1 Rookie
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38 Posts
0
278
December 29th, 2023 22:27
I now have to install Support Assist to view available drivers
XPS 8940
I now have to install Support Assist to manually install drivers. I used to be able to see a list of all drivers for my XPS 8940. But now the list is not accessible unless I install Support Assist. Is this a new thing on the Dell support website? Anyone else having this issue? I have tried four different web browsers and if Support Assist is not installed I cannot see the drivers that are available. As soon as I install Support Assist I have the choice of being able to have Support Assist install the drivers for me or I can view a list of all the drivers available and manually install them. If this is a new feature then I do not like it. Please revert back to the way it was before.
Thanks
RoHe
10 Elder
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45.2K Posts
3
December 29th, 2023 23:31
No, you don't have to install SupportAssist to manually search for drivers.
On the support site home page, enter your PC model or Service Tag. When you get to the page for your model, click the drivers/download tab.
After you click Check for Updates, wait a few sections and box pops up "Checking to see if SupportAssist is installed". Just click the X in that popup box, and the site will instantly show you the entire list of available drivers for the PC model, or the ones specific for your Service Tag, depending on how you got to the page for the PC model..
There's a bug on the support site that doesn't allow you to see the list of drivers for manual installation, unless/until after it starts to look for SupportAssist on your PC. Dell promises to fix this...
(edited)
ispalten
4 Operator
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2.4K Posts
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December 31st, 2023 13:29
@RoHe
Ron, I reported that too, and never got a response, but it WORKED fine selecting List Files for me the other day?
That said, I use Firefox as my browser. It wouldn't work a couple of days ago selecting that. So I fired up MS Edge and it worked fine?
I suspect it might not be truly a website problem but possibly some Firefox one? Depends one what sites it had been on before or some loaded add-on getting in the way or even a Cache entry that gets cleaned out after closing Firefox?
RoHe
10 Elder
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45.2K Posts
2
December 31st, 2023 23:11
AFAIK, it's a web site issue. I provided a vid and an HTML trace file which shows a number of errors and pauses during the process when the "wheel" just spins.
They confirmed it's being investigated...
Markd1015
1 Rookie
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38 Posts
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January 1st, 2024 15:40
@RoHe So this did work. I wonder why we now have to click the X to see the drivers. As I get older I get more cynical and start wondering if it is just a way to push out the Support Assist software to people who may not take the time to do research.
garioch7
5 Practitioner
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296 Posts
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January 1st, 2024 17:15
@RoHe , @Markd1015
For the last month or so, I have been seeing this with my Chrome browser. I just click on "Find Drivers," and the listing for my 8930 appears.
Regards,
Phil
MastiffX
2 Intern
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242 Posts
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January 2nd, 2024 17:12
@Markd1015
"As I get older I get more cynical and start wondering if it is just a way to push out the Support Assist software to people who may not take the time to do research."
Actually, SupportAssist is installed at the factory.
Dell tries to make it possible for anyone, at any level of ability, to update their computer, ergo SupportAssist and web pages based on using SupportAssist. If you're able to get updates on your own, you can do that (I myself uninstalled SupportAssist) but you can't blame Dell for trying to make it easier for the less skilled.
(edited)
Markd1015
1 Rookie
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38 Posts
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January 3rd, 2024 22:36
@MastiffX Yes, support assist is installed at the factory. I uninstalled it due to something causing Support Assist to tie up 100% of my CPU resources. If Dell wants to make it easy for the less skilled that is fine. They should not have changed the way the website worked a couple of months ago when you could choose to have Support Assist do the search or just look a few inches down the page and see the drivers listed that were available. Again my skepticism says it is a ploy to have Support Assist installed. Maybe I should reinstall it and use WireShark to see what sites Support Assist sends information to. Maybe something I can do when I am bored :)