Dell XPS Studio 1340 (Dell XPS 13) Nvidia Driver Problem.

I do not have QuickSet installed but that shouldn't have any impact anyway, it's just a frontend to adjust settings - it doesn't actually add or take anything from the system.

Bios: I saw that A08 is available on torrents but A07 is the one posted on Dell's support site. So either A08 is still beta or they took it down, either means it's instable.

What does all this mean? I guess all we can do is wait for next BIOS version and updated NVIDIA drivers. I might consider a return to Dell given the system is fundamentally defunct and they can't seem to supply a fix.

The problem exists from BIOS version A04 onwards. I have tried all versions till A08 but the problem remains. The QuickSet software is also of no consequence - the problem remains even if the software is installed.

The ethernet controller is part of the subsystem made by nVidia. The underlying chipset is MCP 79 from nVidia and as such, is supported by Dell directly rather than nVidia. So the drivers are also released only by Dell. (Thats why you couldn't find drivers on nVidia's website).

The problem arises because the ethernet controller is not correctly brought out of the sleep state once the notebook is powered up again.

Indeed its a very funny issue - and the fact that Dell hasn't released a fix even months after the launch of the notebook is indeed surprising. Is it that the Dell guys don't know that this problem exists?

More than a month has passed and there is no reply to this question, no response from the Dell Tech support team whatsoever! Am I missing something here.. is a forum on the Dell website just supposed be a place where users can cry collectively and sympathise with each other? If there is a problem which no one seems to be able to solve.. then is it just that: a problem that no one can solve?

I would think this could have been a good opportunity for Dell to not only make good on their promise of delivering good products but actually take feedback to improve their design the next time they try to come with something new (and expensive). Alas!

So not only am I and many others are living with an annoying and fairly disruptive issue of not being able to access the network after putting the laptop to sleep during our daily routine, but we also end up rebooting it everytime. The last time I checked, Sleep did not equal Shut Down.

Further, I would like to state my recent experience when my Studio XPS 1340 refused to boot up on random occassions. The screen flashed and the thing started only when it felt like doing so. This went on for two days and I tried every possible way, including the power cycle action that Tech. Support recommended, to turn it on when I wanted it to but nothing happened.

Finally, I called the service engineer who couldn't make out anything on arrival. Hard luck. He didn't even get the spare part I requested - the screen protector rubber padding at the edge which has started to come loose, even though the Dell phone support took the request down. This is bad service. It's another matter that the Tech. Support refused to supply me with a new screen cover, as the existing one got scratched due to the faulty rubber pad, even though I have CompleteCover warranty on the laptop. This is deception!

Unfortunately, the combination of all these problems, Dell's deafness on this forum, the service engineer's complete lack of competence and their refusal to supply me the spare parts even though I bought CompleteCover insurance with the laptop is immensely frustrating.

It is impossible to solve. And the problem is that it is not just one problem, but a series of issues surrounding the sleep function. I reverted to a 32 bit OS and disabled sleep - leaving just hibernate.  Now, I can at least use this machine.

What is REALLY odd is that we bought two of them, both from BestBuy dotcom, about 1 week apart. The first one works like magic, no problems, and the second one is junk. We've (my IT dept) compared them and there seems to be no difference.

Dell - are you listening - you should recall these and replace them with hardware that actually works. It is terrible that you do not.  And, frankly, no way to win loyalty.

Hello to everyone!

I havent had much issues with my newly bought xps 1340. The only issue i have is when i unplug my power cord the video tha im playing becomes pixelated ( with little squares) and when its plugged in, it shows great normal quality! I tested all playes many movies, even a retail dvd, same problem, its not a huge different but enough for anyone to see, and it makes having a 13 inch portable laptop useless for having on the go, because you cant watch videos in good quality.

Ofcourse like everyone here I called Dell many times and they never know the answeres to anything! So im taking my best chance and am asking you guys for help!

Have anyone else noticed this problem? any ideas?

Btw i know some models different so here are my specs.

Bought it in bestbuy for $899

2.4 prossesor 1066MHz frontside bus, 3MB L2 cache

4GB ddr3 ram

500 gb (7400 rpm HD)

Nvidia Geforce 9400M G                 ( here is where a difference might occur, some models that are shipped from dell have 9500 series! )

BTW i have wiped and reinstalled the system a few times due to me over clocking the gpu a lil bit.  But i did install all needed driver updates and in correct order too!

any clues? Thanx in advance!

Hi Alex,

I'm not sure about the difference between Nvidia Geforce 9400MG and 9500. But, CCleaner, a freeware software that we can use for cleaning registry and harddisk etc it shows to me that my system have NVIDIA GeForce 9500M (GF 9400MG + GF9200MGS). I believe this means that this GPU consists of 9400MG and 9200MGS GPU, becoming 9500M. For your info, I didn't installed any software from Dell such as QuickSet, Dell Recommended Vista Power Management Settings etc except for drivers. I believe that one of the software handles automatically of power options changing (maybe from Dell Recommended power plan to Power Saver power plan) when switch to battery mode that might cause the problem you have. Sometimes, switching between (graphic mode) Save Power and Boost Performance could make the laptop hang for a while.

If you don't mind to share, how did you overclocking your GPU ? From my opinion, there are no advantage of enabling both of the GPU except for contributing heat to my laptop. Therefore, I only enable 1 GPU in High Performance power plan.

