Windows Update recently forced an update for the Realtek audio driver on the XPS 8930 and that update causes the same boot delays you're seeing, regardless of TPM setting. So enabling TPM might just have been coincidental. FWIW, I don't see any boot delays after enabling TPM on my XPS 8930.
Look in Device Manager and see what version Realtek driver you have. If it's the problem version 6.0.9205.1, manually set a System Restore point, to be safe. Then use the Roll back driver button in Device Manager to go back to the previously installed Realtek driver version, which might be 6.0.9107.1 which was just before this last one or .8248 which was the one before 9107.
After rolling back, reboot a couple of times and see if that solves the problem, while TPM is still enabled.
EDIT: After doing the driver roll back, do several full power-off shutdowns, not just Restarts from inside Windows.
Thank you so much for the advice! I rolled back the Realtek driver from 6.0.9205.1 to 6.0.9107.1 and the slow boot has stopped and startup has gone back to normal. Actually, it might be a touch faster. I did several full shutdowns as you suggested and it did not change change the startup in any way. It appears solved. Enabling TPM appears to have just been a coincidence. Again, thank you for the solution.
I'm curious. Is the slowdown during POST (Dell logo) or actually loading Windows? I only reboot about twice/month - thanks to Microsoft - and that driver was pushed to me on 10/16. My POST is always a bit slow but I've not timed it. Blamed it on too many external USB devices being polled.
I figured the TPM setting change didn't cause the slow booting. Glad the driver roll-back fixed the issue.
Windows Update has become way too aggressive lately and is forcibly installing driver updates, even when they're listed as "optional".
Since you rolled the Realtek driver back, you may need to configure Waves MaxxAudio Pro again because it gets reinstalled with every time a Realtek audio driver is installed on the XPS 8930.
When Realtek driver updates are installed on my XPS 8930, Waves thinks the desktop speakers are "internal" and they sound awful. So that's a tip-off a Realtek driver got installed by Windows Update, when I wasn't looking...
Read my post in this thread about configuring Waves...
Everything seems OK with Waves MaxxAudio Pro as the speakers are performing correctly. I did notice that the Waves icon flashed briefly in the tray on the first startup after the driver change which I assume is the reinstall. I did pause Windows Updates for now. Did notice that it was offering Windows 11 to download prior to pausing updates. May hold off on that for a while and see how others do with the install first. Will keep an eye out for anything unusual if a Realtek update get past me and tries to reinstall driver version 6.0.9205.1 again. Hopefully Realtek will replace that wonky driver soon, but at least I'll know what to look for in the meantime.
It was staying on the Dell screen with the juggling ping pong balls for about 75 seconds, then a blank screen for the other 15 seconds before the log on screen displayed. The other thing I've noticed since the TPM was enabled is that the blue progress bar that used to be under the Dell logo is now gone during startup. Since the RealTek driver rollback, the Dell screen stays up about 10 seconds and then goes immediately to the log in screen. I usually power down using Hibernate, so I don't do full reboots that often either. Using hibernate also eliminated the slow startup since it isn't a full shutdown, but it doesn't keep Windows Update inactive.
@rh310 Others have reported the same thing as @Vinnie T. The balls go around in circles on the Dell splash screen a lot longer when Realtek 6.0.9205.1 is installed, before you get to the log-in screen.
And when you look on the Startup tab in Task Manager, you may notice the Last BIOS Time shown at the right side, above the list of items, will be longer when that version is installed vs a previous version of the Realtek driver. Some report that time was 2x times longer(or more) when 9205.1 was installed, and back to "normal" after it was removed.
@Vinnie T - You can probably do a full power-off shut down and get a reasonably fast boot when Fast Startup is enabled (default setting) in Win 10. It's a variation on hibernation that uses less power than "regular" hibernation. When Fast Startup is enabled and "regular" hibernation is disabled, the hibernation file that's saved on the boot drive is smaller, so it uses less space, requiring fewer writes/reads...
