XPS 15 9570 Constantly Forgets Service Tag on System Startup Since BIOS Update

Question

Hello,

I have been having an issue with my XPS 15 9570 ever since updating my BIOS version to 1.27.0 and has recently gotten much worse. Since updating the BIOS, my XPS is unable to remember my service tag no matter what I have tried. On startup, I am often greeted with this warning screen: "WARNING: The Service Tag has not been programmed. This system will not function properly without a Service Tag."

I proceed to go to the BIOS options setup menu where the Service Tag field is blank.

I enter the Service Tag exactly, and the laptop usually turns on normally after that. The issue is that I have to repeat this step every time I turn my laptop on. No matter what option I select after entering the Service Tag, whether "Apply" or "Restore Settings" or even saving as custom user settings, the laptop is unable to remember the Service Tag on the next startup.

This issue occurs consistently when I close the laptop lid while on battery power (not plugged in). It also has happened while plugged in, but not nearly as often. Before updating to 1.27.0, I was able to close the laptop lid and turn the laptop on without any errors or warning messages. It first started happening once a week, then a few times a week, and now it happens nearly every time I turn on my laptop. I have been unable to find any solution to this issue, so I have just had to deal with this and accept that I now need to type in my Service Tag whenever I turn on my laptop. I have seen a few places something about modern standby... Would this be an issue stemming from that since it happens when closing the lid on battery power?

The past few days this problem has gotten much much worse. When I try to turn the laptop on and am greeted with this Service Tag warning message, I enter the Tag and the system starts up. But instead of turning on normally, the screen turns black with the keyboard backlights on and the fan speeds up noticeably. It stays like this for anywhere from 15-60 seconds then turns off. I have to press the power button to start this process again and I have had to repeat this anywhere from 1 to 5 additional times.

I have also seen a few varying screens recently such as a screen for Manufacturing Mode, a black screen with small red numbers, a warning that the date/time are not correctly set, etc. Once I had the front light (under the trackpad) blink twice amber and once white. Instead of the usual 10 or so seconds to start up, I have had to wait as long as 5-6 minutes to actually see the computer lock screen.

I have searched various Dell Community Forum discussions and other troubleshooting websites, but haven't found any solutions to this problem. I have tried countless "solutions" for similar problems other have had, but my laptop just forgets the Service Tag regardless of what I do.

This is particularly frustrating as a student, since it is an unnecessarily long and complicated process to turn my laptop on while in class or for when I need to complete work, especially where this is a new issue. I am growing more impatient with this issue and am stumped on what I can do to resolve this.

I would greatly appreciate an actual solution to this issue where I don't need to enter the Service Tag each time I want or need to use my computer.

Thanks in advance!

LSUFAN51 · Answer

Since this service tag problem occurred after BIOS update, I suggest contacting Dell Technical Support to get permission to downgrade to a previous BIOS update or help fix the problem.

Contact Us | Dell USA

In the meantime, please read the information thoroughly in link below.

Downgrading the System BIOS on a Dell System | Dell US

Please read Important Information in your Dell Product Support page:

Drivers & Downloads | Dell US

LSUFAN51 · Answer

RGKMA Any updates? You contacted Dell Tech Support for assistance ?

RGKMA · Answer

Thanks for the reply and apologies for the delayed response from my end. I will downgrade the BIOS to 1.26.0 as soon as I can (should have time later today) and will let you know if that fixed the problem.

RGKMA · Answer

I have successfully downgraded to BIOS 1.26.0 and with my brief testing the problem seems to have been fixed! I'll have to continue testing to see if it is fully fixed, but it looks promising. I appreciate the help! You have saved me from this frustration

Thanks!

RGKMA · Answer

Hello again,

I just turned on my laptop and was greeted with the same service tag has not been programed error message. It seems to happen less often than with BIOS 1.27.0, but unfortunately it still happens. Any suggestions to resolve this?

Thanks

RGKMA · Answer

Any updates or further suggestions? Issue was fixed for a very short time after the BIOS downgrade, but has since returned to having the same issues as before. Something new has started happening too, my laptop now just randomly forgets the Service Tag when turned on/while I am using it. This causes the laptop to immediately shut down and I am prompted to re-enter the Service Tag on the next startup. Is there a way to force my laptop to remember the Service Tag without needing to enter it each time I want to use it? Looking forward to your suggestion on this.

Thanks

schumacero.alban · Answer

Dear good day, I hope my answer can still be of some use to you, I am going to tell you my experience. I had the same problem with a Dell Precision and when I had used it for two months I decided to update the bios from Dell Support, after that the same message began to appear when turning on the computer.

After that I contacted Dell's virtual technical support, they made me test my computer, really a waste of time because let me tell you that when I found out I was surprised that when the bios is updated wrong, your computer is useless. The only solution is to reprogram the chip that the bios contains, for this they have to remove the chip from the board, put it in a chip recorder and program it again, then they solder that chip back onto the board, something that I didn't risk doing it because my computer was still under warranty. In conclusion, the only solution in my case was to take it to the authorized technical service and from there they managed the change of part (square) for my computer, in a month the new motherboard arrived and problem solved. In your case, if you no longer have a guarantee, I would recommend that you opt for another option, there are many specialized places that do bios rewriting services. I hope it helps you, good luck!!

Professor Pic · Answer

@RGKMA Thanks for posting about your experience. I am having similar issues, though they haven't gotten as bad as you described (yet). I thought it was my battery, which was 4.5 years old and well past the supposed end of its life. I replaced that and the issue went away for a few days but returned today. It usually only happens in the morning when I first plug it in.

As @schumacero.alban says, and according to this post, it seems that the proper solution is a BIOS chip swap, which apparently requires a specialist.

If anyone knows whether this can be DIY, or has any guidance on finding a specialist, please let us know.

CalvinArthur · Answer

@AnaWilliam850 wrote:I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing these issues with your XPS 15 9570. It seems that the BIOS update may have caused this problem, and it's possible that the service tag is not being saved correctly in the system's memory.Here are some troubleshooting steps that you can try:Reset the BIOS settings to default: In the BIOS setup menu, look for an option to reset the settings to default. This may help in resolving any issues caused by the BIOS update.Update the BIOS: Check if there is a newer BIOS version available for your laptop. If there is, try updating the BIOS to see if it resolves the issue.Check the CMOS battery: The CMOS battery is a small battery on the motherboard that powers the system's real-time clock and helps retain BIOS settings. If this battery is low or dead, it may cause the system to forget the service tag. Try replacing the CMOS battery to see if it helps.Check the system memory: If the system memory is faulty, it may cause the system to forget the service tag. Try running a memory diagnostic test to check for any memory errors.Contact Dell Support: If none of these steps resolve the issue, you may need to contact Dell Support for further assistance. They may be able to provide you with additional troubleshooting steps or arrange for a service technician to diagnose and repair the issue.I hope these steps help you resolve the issue with your XPS 15 9570. I am facing same error, you have defined steps in a great way but I need a little bit more help. Are you available here for just 10 minutes?

ymchien · Answer

I have the same problem but on a dell xps15 7590.

XPS

XPS 15 9570 Constantly Forgets Service Tag on System Startup Since BIOS Update

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