XPX 8940 randomly locks up while using or idle

Re:  I am not sure if I need to take it in for repair or not.

For this question, you can click on Get Help Now to chat with Support.

If you prefer to troubleshoot and repair the system yourself, in some similar issues with the XPS 8940, users are reverting BIOS version to earlier version and some were successfully resolved the freezing issue.  

If you have seen screen flickering prior to a total freeze, it may have faulted by Windows TDR, Timeout Detection and Recovery and nVidia graphics cards.  Attempts with different graphics or drivers could resolve the TDR issue.

Thanks for responding.  I did go to help now but my system is out of warranty and it says it will direct me to representative.  I did not want to have to pay for support options so I thought I would come on here and look.

I read about issues with graphics drivers as well as the BIOS so I might try and work on those rolling back.

A complete test of your system with the Dell Preboot Diagnostics (How to Run a Preboot Diagnostic Test on a Dell Computer | Dell UK) should rule out any hardware issues.

If no issues are found, updating the drivers from Dell's website would be the next step.

Since you are up to date on Dell Updates, does that include BIOS V2.14.0?

If so, check other subjects here about that BIOS and lock up or freezing. Seems to be the main cause. You should have seen that if you did read the others?

Have you tried rolling back the BIOS?

Safe Mode working is interesting? It does not load Nvidia drivers, will use the MS provided generic one. It doesn't use all the features of the video card, just basic low res stuff.

The problem that BIOS V2.14 brought on is specific to the Nvidia card, and by default, the Nvidia drivers and Services (USB and Sound, as well as PhysX). Without those loaded you Nvidia card is more like the Intel HD750 in operation and capability. Long ago, when Nvidia cards with BIOS V2.3.0 started having problems, using the Intel HD750 did not cause problems.

Not much I've seen is a reliable solution for all though. Some used BIOS V2.12 even and it was OK.

I am currently having this same issue. My XPS 8940 updated to BIOS 2.14 on 9/11/23. I have also installed 2 updates from Nvidia for my 3060 since then.

I have had zero problems with my computer until 9/16/23. Overnight I had my computer do a virus scan. When I woke up in the morning, my computer was in a deadlock freeze. No mouse or keyboard, I could only do a hard shut off.  The computer acted normal the rest of the day then overnight it again did another deadlock freeze. When I woke up, I saw that for the past week or so, my event viewer was plagued with random errors, autopilot.dll, Microsoft Sign-In Assistant, etc., lots of them others listed on other discussions about this.

After the second freeze, it made me think something must be wrong with my Windows 10 even though all sfc scans and other scans were fine. In the morning, I decided to do a clean install of Windows and upgraded to Windows 11. The entire day of setting up my PC went fine. Until it went idle again and it did another deadlock freeze. Nothing big was going on at the time, I had finished installing some games from Steam and Windows did an update.

After the third freeze I started to think the poor air flow problem with XPS was to blame because the machine was warm to the touch, so that was addressed by moving my hard drive and upgrading fans (not yet installed but it’s better). My machine was cooler but overnight last night, I was trying to get Windows 11 to backup, failed 3 times, and it froze again on the fourth try, which led me here.

I started to think about updates I had done through SupportAssist and I saw the bios update and I found this and other threads about this issue. I’m confused on how to proceed.

Some say downgrade Bios, well, how does one do that? I’m not computer savvy so I’m clueless. Googling it doesn’t help much because what one person says worked for them doesn’t work for another.

Others say revert to the older Nvidia drivers, that I know how to do. But do I also revert the Bios too?  

I’ve reached a point where I’m afraid to use this computer.

My computer is out of warranty, and I really can’t afford to send it off to a repair shop. I wish there were some official response from Dell or them pushing an update to remove the Bios update.

I've having the same problem, even after resetting the computer. 

Even after reverting back to 2.13 Bios, I just had a freeze in the middle of typing a document on Word. I guess I'll revert back a few Nvidia drivers too.

I might be worth enabling the Windows Driver Verifier to verify any third-party (non Microsoft) drivers.

Warning: The Driver Verifier can cause system crashes, so it is recommended to create a System Restore point prior to enabling.

Well it's been over a day now with no freezes.  I reset my PC with saving files and it took me back to Windows 10.  I rolled my BIOS back to 2.13.1.  I did roll back the NVidia Driver but GeForce Experience brought it to 537.42.  I did update again to Windows 11.  Windows Update says I am up to date but offers the new 2.14 BIOS as an optional update.  So does Dell Update but I am holding off to see what happens.  But hopefully the rolled back BIOS helps as there is nothing different about how I am running the system than before it started freezing.  Also, I am not sure if it matters which graphics card our systems are running but mine is GeForce GTX 1660 Super.

Hopefully it has been resolved - finger crossed!

I tried to call Dell to see if they had any advice about what we are supposed to do about this issue. I got the run around saying Level/Tier 3 support would "call me back" in 2 hours. I never received the call. I have now had to install my OS twice in a week due to the hard shut downs corrupting my files. Now I'm trying to call PC repair shops since Dell does not stand behind their computers or problems they have caused. I'm afraid to use my computer and it has now been off for 2 days.

I turned off all the sleep/hibernate modes and only had one freeze today. All I can say is, thank goodness my programs have good recovery features and I don't lose a bunch of work. 

I did have a lock up this morning.  I was using Firefox and a page was loading and everything just stopped.  I rolled back the BIOS but while I did roll back the graphic driver when I reinstalled GeForce Experience after my reset it updated to the latest version.  It was my first freeze in two days so that is progress, I guess.

I just rolled my Nvidia back to 536.19.  I'll see if it makes a difference.  My question now is if the video driver could be the problem or part of how do you know when to resume updates on it?  Do we just sit on an older driver and lose new capabilities and software updates?

@figureguy​ 

If you read the Nvidia Readme's, most updates are for 2 purposed, new games, and new features on the card that the new games or others might use?  If you didn't see a visual problem, then an older driver would work fine for you.

However, at some point you will probably need to update.

If the problem is caused by a specific driver, it should return a error code in Windows Event Viewer (Application or System logs)?