XPS 8930, bricked by  BIOS 1.1.27

Did you clear BIOS after you removed the old motherboard battery?

1. Open case and remove motherboard battery (check Service Manual for details)
2. Press/hold power button for ~30 sec
3. Reinstall fresh battery
4. Close up and connect mouse, monitor and keyboard

Yes on both of the attempts I made after seeing this.

Do you have the BIOS 1.1.26 .rcv file on the USB stick? Did you plug the USB in with power fully off?

Yes, that is the BIOS on it, but it is named BIOS_IMG.rvc. Is that a problem?

You might only see the Num lock LED turn on. Some have said it can take ~30-40+ sec after you release Ctrl-Esc before the recovery screen opens. Did you wait long enough?
1st attempt: I was holding ctrl-esc down for a couple of minutes and I got a CMOS batter failure code on power button.

2nd attempt after installing another new battery, first battery was 3.2 VDC but I replaced it anyway and cleared the BIOS again. The num-lock light came on and I just let is sit for several minutes with no response, but then I got a memory failure code from power light.

Do you have an add-in video card (NVidia or AMD) in this PC or only have onboard Intel Graphics? If you have an add-in video card, make sure the monitor is connected to the card, not to either of the onboard Intel Graphics ports.

Yes, I have an NVidia and yes every time I have tried to replace the BIOS, the HDMI was plugged into the video card, not the system board.

Also I put in an add-in audio card that I had to move the front audio connector wire from the mother board to the audio card. That has always caused a POST warning so for this problem I put that wire back on the MB.

When monitor is correctly connected to the right port, what type video port are you using on PC and what type port on monitor, eg, HDMI(PC)>HDMI(monitor), DP(PC)>DP(monitor) or something else...

HDMI(PC)>HDMI(monitor)

My next plan is to remove the memory, which is an add-in, and rotate it make sure it is firmly seated.

I have not yet disconnected the SSD. I only want to make one change at a time.

Thank you so much for all the help.

Tim

@tbuck41055   - Hopefully, you only made a typo in the recovery file name in your last post. You posted BIOS_IMG.rvc but it should be BIOS_IMG.rcv on the USB stick (without "BIOS 1.1.26" in the file name).

Did you physically remove the audio card or just move the connector back to the motherboard?

You need to figure out that RAM error code before you can go any further. You should remove the motherboard battery first and press/hold power button for ~30 sec. Carefully re-seat all RAM modules in their slots. Be careful not to mix the pairs of RAM modules. You want a matched pair of modules in slots with matching color retention clips. When you press each module down into the slot, be sure the retention clips lock at each end of the module. Now fully remove the audio card. Reinstall the battery last.

That should clear the RAM error code (unless you actually have a failed RAM module) and the system shouldn't even look for the audio card. See if you can launch the recovery now...

Agreed, best not to make too many changes at once. So hold off on removing the SSD unless all else fails....

HDMI(video card)>HDMI(monitor) should be okay.

Hopefully, you only made a typo in the recovery file name in your last post. You posted BIOS_IMG.rvc but it should be BIOS_IMG.rcv on the USB stick (without "BIOS 1.1.26" in the file name).
Yes it was a typo, I double checked it.

Did you physically remove the audio card or just move the connector back to the motherboard?

Yes it was a typo, I double checked it.

Did you physically remove the audio card or just move the connector back to the motherboard?
This time I did remove it as directed below

You need to figure out that RAM error code before you can go any further. You should remove the motherboard battery first and press/hold power button for ~30 sec. Carefully re-seat all RAM modules in their slots. Be careful not to mix the pairs of RAM modules. You want a matched pair of modules in slots with matching color retention clips. When you press each module down into the slot, be sure the retention clips lock at each end of the module. Now fully remove the audio card. Reinstall the battery last.
I did this and have a set of 4 RAM modules so no pair matching needed, correct?

That should clear the RAM error code (unless you actually have a failed RAM module) and the system shouldn't even look for the audio card. See if you can launch the recovery now...
I tried again after following this procedure: power on, holding keys down, num-lock came on, released keys, blank screen for a couple of minutes, no error codes, then num-lock light came on again and then went off, I looked at the power light and had another CMOS battery error.
I am really starting to think my motherboard may be bad?

Agreed, best not to make too many changes at once. So hold off on removing the SSD unless all else fails....

