XPS 8940, S3221QS, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, minor boot problem

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@Tesla1856 wrote:

Try connecting via DisplayPort instead.

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Don't have one handy, all in use...

Will this really make a difference or is this just a diagnostic thing to try?

@ispalten You may be correct that there is more than one thing controlling the display at startup. I would try disabling the Dell Display Manager application. Look to see if you can disable it from the Startup tab in Task Manager or if the program has an option not to run at Startup. Otherwise, you may have to uninstall the program.

@Vic384Did disable loading on boot. Made no difference.

@ispalten   -

1. Is monitor's On-Screen Display (OSD) video input option set to Auto or to HDMI? If set to Auto, change to HDMI.

2. Are you powering the monitor on a few sec before powering PC on?  You should...

3. Does same thing happen after you do a Restart from inside Win 10, or only from a power-on ("cold") boot?

EDIT: 4. Do you have all the latest drivers installed?

Intel UHD Graphics shouldn't be disabled in Device Manager even though you have an NVidia card. Think of it this way, if the NVidia card failed and UHD Graphics is disabled, you won't have any video output in Windows...

Microsoft offers optional updates and suggests you apply them if you're having problems. Unfortunately they don't mention what those problems might be. So since you're having problems you might want to install all the optional ones, except the BIOS update. I would NEVER let Windows Update install a BIOS update, optional or not. I would hide this update in WU.

Note that WU puts a zero in front of Dell's actual BIOS version number, which makes WU think it's a different version even when you already have that BIOS version (without the extra zero) installed. I will never understand the stupidity of changing the BIOS update version by WU...! You can do this one manually outside Windows from the F12 menu, but I'd delay any BIOS updates until the PC is booting properly/normally.

Go to the Startup tab in Task Manager and disable SupportAssist, Dell Update, Dell Mobie, Dell Digital Delivery, USB Type-C Status Display, any software updaters, etc. Just don't disable anything essential, like firewall, antiviral app (eg Windows Security) or video, audio, mouse software. Then do a full-power off shutdown and power on again. If that helps, you can re-enable apps on the Startup tab, one at a time to find the offender

@RoHe 

I've been working via mail with Customer Care, they picked this post up. Similar stuff to what you asked and I've supplied a LOT more info to them, as well as a video of what is happening.

To answer your questions.

1. OSD for the monitor WAS set to AUTO and it did find HDMI 1 and that was checked. As Customer Care asked this as well and I did then turn off AUTO and selected HDMI 1. However, on cold boot or reboot I still get the black few second screen.
2. Usually I do turn the screen on first, and in some testing, like reboots it is already on. Don't forget, I do the see the Dell Logo, spinning dots, sign-in screen before the first flash of the desktop before the black screen. I don't think when the monitor is turned on is an issue
3. Customer Care had me do a SAFE MODE boot. The PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST when I do that... indicating a problem of some program maybe doing something is my guess?
4. Drivers, well, this is questionable. First, I know Dell sometimes will build their own drivers for some devices. So to check I let the Dell Support site check for me:

No driver found, but that BIOS was NEVER installed, I guess I need to d/l it and have it done by me manually. Initially 4 files were found and supposedly installed, and BIOS was one of them.

I still have some questions though?

I looked at Device Manager and what Windows thinks is OPTIONAL drivers that I need?

In Device Manager, WHY isn't the the Onboard Intel UHD 750 DISABLED?

RTX2060 driver IS OLD, 1/21, but Nvidia has one from Sept. 20. 2021... IS it SAFE to load that? There are differences in the h/w from what I can see. For instance, the card in my XPS has a single Display port, but the Nvidia page shows 2? Makes me wonder if the driver they post would not cause other problems?

As for Windows Update, all Optional, a lot of questions?

