XPS 8940, RTX 3060 Ti, random freezing

Within the Nvidia Control Panel, navigate to 3D Settings / Manage 3D Settings, and then set the Power Management Mode to Prefer Maximum Performance. Then click the Apply button below to save the changes. 

I've also had screen freeze issues with my Dell XPS 8940.
I made two changes last week that may have resolved this issue. My system has been stable for 5 days now.
  1. I rolled back NVIDA DRIVER to version 536.40
  2. I reinstalled Dell BIOS version 2.16.0

Here is my system build.

MOTHERBOARD:
Manufacturer Dell Inc.
Model 0K3CM7
Version A00

GRAPHICS CARD:
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

OPERATING SYSTEM:
Edition Microsoft Windows 11 Pro (64-bit)
Version (Build) 23H2 (10.0.22631)

I have an 8940, also freezes often.  I've seen this on many message/chat boards, tried numerous suggestions, been in touch with Dell Tech Support.  NOTHING HELPS.  It's not the BIOS, or drivers or graphics card.  You've googled it and know this is a widespread problem.  I feel Dell is not doing enough to help.  Dell when are you going too stop playing around and fix this problem for your loyal customers.  I've owned somewhere between 10-20 Dell PCs, and have used many others at work.  This 8940 is the only one that has made me want to never buy another Dell.  What will it take for Dell to help us???

Same, same, same. Mine has been freezing/becoming unresponsive since October/November, and now it's lagging ALL THE TIME. I've tried every scan, uninstall/reinstall, and even reset twice. Freezing happens multiple times a day, usually when idle for a few minutes. I loved my XPS 8940...up until now. Dell, please fix this!

11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-11700 @ 2.50GHz   2.50 GHz
RAM 32.0 GB (31.6 GB usable)
64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Windows 11 Home
Version 23H2
Installed on ‎1/‎25/‎2024 (troubleshooting attempt)
OS build 22631.3155
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22684.1000.0

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti

@WhatIsDellDoing​ I wanted to update this post.  Another user said that the most recent Dell Issued Nvidia driver solved their problem with freezes.  Although I've used both Dell and NVidia drivers with no previous success, this latest Dell driver has either fixed my freezing issue or it has dramatically reduced it - no freezes since the update.  I also later, and reluctantly, did the latest BIOS, worried it would make my 8940 unstable again, but it hasn't.  I hope this works for you, and I still feel that Dell should have done better for it's 8940 owners.

Have you opened the NVidia Control Panel and set Manage 3D settings>Power Management>prefer max performance? Seems to work for many XPS 8940 users.

A user reported there's new XPS 8940 BIOS option in the latest version, 2.17.0, for NVidia settings.  If you have this BIOS version, you might want to open BIOS setup and change that setting from the default, which, IIRC, is "NVidia" to whatever the other choice is.  Be sure to save the change when you exit BIOS setup.

This whole saga with my 8940 freezing or more likely shutting down when in sleep mode is driving me crazy. For some context, the way I figured it was an issue with the rtx 3060ti was when I connected the display to the iGPU instead of the dGPU and the freezing/shutdown stopped completely. At the start I thought it was an issue with the dGPU so I replaced it with an RTX 4060 but the same problems continued upon installing and using the new card.

I then determined that it might be a problem with the PSU so I ordered a new one out of warranty hoping that it would resolve this once and for all. Well, the same problem resurfaced so now my "last hope" will be to see if changing the setting in the Nvidia control panel resolves this.

I also have the latest bios and don't see any reference to Nvidia settings apart from choosing which gpu to use for the main display. Can someone clarify this please?

@prismus  - The setting you need to change is in the NVidia Control Panel, not in BIOS setup.

1. Boot to desktop
2. Right-click empty area of desktop
3. Select NVidia Control Panel from menu 
4. In left pane, click Manage 3D settings
5. Scroll down right pane to Power Management Mode
6. Change Power Management to "Prefer max performance"
7. Close Control Panel
8. Done! 

I have an xps 8940, and I was facing this problem, after upgrading to a 3060, as soon as I started an application or game that needed the GPU, it turned off the monitors and continued working until I forced it to turn off, I did everything, I ended up buying 2 PSU, I bought a 4060 that consumed less, I tested countless things, the only thing that apparently resolved it was reverting the bios to 2.14.0 and installing the nvdia studio drivers

Ok, I have tried everything that these groups have suggested. I have an XPS 8940 with a nvidia 3060 video card. It locks up EVERY Day now. I am going to fix it by selling it and building my own system, then I won't have to call Dell Support and waste my time. This appears to be a widespread problem. I bought the system new and now I am sorry I did. This is soooo frustrating. Cheers people? :-)

@Hosers - Download a fresh copy of the latest NVidia driver for your card but don't install it.

Then try using DDU (free) to remove existing NVidia driver. Be sure to follow DDU instructions about booting in Safe Mode and disabling  your internet connection while it's running.  Then install the driver you downloaded.

Reboot normally and reconnect internet. Then make sure the NVidia 3D Power setting is set to Max Performance. See if that stops the freezing.

If not, it's also possible you have a Windows OS issue and there are some simple steps to check and fix it, so post back and let us know what happens after DDU.

@Hosers​ Hi there one other thing to try is to update to the latest bios that was released a few days. Then use DDU and continue with the steps like RoHe has suggested. 

@Hosers​ 

I do know the answer.  Go to Dell and download the nvidia video card that they have on their web site.  If you video card  is newer than the one at Dell that is your problem.  Dell test all new drivers from nvidia to make sure it is compatible to your specific computer.  So if you download from nvidia and it hasn't been "tested" it (the update) can cause your computer to do all kinds of stuff like freezing up.  

@Bonita3004​ 

@Hosers​ 

I do know the answer.  Go to Dell and download the nvidia video card that they have on their web site.  If you video card  is newer than the one at Dell that is your problem.  Dell test all new drivers from nvidia to make sure it is compatible to your specific computer. 

Not true, at least not completely. For ONE, Dell has NEVER been able to RECREATE the lock-up error. Never.

Secondly, Dell DOES NOT change anything in the driver, that means it IS Nvidia's same driver.

Thirdly, many find the Power Setting in the Nvidia Control Panel DOES solve the problem.

Lastly, IF you do have the problem, Dell support will tell you to try the latest Nvidia driver. Many people 'can not' use the Dell posted driver as it is OLDER and doesn't have the feature (or fixes) newer driver do.

BIOS is part of the problem as well, not all work as well as others.

Also Dell doesn't have every 'possible' combination of Nvidia cards and XPS configurations to test on, and I'd suspect at this time might only have on to test on with and Nvidia card in it.

Oh, some people even with the Dell posted drivers still locked up.

I used to have the problem, and found that the Power set to Max. solved my problem. Matter of fact I always get the Nvidia Game Ready driver, but do a CLEAN install of it... many months ago with some recent BIOS updates even that power setting was no longer needed.

I am on this BIOS, Version/Date Dell Inc. 2.23.1, 9/20/2024 the the Nvidia driver 566.38. released on 12/5/2024, No problems at all.

@Hosers, "I bought the system new"

Uhh, this is a 2020 XPS, did you have it a long time and first started using it or did you add an Nvidia card? The lock ups happened a LONG time ago when BIOS V2.4.0 came out in 2021.  So if this one is one you bought on 2020 or so, what changed to make it happen now?

I beg to differ, updating using dell’s nvidia drivers solved the problem for me. I had the nvidia power set to max before that but that was not a permanent solution, the card was generating heat even when my xps was on standby/sleep which spells trouble down the road. Just my 2 cents.