Thanks @RoHe , @Vinnie T for the detail. I had NEVER noticed the Last BIOS time field before. Mine shows 37.8. I reboot only twice/month at most and usually just walk away during the boot process. So I just didn't notice the difference. Although at times I have noticed the juggling balls and thought it seemed to be taking longer. Just assumed the OS had become old/fat/cluttered over time and I do have allot of external devices connected. Plus, I disabled fast-startup long ago.
I just might go ahead and roll back that driver too
I've disabled driver updates at the moment, so that should keep it away.
Otherwise, what is the expected behavior? I suppose since history has the 'bad' update it won't retry it and hopefully the next one won't have the problem.
The BIOS time on mine has been in the 10-12 second range since that Realtek driver was rolled back. Although I didn’t actually see it, I’m guessing it was in the 80-90 second range with the bad driver. I checked the power settings and fast start has been enabled all along.
I have Fast Startup enabled, with hibernation disabled, on my XPS 8930 and today's BIOS Time was only 9.9 seconds. I know it's much longer when FS is disabled...
WU hasn't tried to force Realtek 6.0.9205.1 on me again, even though I rolled it back, and I don't have driver updates disabled in gpedit.
WU History still says 6.0.9205.1 was successfully installed on 10/7/2021, so I suspect WU goes by that, and doesn't look to see whether it's actually still installed or not. And when the next Realtek driver comes along, WU will just remove whatever driver is installed and force-feed the newest one...
RoHe
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November 5th, 2021 16:00
Have you tried disabling TPM again?
Windows Update recently forced an update for the Realtek audio driver on the XPS 8930 and that update causes the same boot delays you're seeing, regardless of TPM setting. So enabling TPM might just have been coincidental. FWIW, I don't see any boot delays after enabling TPM on my XPS 8930.
Look in Device Manager and see what version Realtek driver you have. If it's the problem version 6.0.9205.1, manually set a System Restore point, to be safe. Then use the Roll back driver button in Device Manager to go back to the previously installed Realtek driver version, which might be 6.0.9107.1 which was just before this last one or .8248 which was the one before 9107.
After rolling back, reboot a couple of times and see if that solves the problem, while TPM is still enabled.
EDIT: After doing the driver roll back, do several full power-off shutdowns, not just Restarts from inside Windows.
Vinnie T
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November 6th, 2021 11:00
Ron,
Thank you so much for the advice! I rolled back the Realtek driver from 6.0.9205.1 to 6.0.9107.1 and the slow boot has stopped and startup has gone back to normal. Actually, it might be a touch faster. I did several full shutdowns as you suggested and it did not change change the startup in any way. It appears solved. Enabling TPM appears to have just been a coincidence. Again, thank you for the solution.
V
rh310
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175 Posts
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November 6th, 2021 16:00
I'm curious. Is the slowdown during POST (Dell logo) or actually loading Windows? I only reboot about twice/month - thanks to Microsoft - and that driver was pushed to me on 10/16. My POST is always a bit slow but I've not timed it. Blamed it on too many external USB devices being polled.
RoHe
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45.2K Posts
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November 6th, 2021 16:00
@Vinnie T - You're welcome.
I figured the TPM setting change didn't cause the slow booting. Glad the driver roll-back fixed the issue.
Windows Update has become way too aggressive lately and is forcibly installing driver updates, even when they're listed as "optional".
Since you rolled the Realtek driver back, you may need to configure Waves MaxxAudio Pro again because it gets reinstalled with every time a Realtek audio driver is installed on the XPS 8930.
When Realtek driver updates are installed on my XPS 8930, Waves thinks the desktop speakers are "internal" and they sound awful. So that's a tip-off a Realtek driver got installed by Windows Update, when I wasn't looking...
Read my post in this thread about configuring Waves...
