XPS 8930 BIOS Setting Suggestions

Question

Below is a list of my BIOS settings on my 8930. This was made after the update to 1.1.20 BIOS. Some of you regular contributors with a lot of knowledge give me ideas about anything you see I could change, or some of the things you turn off/on that are different from mine. I don't really know what some of these settings really are anyway. Thanks.

Dell XPS 8930 BIOS Settings 1/27/2022

Main

Main BIOS Version 1.1.20

Product Name XPS8930

Service Tag ********

Asset Tag none

CPU Type 3.1 GHZ Intel i9 9900

CPU Speed 3100 MHZ

CPU I.D. 906ED

CPU Cache L1 572KB L2 2048 KB L3 16384 KB

First HDD (S1) Samsung SSD 840 EVO 2506 GB

SATA ODD HL-DT-ST-BD-RE-BUYON-(S2)

M.2 PCIE SSD PM981A NVME Samsung 2048 GB. (SO) 2048 GB.

System Memory 32768 MB (DDR4)

Memory Speed 2666 MHZ

Advanced

Intel (R) Speed Step TM Enabled

Hyper Thread Control Virtualization

VT for direct I/O

SATA Operation RAID ON

Intel S.W. Guard (?) 128 MB extension allocated mem size

BIOS recovery from Hard Drive Enabled

BIOS Auto Recovery Disabled

Always Perform Integrity Check Disabled

USB Configuration Front and Rear are Enabled

Power Options

Wake by Integrated LAN Enabled

Deep Sleep Control Disabled

Auto Power On Disabled

USB Wake Support (S3) Enabled

Auto Power On Mode (Selected Day)

Auto Power On Date 15

Auto Power On Time 12:30:30

NUMLOCK Key Enabled

Security

Unlock Setup Status Unlocked

Admin PW Status Not Set

System PW Status Not Set

HDD PW Status Not set

Asset Tag

Admin Pw

HDD PW

Password Change Permitted

Computrace Deactivated

Firmware TPM Enabled

PPI bypass for clear command Disabled

UEFI FW Capsule Updates Enabled

Secure Boot Standard

Key Management Blank nothing showing

UEFI Boot Path Security Always Except Internal HDD.

BOOT

Boot List Option UEFI

File Browser Add Boot Option

File Browser Del Boot Option

Secure Boot Enabled

Legacy Options ROMs Disabled

Attempt Legacy Boot Disabled

Enable USB Boot Support Enabled

Boot Option Priorities

Boot Option 1 Windows Boot Manager

Boot Option 2 Onboard NIC (IPV4)

Boot option 3 Onboard NIC (IPV6)

RoHe · Accepted Answer

@mfurr - I'd enable: BIOS Auto Recovery and Always Perform Integrity Check. And I'd disable UEFI FW Capsule Updates and (unless you need it) Wake by Integrated LAN. That's how BIOS on my XPS 8930 is set. Just keep in mind that every time BIOS gets updated, these settings revert to their defaults, so you'll need to stay on top of things, if you make any of these changes.

garioch7 · Answer

@mfurr

I will leave it to those with more expertise than myself to comment on your BIOS settings. You should know that BIOS version 1.1.22 has just been released. When doing a BIOS update, it always reverts any modified previous settings back to defaults, so you have to go back into your BIOS and modify your specific settings again.

It seems Dell has been releasing BIOS updates for the 8930 almost monthly in the last little while.

Hope this helps. Have a great day.

Regards,

-Phil

mfurr · Answer

3 Argentum, thanks for the reply.  Yes I am aware of 1.1.22 and I installed it last night.  I skipped 1.1.21. I am also aware that each BIOS installation changes some things.  I am looking for suggestions from some of  the many knowledgeable guys in this forum about which items get changed a lot, and what other changes in my BIOS  that some of you might change and why.  In other words, looking for advice on what changes I might need to make in my BIOS.  Not having any trouble at the present  time.

mfurr · Answer

Thanks RoHe.  That is just the type of items I was looking for.  I was pretty sure Bios auto recovery and integrity check probably needed to be changed.  Also I had read some of the discussions some of you had posted about the capsule updates with windows pushing BIOS updates etc.  I knew I didn't have any need for 'Wake by Integrated LAN' that I knew of, but glad to know it will not cause any problems to change. Yes, I realize from some of your post (and others) every BIOS update will probably change some  of these and I will check  after each future update.  Luckily I haven't had any problem with BIOS updates using the USB stick method you posted about a year or so ago.  However, I do still hold my breath until that last reboot finishes and boots normally.