• Should I install ANY? I recall before MS back-leveled a lot of drivers using this method (or could have).
• Specifically the Intel ones, not well defined and 2 might be the same?
• Nvidia using a numbering system that doesn't match the specific driver. Need to know more, and if Dell builds the driver for that card, I probably shouldn't be using it.
• Last one, the Dell F/w, suspect it could be the BIOS? Number doesn't match anything?
• Printer, don't know the f/w off hand, but it is network attached. Printer works fine and does auto-updates... Have no idea what MS Update would do? Both that and the WD one are REALLY OLD... I wouldn't trust them.

Comments?

@ispalten The fact that your problem does not occur in Safe Mode may be a hint to what is happening. I may be wrong but I think your NVIDIA drivers are not loaded in Safe Mode. If that is the case, what you are seeing at normal bootup may be switching from Windows controlling the display until the NVIDIA drivers take over. Just a theory. 

@Vic384 

You could be right, but there are other things happening that sort of rule that out in my mind? For one, coming out of Hibernation OR Sleep, the same thing happens. I wouldn't think video drivers are changed during those operations?

What perplexes me is why this seems to be 'unusual'? Is it the specific combo of the RXT2060 and the S3221QS monitor, and I'm the only one with it? I wouldn't think so, and generally speaking, the Nvidia drivers are not card specific, they cover a range of cards.

The fact that it didn't happen in booting into Safe Mode more or less rules out the Monitor only. Possibly the card too? However, Windows in Safe Mode if the Nvidia drivers were not loaded, and it was at the same resolution, sort of points to the driver OR some other non-loaded app/driver as part of the problem.

I don't know how to prove anything beyond a shadow of doubt? I did provide Customer Care with a video, so I've proved it did happen.

Now I have another problem in that my mouse will not wake up the sleeping PC. The Keyboard will though??? Checked DEVICE MANAGER and ensured KB and Mouse CAN wake the PC up (setting checked) and all USB devices can't be powered off to save power.

I've reloaded the driver AGAIN from the Support site too, problem persists.

Something is wrong somewhere, but at least it only happens once on boot, not at other times.

I really suspect somehow between the Monitor Menu settings, the Nvidia control panel settings, and the Dell Display Monitor settings there could/is a conflict causing this... Why not in Safe Mode??? Beats me.

If it is 'switching', I'd think it would be more possible the Intel 760 was trying to grab the Video stream, discovered NO Monitor attached and quit and the Nvidia was able to work again?

A lot of questions and theories. However, it seems Customer Care has not seen this before which is 'troublesome'?

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@ispalten wrote:

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@Tesla1856 wrote:

Try connecting via DisplayPort instead.

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Will this really make a difference or is this just a diagnostic thing to try?

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Your question is also your answer.

Not sure how you fix things, but (with strange problems) I often make things simpler and see what DOES work. Not many users logged-in here have your monitor-model. 

DisplayPort is for computers. HDMI is for HDTV and Home-Theater (and for compatibility during convergence). 

@RoHe 

Ron, true what you say about disabling the Intel 750, but I've had video cards fail before when only one is in the PC.

I see in the BIOS (I did update as suggested by mail from Cust. Care) that the Video setting is set to AUTO. I am re-thinking the problem being the Intel 750, as no display connected to it, and during boot, and a setting on the Monitor menu, the S2331SQ is used.

I did set under sounds that the Windows Start-up plays, but testing it off has not solved the problem, so it is not the sound doing it (it does cut-off when the black screen appears).

I've got another suggestion from CC, do a CLEAN BOOT (not boot into Safe Mode) to see what happens.

I even reloaded the NVidia driver from Dell, no change.

There IS a more recent one on the NVidia site, but I am reluctant to install that. Sometimes Dell actually builds the driver for its PC's I recall.

I've disabled Hibernate too, don't think I need it. PC will be on an UPS when I put it where the old XPS is soon.

