring with other people/systems?

When I run the Dell Update, it comes back with no updates, even though I saw an update for the BIOS listed on the support webpage for my XPS 8940.  Also, when I look for driver updates from the Dell SupportAssist App and the automatic driver updates from the Dell Support website, I get an error message.

Attached are screen captures below:

It doesn't appear that Dell Technical Support is responding to my request.  Thanks for your help.

3 Apprentice

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1.3K Posts

February 29th, 2024 00:38

Hi TheRoots:

It doesn't look like your images inserted correctly, so apologies in advance if I'm asking for information that you tried to show in your images.

 
What is your Windows operating system [please include the edition (Home, Pro, etc.), version and OS build number shown at Settings | System | About | Windows Specifications] and antivirus?  If you go to Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features does it show that you have the current Dell SupportAssist v4.0.0 and Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.2.0?

If you have updated to the latest SupportAssist v4.0.0 (released 01-Feb-2024) please note that there are multiple users posting about bugs in this version in the SupportAssist for PCs board, and according to paojw's 21-Feb-2024 post <here> Dell Customer Support is aware there are issues with v4.0.0.

What is your current BIOS version? Open a Run dialog box (Win key + R), enter msinfo32 to open your System Information window, and look for the field named "BIOS Version / Date" in the summary.

See my 23-Feb-2024 post in DrCarlSagan's Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition (Windows 11): SupportAssist doesn't recognize BIOS update version 1.17.0 (Released: Feb. 20, 2024). As a general rule, updates posted on the support page for my Inspiron 5584 typically take at least 5 or 6 days (and sometimes much longer) before they're detected by Dell utilities like SupportAssist or Dell Update.

Also see my warning in that post about the possible danger of allowing utilities like SupportAssist v4.x or Dell Update v5.x to install BIOS updates. The same goes for Windows Update - I have a Win 10 Pro v22H2 OS and used my my Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) to configure Windows Update so that it will not offer BIOS firmware or hardware drivers, and I presently only install updates recommended on the support page for my Inspiron 5584 and detected by Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.x (note that I uninstalled all SupportAssist-related software from my computer about a year ago). If you have a Home edition of Win 10 or Win 11 then you will not have the Local Group Policy Editor.

The support page for your for your XPS  8940 at https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/xps-8940-desktop/drivers is currently recommending Dell XPS 8940 System BIOS v2.17.0 (XPS_8940_2.17.0.exe, rel. 21-Feb-2024)***.  If you still require that BIOS update browse to that support page and want to install it now then click the This Device tab on your support page as shown below and enter your unique Service Tag to filter the results for software and drivers that match your system components.  If the Dell XPS 8940 System BIOS v2.17.0 update is still recommended then download the XPS_8940_2.17.0.exe installer from that support page, save it on your desktop, right-click the .exe file, and choose "Run as Administrator".

*** NOTE: If you can't see the list of recommended updates on your support page see the workaround garrioch7 suggested in my October 2023 topic Recommended Updates (View List) Not Displayed on Inspiron 15 5584 Support Page (i.e.,  click the blue Check for Updates button on your support page and chose Cancel if it prompts you to install SupportAssist).  I'm still having problems viewing the list of available updates on my Inspiron 5584 support page and on occasion I even have to use MS Edge instead of my default Firefox browser.

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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4046 * Firefox v123.0.0 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24010.12-1.1.24010.10 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.9.314-1.0.2276 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.2.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0

(edited)

1 Rookie

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35 Posts

February 29th, 2024 16:47

@lmacri​ , Thanks.  I don't know why the pictures didn't show up.  I saw them in the preview before I pressed post.  I have the latest versions of Windows Update (5.2.0) and SupportAssist (3.14.2.45116).  It looks like my problem was the same as others where SupportAssist wasn't working.  I uninstalled both this morning again and reinstalled them again.  They appear to be working okay now.

I had originally send a request to Dell Support asking about the XPS 8940 BIOS update (2.17.0).  It appeared on Windows Update over 9 days prior to when it showed up on the Dell Support page.  I wanted to know if they were using Windows Update to rollout BIOS updates instead of the Dell Support page.  (My HP laptop has always done this.)  Dell has never responded to that question.

I too always download BIOS updates directly from the Dell Support webpage and manually install them.  But, that isn't an option with Windows Update.  I wanted to make sure Windows Update wasn't detecting an invalid BIOS update for my XPS 8940 too.

Thanks again, hopefully Dell has all the problems worked out with SupportAssist.

3 Apprentice

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1.3K Posts

March 1st, 2024 16:02

....It looks like my problem was the same as others where SupportAssist wasn't working.  I uninstalled both this morning again and reinstalled them again.  They appear to be working okay now.

Hi @TheRoots :

Glad to hear the reinstalls have fixed your problem.

... I had originally send a request to Dell Support asking about the XPS 8940 BIOS update (2.17.0).  It appeared on Windows Update over 9 days prior to when it showed up on the Dell Support page....I too always download BIOS updates directly from the Dell Support webpage and manually install them.  But, that isn't an option with Windows Update....