You need to figure out that RAM error code before you can go any further. You should remove the motherboard battery first and press/hold power button for ~30 sec. Carefully re-seat all RAM modules in their slots. Be careful not to mix the pairs of RAM modules. You want a matched pair of modules in slots with matching color retention clips. When you press each module down into the slot, be sure the retention clips lock at each end of the module. Now fully remove the audio card. Reinstall the battery last.

That should clear the RAM error code (unless you actually have a failed RAM module) and the system shouldn't even look for the audio card. See if you can launch the recovery now...

Agreed, best not to make too many changes at once. So hold off on removing the SSD unless all else fails....

If all 4 RAM modules came from Dell, they should all match. If you added a pair afterwards, they probably don't match the Dell modules. Look at all the labels to see if you can divide them up into matched pairs. Install each pair in slots with same color retention clips.

Are you sure the battery is seated correctly in the socket, and right-side-up?

Is this a wired or wireless USB keyboard? If wireless, try recovery with a wired keyboard.

If you reboot and immediately start tapping F12, can you open the F12 menu? If you can, create a FAT32 USB with the BIOS 1.1.26  .exe file on it. Plug that into XPS 8930 with power off. Power on and start tapping F12. When the menu opens select the Flash Update option and see if that will work.  If you get a warning about downgrading BIOS, accept the downgrade...

If all 4 RAM modules came from Dell, they should all match. If you added a pair afterwards, they probably don't match the Dell modules. Look at all the labels to see if you can divide them up into matched pairs. Install each pair in slots with same color retention clips.
All 4 RAM modules are a matched set from Amazon, all Dell RAM was removed.

Are you sure the battery is seated correctly in the socket, and right-side-up?

Yes, and yes, see below.

Is this a wired or wireless USB keyboard? If wireless, try recovery with a wired keyboard.
A wired USB keyboard has always been used and plugged into a USB 2 slot, just like the USB BIOS drive.

If you reboot and immediately start tapping F12, can you open the F12 menu? If you can, create a FAT32 USB with the BIOS 1.1.26  .exe file on it. Plug that into XPS 8930 with power off. Power on and start tapping F12. When the menu opens select the Flash Update option and see if that will work.  If you get a warning about downgrading BIOS, accept the downgrade...
I renoved the USB.rcv and tried the F-12 key. The num-lock key did light, but I never got a DELL logo, only  a blank screen which had never happened before when the USB was not inserted. No power error codes. I tried again and didn't hit a key. Stll no Dell logo. Previously when I booted without the USB inserted I got the Dell logo and when I hit F-2,  or the  F-12,the white prompt for each one did go bright, and I got the expanding blue line, but never anything else. Now I have a totally black screen. And yes, the monitor is on; if I unplug it, the screen says going into power save mode.

@tbuck41055  It might be time to remove the NVME SSD. Then try the recovery with the .rcv file on the  USB via Ctrl-Esc. 

And if that still doesn't work, try getting to the F12 menu with a USB that only has the .exe file on it. 

Neither worked even after mutiple tries with same results as before; num-lock on/off, and even after several minutes the screen was blank. no Dell logo even with no USB inserted. which I previously had.
So it is time to give up and move on.
I want to thank you so very much for your attempts to help, especially over the holidays.

One last question: with th fact that I never get to the Dell logo with no error leds, do you think a new motherboard will fix it? I can't afford to just trash it without trying, but I also can't go into a part changing frenzy. I would like a reasonable confidence that a part replacement will fix the unit.
Tim

Sorry to hear that...  

I'd contact Dell Tech Support and request assistance, even if the PC is out of warranty....

I did do that this morning and will give it a try. Thanks again!!!

Dear All,

• I have also been bitten by the Bios sub-lords - right in the backside.
• FYI - I am technical enough to cause real damage but not enough to clearly understand how to fix things. 

I have tried the 2 for mentioned fixes without any luck - but it also could be me so I have a few questions

Option #1

Recover BIOS from an USB

• Does the USB need to be 2.0? - I have been using a 3.0 32GB formatted to FAT32
• Can I download to the USB directly the BIOS_IMG.rcv from the Dell driver page? I did this from the driver page
• Or do I need to download the exe file and then rename/extension to the BIOS_IMG.rcv 
• What BIOS version should I revert to? 1.1.26 or 1.1.24?
• I get to the recovery page without issue and enter through the "let's go" steps but it seems to sit there for more than 15 mins doing nothing. 