Still can't seem to get the Mouse to wake up the PC from sleep? Old PC (and my wife's XPS as well) just shaking the mouse wakes it up immediately. No so on the XPS. Monitor light blinks when asleep. I can shake the mouse and it doesn't change state. Even pressing the buttons or scroll wheel, nothing. On the keyboard, press ESC, the monitor light turns on (stops blinking)and, compared to other XPS's, a 'long' time later the desktop appears.

I've checked Device Manager, NO USB device or the Mouse can be turned off to save power and ALL devices that can are set to wake the PC from sleep.

I am starting to suspect either Windows itself or even the Video Card, with the possibility of the Monitor... Something is NOT right.

Note that I can live with this, black screen and using the keyboard to come out of sleep, but I'd rather have it work the way it should.

@Tesla1856 

Don't have the Display Port cable it seems, thought I did.

Yes, HDMI cables are for TV's, and I have a few of them.

Seems Dell (and others) ship HDMI cables with the Monitor's but those that do support Display Port they do not (and I know ASUS doesn't either?).

Spec's on the GeForce RTX2060 are the same for both connections.

The card has 1 HDMI and Display Port sockets, most other ones from various MFG's have 2 DP's? Vendor's came use the NVidia chipsets and make their own cards, don't know what is in mine (yet).

Matter of fact, I got the monitor almost a month before the PC. My old XPS's video card allowed a 2nd Monitor and had an HDMI port, so I connected the S2331 to it as a secondary. I DID NOT see the blank screen problem on boot... more of an indicator it isn't the Monitor (or even the HDMI port) probably.

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@RoHe wrote:

Go to the Startup tab in Task Manager and disable SupportAssist, Dell Update, Dell Mobie, Dell Digital Delivery, USB Type-C Status Display, any software updaters, etc. Just don't disable anything essential, like firewall, antiviral app (eg Windows Security) or video, audio, mouse software. Then do a full-power off shutdown and power on again. If that helps, you can re-enable apps on the Startup tab, one at a time to find the offender

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@RoHe 

Well all of those are NOT Startup items... this is what I see and what I disabled:

No change however. Sort of makes me this its a Service, possibly for one of the Dell items you mentioned?

I'm working with Customer Care on this and they have this info as well.

The CLEAN BOOT also had no problems, so that is also pointing to something starting.

I also went to the Windows Settings for the Display and turned off HDR and tested and still had the problem. It is back on now, screen is 'brighter'.

Still have the Wake up mouse problem too... and I checked the BIOS setting and it is set to allow it?

I don't understand why I seem to be the only person with these 2 problems?

@ispalten 

1.
Click Start>Run> and type in: services.msc and click OK. When that opens look for services related to the Dell items I listed above and set their Startup type to "Disabled". Don't change anything else in service.msc. Then reboot and see if video issue persists.

2.
Sounds like you need some more Power options changes. You set USB so PC can't turn off, but you should also set any Human Interface Device with a Power Management tab so PC can't turn them off too.

Then open the same Power plan screen where you disabled hibernation and disable Hybrid Sleep, USB Selective Suspend and PCI-Express Link State Management. Save the changes to the Power plan and reboot.  This might not affect the video issue you see, but it can fix the problem with mouse/keyboard not waking the PC.

BTW: if all else fails, try a clean install of Win 10 21H1...

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@RoHe wrote:

@ispalten 

2.
Sounds like you need some more Power options changes. You set USB so PC can't turn off, but you should also set any Human Interface Device with a Power Management tab so PC can't turn them off too.

Then open the same Power plan screen where you disabled hibernation and disable Hybrid Sleep, USB Selective Suspend and PCI-Express Link State Management. Save the changes to the Power plan and reboot.  This might not affect the video issue you see, but it can fix the problem with mouse/keyboard not waking the PC.

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Thanks for the Human Interface devices, forgot about those.

The first 2 did have the wake setting and it was off. 3d did not have that setting and all others have it but it is gray'ed out.

I used the POWERCFG.EXE command to turn off Hibernate and it removed all the Power Config Hibernate options.

I'll try the Sevices later I guess?