XPS 8940, random lock up

Have you looked/searched this forum?

Yes, MANY have or had this problem, starting with BIOS V2.4.0 in early 2022.

The problem is associated with NVIDIA discrete cards in the 8940 for the most part. With some BIOS versions, AMD cards as well.

So, have you come here for help or just complain for others to see?

If you want help, then how about some information to assist those of us that would like to help you?

• BIOS version install.
• Do you have an Nvidia Card installed?
• If so, which driver for the card is installed?
• Have you tried the many 'suggestions' in this forum for fixing the problem (not all worked for everyone)?
• Detail when these lock ups happen, coming out of sleep, closing a window, moving the mouse, etc.

Don't have an Nvidia card, there might be other causes as well, but still need BIOS, Video Card, and symptoms so others can try to help you.

@ispalten​ I can't belive how many hours I have spent going thru all the data to fix this problemand to no avail . 

 So, here it is again(as you can tell i'm really frustated).

 Dell bios 2.26.0

AMD Radeon RX 5300xt 3 Gb

Driver 32.0.11021.1011  6/20/2024

 symptoms: 

 Computer will freeze, mouse will not move screen locked, Ctrl/ Delete will not work Hard reboot only way to clear problem.

 The freeze is random. Happens on all programs, will happen if computer is on and no activity. Never is consistant on when it will freeze next. computer will freeze coming out of sleep or in the process of typing. 

 The first time the computer froze was a bios update 2.260 on 9-18-2023 . I have explained this to the num nuts on dell support, but all they do is read from their play book. 

 The computer went thru one week of diag with Dell on the phone. Next the compute sent in to Dell for repair. They did nothing . They said they repaird the mother board, another lie. I opened the computer when it was returned and the thin layer of dust on the everything wasn't disturbed. THey did nothing!The computer was sent back to dell, same freeze problem. This time they SAID they replaced the graphic card . This took a week of communication will support to find out what they replaced.Each time the computer was sent back they reinstalled w Win to get a clean system. 

The computer will still freeze every day 2-4 tims and  the next week it may go 4-6 day without a problem. 

Sorry for the rant, but I am fed up with Dell. I am not a software guy , but I do know hardware and to me this reaks of a timing problem. Dell knows what the problem is and if they admit it they will be overwhelmed with costs to replace or fix the problem so they tweek the bios trying to fix some of the problem and make people happy.

 Thanks

@nordarb​ 

OK, thanks for the data, but I have no experience with AMD cards (wife has one on W10 with no problems, older XPS though).

This IS a recurring problem though with W11. I suggest you Google "windows 11 amd video cards freeze 2025" and you'll find MANY MANY such reports. Check that AI Overview at the top and it sort of offers some suggestions from the many posts about it.

Good luck, and I doubt it is the BIOS, although there was some time ago a BIOS issue with AMD cards and Dell corrected that within a week with a new BIOS.

@ispalten​ OK, well I have gone thru the forum and no one has the sameproblem I have. 

 Another DEAD end. BTW computer just froze while I was trying to respond!

@nordarb​ 

No, you wouldn't find the answer here... the only AMD card problem was about a specific BIOS release. Another was some MS problem (which might be what you are seeing) where it made a problem between the card and the AMD utility for it. It was solved by disabling/removing the utility.

Here is a RECENT one, https://community.amd.com/t5/pc-drivers-software/adrenaline-24-1-1-causes-windows-11-to-crash/m-p/735517 and see the last entry... from Dec. last year.

I was going to suggest using DDU (https://www.guru3d.com/download/display-driver-uninstaller-download/) and remove the AMD Radeon driver completely. Then get the latest driver from AMD but DO NOT install the Adrenelin Utility. Test and see how it goes?

I had the same problem after updating to bios 2.26.0. I tried a couple different Nvidia  drivers and power settings with no fix, playing with those drivers. I went back to bios 2.25.0 and haven't had a lockup or problem of any sort since. I'm not sure what security fixes 2.26.0 was supposed to fix as I could not find all the dsa's it claimed to fix, but 2.25.0 allows my machine to run problem free.

@nordarb​ 

Was this a TYPO, "The first time the computer froze was a bios update 2.260 on 9-18-2023", because V2.260 of the BIOS was released on March 13th, 2025.

If you do indeed have V2.26, try as suggested above back-leveling to V2.25 (which I still am on).

@ohwell1954​  I had the same problem, may I know which Nvidia driver version you are running fine with bios 2.25.0?

@ACBOB​ 

I'm NOT on the new V2.26 BIOS, still on V2.25.

The new Nvidia V572 drivers are giving a lot of people problems, and I hit a freeze on an early one. I back up to V566.36, and am stable. Check the forum for Nvidia drivers, https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/forums/game-ready-drivers/13/, a lot of people have had problems with the V572 releases...

@ispalten​ thanks for your reply. I am using bios 2.13.1. My computer automatically updated the Nvidia driver to v560.94. After that it randomly freezes or shows black screen. Then I tried to update to v566.36 but still experiencing such issues. Is it due to the bios version? Do I have to update to bios v2.25? Thanks.

@ACBOB​ 

Do I have to update to bios v2.25? Thanks.

I would, if for no other reason than getting ALL the Security Fixes. Generally speaking, one should always update when a new BIOS is available. However, with Dell's record and past experiences, I don't jump on the newest one without checking here and see how others are making out with it.

As far as the Nvidia driver, sometimes Dell's install of the driver AND it components appear not to be working well. I've switched to using Nvidia's from their site, but even then, just like the V572 version, they break thinks. So check their forum before installing a new Magor version.

I strongly suggest you use DDU to remove ALL remnants of the Nvidia driver and components. Before doing that, go to the Nvidia site and D/L V566 latest release, .36, that was released on Dec. 6th.

After DDU has cleaned out the Nvidia driver then install V566.36. With the V2.25 BIOS and the new video driver you should be good to go.

I agree with ispalten, I am running bios 2.25.0 and Nvidia studio drivers 566.36 with the Nvidia power mode set to prefer maximum performance.  

The file size of the earlier bios's for the 8940 was a little over 15 MB's and gradually grew to over 17 MB's 2.26 shrunk down to 15.8 MB's, I just wonder what they left out.

@ohwell1954​ 

Interesting. Not sure I'd equate that to something left out.

BIOS is composed of parts, and some are 'binary' objects delivered by companies like Intel for the Management engine interface. Possible compression was used and it gets unpacked during install that was not compressed before.

Also possible there was code in the BIOS that was never really changed from day one. So every version installed the same code over and over. I'd doubt that though? Say something was changed in V2.20, and versions after that were installing the same code. If so, dropping that out would cause problems possibly for people going from V2.18 for instance.

Another possibility, the level of compression was changed... for instance, my back-up via Acronis, I can select levels of Compression. The more compressed, the less space it takes on disk, but the higher the compression, the longer it takes to make the back-up, and it takes longer to restore and more processing needs to occur.

Good question to ask Dell I guess?