Just FYI, I purchased my Inspiron 5584 in August 2019 before hardware driver and firmware updates were offered by Windows Update as "optional" updates, and I'm almost certain that a BIOS update unexpectedly delivered by Windows Update failed to install properly and bricked my machine. Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery would not kick in, and after spending over an hour with Dell Tech Support on the phone I ended up having to perform a reset to factory condition in order to get my system to boot up again.

After that fiasco I removed all SupportAssist-related software from my system. SupportAssist v3.x was too buggy, consumed too many system resources, and the "system optimization" scans were too aggressive and had the potential to do more harm than good - see my 12-Jul-2021 post in ex-jedi's Prevent Automatic Recycle Bin Emptying about the over-aggressive registry cleaner associated with the Tune Performance scan of SupportAssist.  I've also posted about the buggy behaviour of Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery v5.5.x (a.k.a. Dell SupportAssist Remediation) in my 28-Jul-2021 post in Desmodus1984's Inspiron 5570- SupportAssist OS Recovery Tools downloads but not installing.

I now use Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.x to check for available Dell software and driver updates, ePSA (F12 BIOS enhanced Pre-boot System Assessment) for Dell hardware diagnostics, and Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 disk imaging software (out of support but still fully functional as of Jan 2024) for creating full disk images and emergency recovery media in case I ever have to perform another emergency recovery of my system.

As previously mentioned, I have a Pro edition of Windows and now use my Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) to prevent Windows Update from offering driver and firmware updates.  See Option 1 of Brink's TenForums tutorial Enable or Disable Driver Updates in Windows Update in Windows 10.

... I don't know why the pictures didn't show up.....

This happens to me all the time on this forum.  When you upload an image from your hard drive the default action is not set to "Add". If you aren't paying attention and choose "Cancel" your image is discarded.

Dell switched to Sprnklr as the software provider for this forum platform in August 2023 and it's a been disaster as far as I'm concerned.  I've been posting about bugs and lack of functionality in my topic SPRL forum, removed paragraph breaks, bulleted lists from old posts (my original title was changed by one of the Forum Admins) but very little has changed since then.  For example, I've never heard of forum software that only uses in-app notifications when a thread you're subscribed to is updated (which requires you to be logged in to the forum) but can't send out email notifications.
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4046 * Firefox v123.0.0 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24010.12-1.1.24010.10 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.9.314-1.0.2276 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.2.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0

(edited)

1 Rookie

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14 Posts

March 30th, 2024 20:44

Same problem here.
It was working ok the Supportassist for drivers upgrade and also for hardwarr analysis. No longer working for 2 weeks. I have a Vostro 3520.
Today I reinstalled Windows 11 from beggining to solve it but remains the same. Supportassist cannot run, complete its initialization and show the screen for notebook analysis.

3 Apprentice

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1.3K Posts

March 31st, 2024 12:19

... It was working ok the Supportassist for drivers upgrade and also for hardwarr analysis. No longer working for 2 weeks. I have a Vostro 3520 ...

Hi @fabioluzo :

Check to make sure you have the latest Dell Inspiron 15 3520 and Vostro 3420/3520 System BIOS v1.22.0 (rel. 19-Mar-2024) that is posted on the support page for your Vostro 3520 at https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/vostro-15-3520-laptop/drivers.  To find your current BIOS version open a Run dialog box (Windows key + R), enter msinfo32 to open your System Information window, and look for the field named "BIOS Version / Date" in the summary.

If you BIOS is up-to-date then I would suggest you try a clean reinstall of SupportAssist.  Instructions are posted in the support article Dell SupportAssist for PCs and Tablets Installation Issue and there is a companion YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOkgM3JUpHM.

If you perform a clean reinstall please note that you might be downgraded to SupportAssist v3.14.2.  Dell has acknowledged that the latest SupportAssist v4.0 (rel. 01-Feb-2024) has multiple bugs, and the 26-Feb-2024 support article Wrong Version of SupportAssist for Home PCs is Installed states that a reinstall of SupportAssist with a fresh copy of SupportAssistInstaller.exe might install the previous v3.14.2 while developers are trying to fix the bugs in v4.0.x.

If a clean reinstall of SupportAssist doesn't work then go to the support page for your Vostro 3520 at https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/vostro-15-3520-laptop/drivers and download and install the current Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.2.0 app (Dell-Update-Windows-Universal-Application_GT6WW_WIN_5.2.0_A00.EXE, rel. 31-Jan-2024).  That utility should be able to detect and install available Dell software and drivers updates that match your unique Service Tag, and you will be able to accept or decline any available update it detects before the installation starts.

If necessary, you can run an advanced F12 ePSA (enhanced Pre-boot System Assessment) hardware diagnostic from your BIOS as instructed in the Dell support article How to Run a Preboot Diagnostic Test on a Dell Computer.  A companion YouTube video is posted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cfFECs5Qa0.
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4170 * Firefox v124.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24020.7-1.1.24020.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.11.320-1.0.2302 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Dell Inspiron 5583/5584 BIOS v1.22.1 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.2.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0

(edited)

1 Rookie

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14 Posts

May 1st, 2024 13:43

@lmacri​ I did all of this, not working.
It's a shame how can Dell supportassist not run hardware tests. And a Dell support agent said to me that they know this problem and that I need to wait for a new version to be released.

BTW the  Dell Update for Windows Universal is on version 5.3.0 already.

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