XPS 8940, freezing often

@cat0w 

Let me guess? You have an Nvidia Discrete card. Also since you only had one update, you are on BIOS V2.16.0?

If so, this is quite common.

Search this forum for 8940 Freeze Lock up Nvidia and you'll see many Subjects to read on this.

If you happen to have and AMD card, use AMD in the search, happens on those cards too.

No AMD or Nvidia card, then post back with more details. Like what BIOS you had before, what monitor is connected too, and any other recent  changes.

Yes, I have BIOS 2.16.00.

My display adapters are.

My monitor is a Dell U2412M

@cat0w​ 

No surprise 😊

A lot of ways to try and mitigate this.

First, go back to BIOS 2.13.1 or there abouts.

Other choice right now, open the Nvidia Control Panel and on the 3D settings, set to power to MAX. POWER.

The is NO specific one that cures the problem for everyone.

Worst case, have to use DDU (from 3DGURU.COM) and d/l the latest Nvidia driver from its site. The disconnect the Internet from your PC by DISABLING the adapter, or if wired, disconnect the wire. REBOOT the PC into SAFE MODE. RUN DDU and remove ALL Nvidia items. Reboot back to REAL MODE. Then install the D/L'ed Nvidia Driver. Reconnect the Internet (had to be disconnected so that returning to REAL MODE MS Update didn't install and old Nvidia driver). Then make the same change to Nvidia Control Panel.

This usually does it for you.

I have a XPS 8940 . After getting help with Basic warranty I was told I would have to pay 129$ to check a software probIem ..I checked to see what auto updates were installed on my computer. I removed an updated January 12 Nvidia driver 54609 . No more freezing!

not a computer tech.. not sure what removing this update may do but I was freezing about 10-15 times a day and now no more problems

@AlisonAlbert​

Don't know where you got the 546.09 driver, but it is not on the Dell site now if you got it there?

They may have pulled it? I selected ALL XPS8940's, not just one for my Service code only.

@ispalten​ In my case, Windows Update on January 12 force-installed the NVidia Studio driver 546.09 on my PC. The app didn't ask my permission, when I checked for (other) updates, it simply downloaded and installed 546.09.

I was anxious at first given the freezes I'd been fighting a few weeks before; however, the PC has continued to be rock solid since then.

Larry

@AlisonAlbert​ 

I'll look for that driver and remove it if it is on my computer. I'll let you know what I find. Is this what you are talking about? 31.0.15.4609

After trying many things to solve this problem this morning I downloaded and then installed this new driver for Windows 11, 31.0.15.4665. I'll see how this works.

Thank you to those who have provided assistance. I'll come back and post if this driver solves my problem of freezes.

@cat0w​ 

For reference, Nvidia only uses the last 5 digits for it version numbering system. xxx.xx, or for the new one, 546.65. Confusing, I know. I found this in an old post explaining the whole number, but the last 5 are what is important to the Nvidia cards:

============

Driver 436.15 = 26.21.14.3615. You can see this in the device manager for your gpu driver.

26 = Windows Display Driver Model 2.6
21 = DirectX rev 21 (12.1)
14 = Base number
3615 = Build number

Nvidia shows the five last numbers which mostly indicates the build numbers. Higher the numbers the newer the driver. If it's a big jump - 431.xx to 436.xx - it probably means it's a new branch of driver. A branch is where they start building and updating the current drivers to for a while. Once the last numbers are taken it will simply add a higher number to the front and start at 01 at the back, e.g 436.15 -- 15 goes to 99 so the 6 in the front will be 7, and 99 will be 01. The numbers can change often and inconsistently each driver release because Nvidia run test drivers in the background. The difference between 436.02 and 436.15 are shown in the release notes. Since it's on the same branch (R436) it will mostly be the same as 436.02 but with additional fixes and whatnot. 431.36 are based on an older/different branch (R431).

=========

I finally removed GeForce Experience and that seems to have stopped the freezing. I'll wait a few days and see what happens before posting that the problems has been solved.

@cat0w​ 

That is really odd that that stopped the problem?

I checked TASK MANAGER, and I can't find GeForce running (yes, I've got it installed and I am not locking up) or any what appears to be a GeForce service, but I do have these Nvidia Services running:

If you think that the Nvidia driver install (from Nvidia) puts too much down, there is a program, NVCleanstall (https://www.techpowerup.com/download/techpowerup-nvcleanstall/ ) that you can install with that will allow you to just install the driver or any combination of the driver and other items included in the package. I tried using it, but decided on the text for each item that it wasn't a big problem to install them.

@cat0w​ 

I also experience freezing issue with my XPS 8940. I uninstalled GeForce Experience and I continue to experience freezing issues.

Does your screen freeze when KAPS.exe crashes?

Screen freezes, KAPS.exe crashes

I'm still having freezes but now it's mainly after I quit using the computer for several hours. 

I'll check the KAPS.exe

I'll probably report this to Dell tomorrow. I'm paying them each month for support so I'll put that to use and see what they say.

I usually don't run the GF experience and there have been issues with it causing problems in the past (but not with me other than the fact I really don't like having to 'log in' to have it work).

That crosses a line, IMO.