XPS 8940, flickering screen issue

I am having the same issue. The monitor would spontaniously fliker with blue or a classic tv snow black and white pattern. The more windows I have up, especially browsers streaming data the more it happens.  Shutting down for a time helps, but it always comes back.  I updated drivers, bios, switched cables and monitors, and it persisted. I switched monitor plug from HDMP to DP and it only changes what the problem looked like, it change the snow to solid black. 

Hi LohrBarkley,

I am sorry to hear you are having the same issue. It does not look like Dell are in any hurry to address this at all, given that my original post has been up for over 2 months now, even though my situation was raised with them multiple times while my machine was both in warranty. Pity, I respected Dell a lor more before.

---

@pwatts2 wrote:

I have a Dell XPS 8940 which on occasion suffers from a blue flickering screen, especially when using Zoom. I have raised the issue with Dell whilst the product was in warranty and it was never fully resolved . The warranty has expired and the issue persists but I can now not get in touch with anyone on Dell to discuss this. Has anyone any ideas as to how I might proceed especially as this was raised during the warranty period and kept on happening throughout on a very intermittent basis. This is used for business and therefore very annoying when in the midst of a Zoom call with a client.

So far I can say the following about the issue:

• Software is totally up to date
• OS (windows 11) up to date
• BIOS up to date
• Drivers up to date
• This happens whether using HDMI or DP cables on multiple monitors

I have 3 other laptops in the house, none of which show this issue (2 of them a Dells) thus this seems to have always been an issue linked to this particular desktop. Below is a picture of the issue when it happens. The flickering is so bad that it becomes difficult to be able to shut program off so as to be able to reboot the machine. Sometimes managing to close Zoom stops the flickering but then all the graphics and text remain blurred. Image of the problem below. I managed to capture about 20 seconds of video but can not upload it here.

 

Given this issue has persisted since purchase and was raised multiple times during the warranty period I would consider this to be an ongoing fault Dell has never resolved and would appreciate knowing how I can continue to contact them to try and sort it out once and for all.

Much thanks in advance.

---

Update your graphics driver:

Go to the manufacturer's website to download and install the latest graphics driver for your system.

Check for software conflicts:

Some software programs can conflict with your graphics card and cause flickering. Try uninstalling any recently installed software or running your system in Safe Mode to determine if this is the issue.

@ElliotTyler Thanks for the advice, I have done that before to no avail, but will see if there are more updated drivers to the last time. I use Dell SupportAssist regularly to check for most updated drivers. Will report back, but this may not be for some time as the issue is intermittent and may not occur for a number of weeks!

I have an update. I tried installing a separate graphics card hoping to bypass the flikering issue.  It did not work.  In fact, it was worse. The card required me to go back to HDMI from DP.  If you recall from my original post, with the HDMI cable the monitory flickered, with the DP cable, it just went black.  With either one, it would come back at least briefly if I locked the screen, waited, then unlocked it.  With the new graphics card with HDMI cable, it quickly started flikering, then went black, and never recovered at all until I rebooted.  I am returning the card, and at this time planning on buing a new computer and throwing this in the trash unless someone has a better idea. 

Did you ever mention what Video card(s) you had?

Initially I had  problem with my Nvidia card. Only when booting, the desktop appeared, blacked out for a few seconds and the desktop appeared again and had no more issues until I booted and it repeated again at that time.

Dell Support ran me through the wringer, try this, try that... replaced the Nvidia card, no improvement.

Well, finally in disgust and have played with 3 Dell supplied drivers and one from Nvidia, I decided to delete the Nvidia driver completely. Used DDU (Google for it) which cleans out all remnants of the Nvidia driver. Re-booted and Windows used its default driver and no black screen??? Installed from the Nvidia site the latest driver, no problem either

Assumption, the Dell base installed was 'flaky'...

Might consider doing the same if you have an Nvidia card.

What version of Windows?

Any signs of overheating?  An add-in video card increases the heat load inside the case. Reboot and tap F12 to open the menu. Select the diagnostics option and run the fan tests.

How much RAM is in these PCs and which CPU? Onboard Intel Graphics can use a lot of system RAM and hog CPU cycles which can cause problems. (Note, if you have an add-in video card, you should connect the monitor to that card, not to either onboard Intel Graphics port.)  

Have you re-seated RAM modules in their slots?

Does the monitor need its own driver?  Does Windows correctly identify the monitor? Is Windows set to use the "recommended" (aka: "native" or "optimal") resolution for the monitor?

How much "junk" software is loading in the background?  Do you have these same video output problems after you boot in Safe Mode and run PC for a while?  If not, something loading during a "normal" boot could be causing the problem, either a bum driver, as @ispalten suggested, and/or a Windows OS problem.