XPS 8940, freezing when watching videos

This web page may help and yes it is related to the NVidia GPU possibly drivers. It may be corrupt drivers or possibly programs interfering with each other.

Well, as far as the "software support" , you should get that as it should not have been left-off in the first place. Pay your $100. You get support on the whole machine and no more possible "escape-goating".

It's likely rebooting after the crash because you have Windows is set to do that. You can turn that off if you want it to sit frozen.

Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent Code: 141

Usually means Windows could tell it is too unstable to operate properly any more. Better to stop (and reboot ). Start-up fresh . Load into memory and let's try again.

nvlddmkm.sys is a Nvidia (video card) file.

I would suggest going back to a slightly older Nvidia driver. Completely uninstall the current one, and then "clean-install" the older (more stable and proven) one.

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General-Read-Only/Aurora-R6-Hard-Lockup-and-crash-while-gaming-SOLVED/m-p/5504128/highlight/true#M6104

And for the Intel stuff (motherboard chipset, etc.) be sure your Device Manager is free of Errors and your Windows Updates are current.

Edited

Thank you. I have actually reviewed that article and I did troubleshoot the Nvidia GPU drivers, which didn't resolve. At that point, as we all know even the most thorough memory tests don't always show issues, which is why I did the process of removing all of the RAM sticks and testing each one. If there is software conflicting, that is a problem on Dell's side as I said right now, all I have is the base image on this PC. I haven't installed anything else...

Dell support keeps saying it's not hardware and it's software, and they want me to pay the $99 software troubleshooting price. Which, I don't mind doing. But with it being the base factory image and they find a software issue.. should I really have to pay?

Honestly I might just install a Windows 10 without all the Dell software and test that way. It would be a shame to have to go through all this considering I spent money on it. I should have just built something!

Here, dropping back to older Nvidia driver fixed it.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/geforce-graphics-cards/5/289996/hardware-error-141/

Same fix as my Aurora-R6 / Nvidia GTX-1070 thread I linked you to above. Yeah, my machine was fairly unstable too when I got it. 

@Kaelynne  - And try running these commands...

1. At desktop, open a CMD prompt window, Run as administrator
   
   
2. At the prompt, type in: chkdsk c:/r and press Enter
   Accept the offer to run it at next boot and reboot. It will run before Windows loads
   Note any error messages when it's done or look at the chkdsk log
   
   
3. When you get back to the desktop, open a CMD window as in #1
   
   
4. At the prompt, type in: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and press Enter
   Be sure to include a space in front of each / and note any error messages when that's done.
   
   
5. Assuming no errors in #5, at the CMD prompt, type in: sfc /scannow and press Enter.
   Be sure to include a space in front of the / and note any errors when that's done.

Hopefully #4 and #5 will say "no errors" or "successfully fixed". Then see if your video issues are fixed.

And if all else fails, do a clean install of Win 10 using the ISO file and following the instructions at the Microsoft site to create a bootable USB stick.

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@Kaelynne wrote:

 

1. But with it being the base factory image and they find a software issue.. 

2. Honestly I might just install a Windows 10 without all the Dell software and test that way.

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1. The Nvidia drivers are mostly developed by Nvidia (and Microsoft to some degree). Dell definitely has no part in that. They are only distributed by Dell and Microsoft.

2. Yes, that is always good to try. But you still have to find working Nvidia drivers.

If you require further assistance in this forum, please list a concise (yet complete) internal system config for your XPS-8940.

This is a Community supported Dell Technical Support forum. We are glad to help you however we can. 

However, if you want to talk about blame, money, warranties, or Dell Policies ... I suggest you contact them directly.

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@Kaelynne wrote:

At that point, as we all know even the most thorough memory tests don't always show issues, which is why I did the process of removing all of the RAM sticks and testing each one.

 

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No, I've never heard of that.

Outside of Windows, the ePSA Diags passing 100% good will verify that your hardware is operating properly (should be taken with a very high confidence level). The included long memory test is very thorough.

If you still think it's memory, you can create and boot PassMark's MemTest86.com

https://www.memtest86.com/

If it can 100% pass 2-complete full passes of this tester ... it would be virtually impossible to still have a bad ram module installed.

Yes Dell tech support will want money if all hardware tests are passed. 

AT this point I am pretty sure that it's Graphic Card issue and you need a replacement. Now depending on the warranty you have this can be a bit tedious, unless you have an onsite warranty. 

- You can run a GPU stress test from SupportAssist - Troubleshooting - I want to troubleshoot my PC - I want to scan a specific piece of Hardware - GPU (there will be 2 option choose nvidia) > Stress test

If the machine crashes during the test it will confirm GPU issue. 