Option #2

Flash from USB via the F12 menu

I have also tried this but each time I try using an USB 3.0 32GB FAT32 drive I get a message saying "AMI BIOS Guard feature disabled" and I have no idea how to get around this?

• Is there a super hush hush way of getting past this "feature" 

While I was under the hood I replaced the CMOS battery for grins and jumped the CMOS reset jumper

Also removed the 3 data drives and the GPU - running the video directly off the main board. 

And neither option btw is given a chance for me to try unless the Samsung 970EVO is installed. 

Sorry for the rambling but this old guy is sadden by all this - had plans for AOE II over the Holidays.

@Roccity 

• Probably better to use a USB2 stick. Conflicting reports if you can use a 32-GB stick. All you need is a FAT32-formatted 2-GB USB2 stick, especially since you're having issues with the USB3 32-GB stick.
  
  
• You can download the .rcv file directly from the support page onto the USB. Just don't change file name. The .exe file is exactly the same file, but you must rename it to BIOS_IMG.rcv on the USB stick to use it for BIOS Recovery via Ctrl-Esc.
  
  
• I'd revert to BIOS 1.1.26 since it has some additional security fixes not in BIOS 1.1.24.
  
  
• Are you using wired or wireless mouse/keyboard? If wireless, try both wired.
  
  
• Are you plugging the USB into PC with power fully off (regardless whether using Ctrl-Esc Recovery or F12 Flash Update)?
  
  
• Did you put the CMOS Reset jumper back on the right pins?
  
  
• Several others have gotten the "AMI BIOS Guard feature disabled" message too. One user found the boot drive wouldn't pass diagnostics and had to be replaced. YRMV! 

• Probably better to use a USB2 stick. Conflicting reports if you can use a 32-GB stick. All you need is a FAT32-formatted 2-GB USB2 stick, especially since you're having issues with the USB3 32-GB stick.  Believe it or not I had to order one 
  
  
• You can download the .rcv file directly from the support page onto the USB. Just don't change file name. The .exe file is exactly the same file, but you must rename it to BIOS_IMG.rcv on the USB stick to use it for BIOS Recovery via Ctrl-Esc. Awesome sauce 
  
  
• I'd revert to BIOS 1.1.26 since it has some additional security fixes not in BIOS 1.1.24. Will do 
  
  
• Are you using wired or wireless mouse/keyboard? If wireless, try both wired. Wired - actually not a fan of wireless stuff - Whole house is wired with CAT6a 
  
  
• Are you plugging the USB into PC with power fully off (regardless whether using Ctrl-Esc Recovery or F12 Flash Update)? Off as in not running or actually have the power cord pulled? 
  
  
• Did you put the CMOS Reset jumper back on the right pins? I took a picture before I touched anything - So it went back where it came from 
  
  
• Several others have gotten the "AMI BIOS Guard feature disabled" message too. One user found the boot drive wouldn't pass diagnostics and had to be replaced. YRMV!   This will make me even more sad - at least it is just the boot drive - although with it not even physically in the box I am not sure why I would get the error if it is tied to the SSD?

@Roccity  -  Does the 32-GB USB have only one partition and is the .rcv file in the root directory?  

Can't promise a USB2 2-GB stick is the solution to your problem, but worth a try before you go further. Do you have a 2-GB USB now that you can just copy the files off on another PC and then use it for a Recovery?

So you removed the jumper from the Password (PSWD) pins, put in on the CMOS jumper pins for 5 sec and then put it back on the Password pins, correct?

Bit confused...Under exactly what conditions did you get AMD error? Eg after clearing BIOS; was boot SSD still installed, doing BIOS Flash Update via F12 menu after clearing BIOS, with/without boot SSD installed, or..?

I'm not saying your SSD failed. All I'm saying is that other user got the AMD error, replaced boot drive and then was able to complete a BIOS downgrade and restore PC function...

Ron,

The USB 2.0 stick worked perfectly and I was able to flash the BIOS back to 1.1.26

Popped the NVMe drive back in and I am up and running on Win 10

Last question - What Settings should I be using for the BIOS now so this never happens again?

I can't thank you enough for the help !!!!!!

Joe