XPS 15 9500: BIOS 1.39.0 Update Fails on "Main USB PD Controller 2" - Win 11 24H2/25H2 Fails to Boot

Hello,

My XPS 15 9500  <To protect you, your private information was removed from public view. All private data was saved to your private Case. DELL-Admin> is unable to boot any Windows 11 24H2/25H2 environment after a BIOS update to 1.39.0.

It crashes with various BSODs (CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED, MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, 0xc000021a).

• Windows 10 boots and works perfectly.

• Windows 11 22H2 (restored from an Acronis image) boots but is very unstable.

Core Problem: I have identified that the BIOS update process itself is failing. I have a video showing the update fails with the error "Firmware update failed" specifically when trying to flash the "Main USB PD Controller 2".

Troubleshooting Steps Taken (All Failed):

1. Flashed from Windows (with BitLocker disabled).

2. Flashed from the F12 "BIOS Flash Update" menu.

3. Flashed using "BIOS Recovery" (Ctrl+Esc + BIOS_IMG.rcv file).

Result: All three methods fail at the exact same component. The Main USB PD Controller 2 firmware appears to be corrupted, and the update utility cannot overwrite it.

Diagnostics Performed:

• MemTest86: Passed (RAM is fine).

• The issue persists when booting from a Win 11 25H2 USB drive, even with the internal SSD physically disconnected.

• AHCI mode is enabled.

• Full BIOS/NVRAM reset (disconnecting main battery) did not help.

Conclusion: The firmware for "Main USB PD Controller 2" was corrupted during the 1.39.0 update. This corrupted state blocks new Win 11 kernels from booting and also prevents any further firmware updates from succeeding.

A downgrade to my original, working 1.22 BIOS is not possible because it is blocked by Dell's anti-rollback policy (as stated in the 1.35.0 release notes).

My Question: Is there a separate utility or a forced-flash method to overwrite the firmware for only this failed Main USB PD Controller 2? Or is this now a permanent hardware fault requiring a motherboard replacement?

Thank you.