I just want to share what I know and not sure whether this answer your problem or not.

Regarding the problem of ethernet failed to resume after standby, this is the only problem I have. Dell recently have released the update of firmware for HL-DT-ST optical drive. The latest BIOS still A07 since A08 has been removed from their website.

AlexSochi, it sounds like your Nvidia GPU goes into a lower power mode when your 1340 is unplugged. Check your power settings for the unplugged profile vs. the pluuged-in profile. There should also be an NVIDIA icon on your task bar tray - hovering over it tells you the GPU mode so you can compare that for when you're plugged in vs. not.

If you click on that icon, it also offers a link to adjusting the GPU behavior. It can be hidden in the regular power settings sometimes.

What on earth are you doing overclocking your GPU and how do you achieve it? Curious to hear more about that.

Thanx for ur reply Rizuan.

However I tried playing with power settings and I dont have anything in there to change that relates, btw i never installed dell recomended power settings guessing its just more trash from dell. I always keep my system on high performance with the plug or on batteries..  Maybe thats where we have the difference? the 9400mg and the 9500 series that u have.   Also I called dell a few times they did the whole dell connect thing and tried to see my settings, they came to a conclusion " swapping processor which will replace the gpu as its integrated. To me honest with you, they sound like they didnt know what they were saying. So for now I think the best option I have is to wait on better driver/bios updates?....

how do u enable/disable  gpu chips? I dont think i have that option...  and in the past i overclocked the gpu speed to see if i get better 3dmark05 results, and I did, but the system becomes not stable and thats the only time i ever got the bsod from which my laptop recovered by itself........ if it matters.... before overclocking I had 3994 points on 3dmark05 and after it was something like 4080, but after that i wiped the system clean just to be safe......

Im guessing u dont have that problem with pixelated video after unpluging the power? I have a small guess, maybe the settings are discrete? since this is the a new laptop 5 days old, it could be a new production model, and i noticed that on the dvd drive most of the drives are up to date for now at least, so maybe in earlier drives i had an option for sli hybrid mod????

Im lost.. :(

To Fab507

Thanx for trying to help. but all the setting are the same, i always have them on high performance and never installed dell recommended power settings. But the nvidia icon in the task bar tray?? I dont have that.. the only way that I can go to my Nvidia control panel is by right clicking on desktop..... just to see maybe u have the 9500 series gpu? i have the 9400m G...  I also think its something with nvidia settings even tho i dont have the options for that in the nvidia control panel, maybe the settings are hidden? lol Dell ppl think I need to replace the processor but I highly  doubt that because it works just fine, and when its plugged in the video playback is awesome...

thanx again

Hi Alex,

If you installed the latest video driver, you can't enable/disable the Hybrid SLI mode unless you have changes one setting in registry.

In Power Options, select power plan that you are currently use and click change plan settings->click change advanced power settings. You will not have GPU settings options where you can select whether to run the GPU in Save Power or Boost Performance mode. To reveal this settings, type regedit in Run, and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\NVIDIA Corporation\Global\Hybrid

Change the entry HidePowerSetting to a 0, and restart your laptop then. After restart, you can change the GPU setting inside the advaced power settings.

If you don't installed any other software from Dell, I think you should try to use Save Power mode by following the above methods. Because, usually the GPU adapter switched automatically from Boost Performance to Save Mode whenever you unplugged the power chord IF you have installed the software from Dell (I think it is Dell QuickSet software).

Rizuan

So basicly if I run that command I will have the chance to enable higher performance when its unplugged??

If so let me know please and ill do that right away and let u know if anything changed with the video play back

Thanx a lot again, I think u might of found the solution I was waiting for...

it is not enabling higher performance, but only enabling single GPU to see whether this could solve your problem. There are no advantage of running both of the GPU except makes your laptop become much hotter. I'm only suggesting a way that might help you to solve the problem. It is not a command but a little tweak on the registry that I think should be enable by default. I don't understand why Dell disable the setting. For me, this is the first time I heard about this (pixelated video) problem.

It is good to hear that you have solved the problem. By the way, I've checked mine, and the default PCI express settings are OFF. Maybe we have a different motherboard. As previously reported, the BIOS A08 (that have been removed from Dell website) is for different version of motherboard. Maybe you've got the newer version since you just bought it.

Thanks for sharing the solution too!

Cant be the A08 it came with A07 bios and thats still the one i have....  i still downloaded it from their site just to be sure..... the only big difference from my 1340 and your is: when u buy one from dell.com they give u only the option of 9500 series,  if u buy it from bestbuy u save a lot more but u get the 9400m g, no bluetooth and no blueray, every other spec is at maximum.... the same exact model that i bought would of been around 1300 or something like that... if ur interested go to bestbuy's site and go to laptops and dell, u gona see the one for 899.....

oh ye update on my settings status: its a lil wierd, i changed all power settings to highest on every single option, but when i take out the cord it still pixelates again, but then i switch it from hi performance unplugged to power saver and with no cord it works the same as high performace plugged in... very strange on high performance i have this issue but at least its 50% solved....

Dell removed my last comment they said it was something unlawful or offenssive hahha, what did i say? the only thing i said is that dell has very unknowledgable tech support...

do u know on benchmarks whats the difference between 9400mg and 9500?