RoHe · Answer

@mfurr - Yup...I hold my breath while BIOS is updating too, especially during those l-o-n-g pauses when it shuts off and looks like nothing is happening. At least these days, we can try a BIOS Recovery if an update fails.

Don't understand why BIOS auto recovery and integrity check aren't enabled by default. And there is debate whether disabling UEFI capsule updates actually blocks WU from updating BIOS. It didn't stop WU from installing the same version that was running on my XPS 8930 and some others have said the same thing.

It's like playing whack-a-mole against Microsoft....

mfurr · Answer

HA HA.  Yeah, I do a lot of reading in this forum just to keep up with what is happening.  However, the more I read, sometimes it gets me to worrying whether or not 'this, whatever it is) will happen to my machine.  I remember you posting awhile back that windows update still installed a BIOS version even with UEFI capsule updates disabled.  When I hit enter to start that BIOS  update, I wait for it to start, then I close my eyes, cross my fingers and wait to hear that Windows sound.  It seems like eternity at times!  Keep up the good work.  You are a big asset to this forum.

Vic384 · Answer

@mfurr

I noticed that you have two Samsung SSDs yet SATA Operation in the BIOS is set to RAID. While this is working for you, Samsung software, Samsung Magician and the Samsung NVMe driver, usually requires SATA Operation to be set to AHCI. Samsung Magician gives SSD status and can be used to update the SSD firmware. The Samsung NVMe driver is supposed to offer better performance but the Windows driver works. You can leave the SATA Operation as it is if the Samsung software does not matter to you, but if you wish you can change the setting to AHCI. If you wish to change to AHCI you have to switch the Windows installation using this procedure: http://triplescomputers.com/blog/uncategorized/solution-switch-windows-10-from-raidide-to-ahci-operation/

Note that this BIOS setting is not made until step 4; you cannot change the BIOS setting, you have to follow the procedure. I should mention there is another way that requires a lot more work and that is to change the BIOS setting and then do a fresh installation of Windows.

mfurr · Answer

I installed the 250g more or less as an after thought. I had it for a couple of years before buying the 8930. So, I decided to go ahead and mount it and install it and I could use it if I ever wanted to, or needed it. Well, to this day I have not used it at all. I do use the Samsung Magician software and I have noticed that it will not provide much info on the factory installed 2 gig NVMe drive. It has updated the FW on the 250G a time or two and shows more info.

So, I do not want to try to change the BIOS setting back to AHCI, and from the looks of the link you shared, I do not want to even attempt the procedure. With my luck it would end up causing me a lot of pain and suffering. HAHA. I thought when I first got the 8930, before installing the 250G, that the BIOS showed AHCI and I had noticed over time that it had switched to RAID.

Now for my next question.. If I take out the 250G and reboot will the RAID change back to ACHI? I have noticed that the Magician app cannot upgrade the NVMe firmware and doesn't show a lot of other info for it. Also, if it does go back to showing ACHI and I install an external USB storage device later, would that cause it to reset to RAID again? Also, I am assuming the NVMe FW can be upgraded, but I don't profess to know if it can or not.

Vic384 · Answer

@mfurr I understand your reluctance to run the procedure to change to AHCI. Dell sets the SATA Operation setting to RAID at the factory. The SATA Operation setting in the BIOS does not change on its own; the only way I can think of for the setting to have changed is if you did a BIOS update and somehow the setting changed although I think that is unlikely that the setting would change. Adding or removing an SSD should not change the SATA Operation setting. The SSD firmware can be updated using a DOS update utility, see this FAQ: https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/support/faqs/01/

You can use CrystalDiskInfo to learn some of the same information that Samsung Magician provides. CrystalDiskInfo will show the current version of your firmware. You can find and download the latest firmware from this Samsung site: https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/support/tools/

There is also a firmware installation guide on that site.

XPS Desktops

XPS 8930 BIOS Setting Suggestions

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