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Tedco

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50 Posts

179

February 22nd, 2025 06:54

XPS 8960, black screen after viewing BIOS page

My newish XPS 8960 (September 2024) is acting pretty strange lately.
I did have some problem with black screen after setting the pc up back in September but seemed to be corrected with updating BIOS to Version 2.12.0.


However, over the past few weeks I have experienced the same when viewing the BIOS pages.


Yesterday I wanted to document the settings using a camera to take pictures and went through the various tabs.
Upon finishing I then pressed ESC key - nothing had been changed, and the pc starts up but with black screen and nothing else.


I pulled the cover off, removed the coin battery, held power button down for 20sec and got the pc running again.
The BIOS page loaded where I entered correct time and date.


Today I tried again to view the BIOS page, and the same black screen happened after exit BIOS setup using F10 key this time.
I replaced the coin battery with a new one, just in case.
Managed to get the pc up and running again using the same procedure as before.
I ran SupportAssist full scan which came up clear.


Could it be a BIOS update not fully completed ?


Any ideas as to why this is happening ?


Would a clean Windows 11 Pro install help ?


Apart from this, the pc is working fine.


Your help and support is as always greatly appreciated, thanks

Tedco

1 Rookie

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50 Posts

February 23rd, 2025 01:13

Further to my problem with the startup issue after viewing BIOS setup.

This morning, I ran a quick and advanced diagnostic from F12 menu and both came back successfully.

I then disconnected all peripherals except keyboard and monitor.


After viewing BIOS and exit by ESC key, the pc started up as expected.


Then, adding each peripheral on by one, I narrowed it down to my Dell Stereo USB SoundBar AC511M for PXX19 & UXX19 attached to a usb connection on the pc.


If that is connected, the pc refuses to start up and displays a black screen only.


I have tried other usb-ports with same result.


The soundbar is about 6 years old.

Not a big issue and I now know I have to disconnect the soundbar if viewing or update BIOS settings.

Wondering if anyone else are using the same Soundbar experiencing the same problem.

Just for info,

btc909

1 Rookie

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21 Posts

March 16th, 2025 06:27

On one 8960 this happens if I update to the 2.13.0 or 2.14.0 BIOS when using onboard video.  Power button is solid white with no video.  I can ping the computer from another computer.  If I put a video card in, no problems getting video.  If I revert back to 2.12.0 then I can get video from onboard video.

Alcester

1 Rookie

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2 Posts

April 24th, 2025 15:50

@Tedco​ Exactly the same issue for me. If the AC511 Soundbar is connected via USB, the PC will not boot after being in the BIOS - whether I change any settings in the BIOS or simply view them.

My 8960 was delivered with 2.12.0 BIOS but I've seen the same issue on every BIOS update (I'm now on 2.15.0).

btc909

1 Rookie

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21 Posts

April 24th, 2025 16:02

I ended up doing this:

  1. Before you begin, follow the: Safety Precautions When Working with Electronic and Electrical Equipment
  2. Turn off the computer and disconnect the power cable from the computer.
  3. If you are using a Dell laptop, disconnect the battery from the computer. For model-specific information, see the User Manual of your computer. If your Dell laptop has a nonremovable battery, see the Dell knowledge base article: How to Reset the Real-Time Clock (RTC) to Recover Your Dell Laptop
  4. Remove the computer cover. For model-specific information, see the User Manual of your computer.
  5. Locate the CMOS coin-cell battery (Figure 2 and 3).
  6. Carefully, disconnect the coin-cell battery from the motherboard.
  7. Press and hold the power button for 10-20 seconds to drain residual power.
  8. Connect the coin-cell battery to the motherboard.
  9. Close the computer cover.
  10. Connect the battery and the power cable to the computer.
  11. Turn on the computer.
  12. A warning message appears indicating that the date and time is not set.
  13. Press the F2 key to enter the BIOS screen.
  14. Set the date and time according to your time zone.
  15. Save and exit out of the BIOS screen.

Windows 11, don't allow the hard drive to sleep after one minute either plugged in or battery.  I've seen BSOD's with the computer sitting at the BIOS saying "no boot device found".  The SSD disappeared.  Power off, power on and all is well.

Alcester

1 Rookie

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2 Posts

June 5th, 2025 08:45

@Tedco​

I have just updated to BIOS 2.17.0 this morning and had the same problem again. So for me,  the AC511 causes a problem when I've been in the BIOS or a BIOS Update Patch is applied.

Every time this happens, I do the following: -

  1. Wait for the 'failed' Boot/POST to happen (blank screen, PC with solid white light showing on power button). This is immediately after exiting BIOS or immediately after the BIOS patch has completed.

  2. Unplug the AC511 USB lead from the PC.

  3. Long-press the power button on the PC to get it to switch off - it immediately then restarts.

  4. Plug the AC511 USB lead back into PC while the POST is happening and the Dell logo is on the screen.

  5. Windows boots normally and AC511 is fully functional.

I do not know what makes the restart after entering BIOS (or applying a BIOS patch) different to a restart from a normal power off state.

I also have my BIOS set to automatically start the PC once a month for an image backup. This always completes successfully even though it happens without my presence overnight and without me needing to remove/replace the AC511.

(edited)

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