- IN order to eliminate the GPU issue, you can test you machine by plugging the monitor in to Motherboard  instead. 

- In order to convince Dell support its a hardware issue you can perform a factory image restore from F12 > SupportAssist OS Recovery > RESET > RESET and update. This is the last troubleshooting step and they will offer repair service (onsite/depot) depending on the warranty 

You must try updating the browser version on your PC, as all your videos are being played on the browser. You should also disable all the extensions from the browser which creates conflicts on the device. Lastly, I can suggest you to use a different browser for the purpose of streaming the videos.

LiveKernelEvent Code: 141

Event ID 41: "The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first"
ID41 and 141 are essentially identical

1. Over-Clocking GPU -> best to reset ALL to the defaults especially while troubleshooting

2. Memory (check thoroughly MEMTEST).

3. Power Supply (Do you use Sine Wave UPS and Surge protector?).

4. Over-heating - even if the overall temps are with-in specs a single component can be too sensitive to even the normal levels of heat and fault at a lower temp. Try adding a fan blowing into the case to reduce the effects of heat even more than the cooler usually does. Of course ensure all built-in fans are running.

I've encountered something similar with an 8940 with a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti.  My issue started occurring after a BIOS update.  The 8940 shipped with 2.0.11 installed.  I had tried updated versions but kept running into issues with lockups so I would roll back to 2.0.11 and the machine would be stable.  Its my business machine so I can't afford to be down so I didn't worry about running on an old BIOS version.  Windows update just recently took it upon itself to install BIOS revision 2.2.0.  Ever since I have been seeing the LiveKernelEvent/141 error.  I'll get random lockups where both my monitors go black.  Ctrl/Alt/Delete does nothing.  Have to hold power to shutdown then start back up.

I've been having the problem with just my normal business use which is coding/debugging and listening to music.  Error doesn't occur with a set piece of software that I can see.  My code editors (Rider/VSCode) are open and streaming music is the most common.  It is pretty random when it occurs.  Sometimes I can go 2-3 hours without a problem.  Sometimes it happens within 5 minutes.

I can't roll back the 2.2.0 BIOS revision so I'm stuck.  When I try it says its an incompatible downgrade  I have support through Dell for my machine and went their warranty/repair support last night.  They think it is a problem with the motherboard and are sending a tech out to replace.  I'm a bit skeptical, but I'll let them do their thing.  I recently did a clean install of Windows 11 to try and rule out the OS.  The problem has occurred for me on both Windows 10 and 11.  Both with clean installs of the OS, drivers installed and updated, minimum software installed on the machine.  Mainly what I need to work(code editors, .net sdks, git, docker, etc.).

I had a friend purchase an 8940 about the same time I did with a GeForce 3070 in it.  He had similar issues though I don't know if it was the same LiveKernelEvent/141 or not.  He eventually got tired of the problem and built a new machine from parts and took the vid card from Dell and used it in the new machine.  He put a different card(not sure what) in the Dell and gave to his wife.  He's said the Dell(minus the GeForce card) and his machine(with the GeForce card originally in the Dell) have both been working well.  Anecdotal I know, but kind of points to a pattern of some kind of incompatibility that may be impacted by the BIOS version.

So Dell has no idea what they are doing. They have replaced my motherboard, CPU, and every piece of hardware possible. The saga continued for months and I did everything you just mentioned about installing clean windows and all of the above. This is how you can solve it. If your monitors are directly connected to your GPU and not to the motherboard on board video card, you should go into device manager and disable the Intel video card. Moreover, make sure your Nvidia software is overruling and in effect over the Intel software or any of the Dell color management software or Microsoft display management software.

If this doesn't fix the problem, then seeing your monitors to manual EDID will for sure resolve it with the Intel device still disabled.

Thanks.  I'll disable the onboard video and see what happens.  When you say "Nvidia software is overruling ..." is there anything specific you need to do?  Win services that needed to be disabled or software that needs to do uninstalled?

Thanks

You may want to fully uninstall all NVidia drivers and software and then install an older version such as this one, which solved some other video issues on XPS 8940.

And roll back the audio drivers to prior version too...

NOTE: Manually set a System Restore point before uninstalling or rolling back any drivers

I disabled the onboard video and Intel winsvcs related to video but continued to have issues with my monitors going dark and having to restart my PC.  Dell replaced the motherboard.  The board BIOS version 2.0.13 installed.  Not the original 2.0.11, but IIRC I was able to downgrade 2.0.13 to 2.0.11.  Going to run on the version that came with the board for now and see if it is stable.