Vinnie T
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11 Posts
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November 6th, 2021 16:00
Everything seems OK with Waves MaxxAudio Pro as the speakers are performing correctly. I did notice that the Waves icon flashed briefly in the tray on the first startup after the driver change which I assume is the reinstall. I did pause Windows Updates for now. Did notice that it was offering Windows 11 to download prior to pausing updates. May hold off on that for a while and see how others do with the install first. Will keep an eye out for anything unusual if a Realtek update get past me and tries to reinstall driver version 6.0.9205.1 again. Hopefully Realtek will replace that wonky driver soon, but at least I'll know what to look for in the meantime.
Vinnie T
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November 6th, 2021 17:00
It was staying on the Dell screen with the juggling ping pong balls for about 75 seconds, then a blank screen for the other 15 seconds before the log on screen displayed. The other thing I've noticed since the TPM was enabled is that the blue progress bar that used to be under the Dell logo is now gone during startup. Since the RealTek driver rollback, the Dell screen stays up about 10 seconds and then goes immediately to the log in screen. I usually power down using Hibernate, so I don't do full reboots that often either. Using hibernate also eliminated the slow startup since it isn't a full shutdown, but it doesn't keep Windows Update inactive.
Vinnie T
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November 6th, 2021 18:00
I’ll give that a try…..thanks!
RoHe
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November 6th, 2021 18:00
@rh310 Others have reported the same thing as @Vinnie T. The balls go around in circles on the Dell splash screen a lot longer when Realtek 6.0.9205.1 is installed, before you get to the log-in screen.
And when you look on the Startup tab in Task Manager, you may notice the Last BIOS Time shown at the right side, above the list of items, will be longer when that version is installed vs a previous version of the Realtek driver. Some report that time was 2x times longer(or more) when 9205.1 was installed, and back to "normal" after it was removed.
@Vinnie T - You can probably do a full power-off shut down and get a reasonably fast boot when Fast Startup is enabled (default setting) in Win 10. It's a variation on hibernation that uses less power than "regular" hibernation. When Fast Startup is enabled and "regular" hibernation is disabled, the hibernation file that's saved on the boot drive is smaller, so it uses less space, requiring fewer writes/reads...
rh310
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175 Posts
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November 7th, 2021 10:00
Thanks @RoHe , @Vinnie T for the detail. I had NEVER noticed the Last BIOS time field before. Mine shows 37.8. I reboot only twice/month at most and usually just walk away during the boot process. So I just didn't notice the difference. Although at times I have noticed the juggling balls and thought it seemed to be taking longer. Just assumed the OS had become old/fat/cluttered over time and I do have allot of external devices connected. Plus, I disabled fast-startup long ago.
rh310
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175 Posts
0
November 7th, 2021 16:00
I just might go ahead and roll back that driver too
I've disabled driver updates at the moment, so that should keep it away.
Otherwise, what is the expected behavior? I suppose since history has the 'bad' update it won't retry it and hopefully the next one won't have the problem.
Vinnie T
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11 Posts
0
November 7th, 2021 16:00
The BIOS time on mine has been in the 10-12 second range since that Realtek driver was rolled back. Although I didn’t actually see it, I’m guessing it was in the 80-90 second range with the bad driver. I checked the power settings and fast start has been enabled all along.
RoHe
10 Elder
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45.2K Posts
1
November 7th, 2021 16:00
I have Fast Startup enabled, with hibernation disabled, on my XPS 8930 and today's BIOS Time was only 9.9 seconds. I know it's much longer when FS is disabled...
RoHe
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45.2K Posts
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November 7th, 2021 16:00
WU hasn't tried to force Realtek 6.0.9205.1 on me again, even though I rolled it back, and I don't have driver updates disabled in gpedit.
WU History still says 6.0.9205.1 was successfully installed on 10/7/2021, so I suspect WU goes by that, and doesn't look to see whether it's actually still installed or not. And when the next Realtek driver comes along, WU will just remove whatever driver is installed and force-feed the newest one...
Vinnie T
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November 7th, 2021 17:00
That’s good to know since I figured it would try again.
RoHe
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December 11th, 2021 22:00
Read my <rant> (12-11-2021) about the Realtek drivers for XPS 8930 before you update Win 10 21H1 to 21H2, if you haven't already done it...