XPS 15 9520, BSOD, Windows 11, I've tried everything!

For issue caused by software, it could take days for troubleshooting.  If you have a small spare SSD for quick troubleshooting, temporarily remove the boot drive and perform a clean Windows installation on spare SSD.  Besides Intel chipset driver and ME driver, don't install anything else.  Run Windows update and install all optional update (except BIOS firmware).

If the BSOD issue does not happen again, testing with reinstalling your applications little by little.  Test run with reboot in between.  If and when the BSOD reoccur, your should be able to identify which application causes the issue and resolve the conflicted driver or settings accordingly. 

If the BSOD is gone, put your main drive back and apply the same fix to the culprit app.  Or, you can choose a clean installation on your main boot drive as a resolution.

@Chino de Oro​ Thanks for the reply.

I don't have copy of Windows to install on another drive, so that's not really an option for me.

The Event Viewer info point to this:

Faulting application path: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\RivetNetworks\Killer\KillerProviderDataHelperService.exe

Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\RivetNetworks\Killer\KillerProviderDataHelperService.exe

When it says "Faulting application/module path," doesn't that mean that the Killer app and drivers are causing my BSOD?

Dell offers a one-time software support option where they will remotely look at my system and try to fix it.  If they don't fix it, there is no charge.  While I hate to pay to fix a computer that is only two years old, I may try that.  I am trying to avoid a clean install if I can help it.  As you know, that's hours of work.

John

Windows installer can be created using Microsoft Windows Creation Tool.  However, that was suggested as the last option since you stated that you've tried everything.

If you haven't yet, disable all Killer services to see if it may help.

In Add/Remove Programs, I uninstalled the Killer Control Center.  In Task Mgr, I ended all Killer entries in Process.  I'll see what happens.  

Thanks again.

You're welcome.  I learnt from someone on here, keep your fingers crossed!

Well, no sooner had I ended all Killer entries in Task Mgr, the computer crashed again and rebooted itself. The Killer entries are back in Task Mgr. 

In Windows > System32 > drivers, there is a folder called RivetNetworks and it contains a number of files and the Killer drivers.  I wonder if I should try deleting the entire folder..... ?  I suppose the Killer install files are on the Dell support site, but I haven't looked there yet.

You were sure right about one thing--troubleshooting takes forever!!!

No, Killer drivers are there to stay.  With a clean installation, Windows will install the best fit driver with proper settings.  That should resolved the issue.  BSOD is just a way Windows reacted and telling users that it ran into problem but could not resolve in a set time.  In your case, could be conflicted of Killers driver settings.

It may not be 100% working solution.  But, a couple hours of reinstallation will sure beat days of uncertainty troubleshooting. 

I agree that days of uncertainty is unacceptable.  I may just have to bite the bullet and do the clean install.  I know the XPS has the option to return it to the "new, out of box" state.  I suppose that's the way to start over.  Before doing that, however, I may pay Dell $99 to try and fix this.  If they don't fix it, there is no charge.

All of this said, I'm truly baffled that this is happening since I have made no changes to Windows or my applications.  And, I have a Dell XPS desktop with the same applications and it continues to work fine (fortunately).

Again, many thanks!

I have put Event Viewer and Minidump files into a Dropbox folder:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/mq45k4tfrwn07i02v3l4h/AJZXJQ0lHnnL0Yo9Y_3pQFw?rlkey=0lqaqotnun8lrt7xiiyfudmwz&st=37b62n23&dl=0

I have removed the RAM modules and reseated them, and the BSOD continues to happen in a random way.

Try removing the Dell trusted device driver and see if this helps.

Follow-up and resolution:

I never found the cause of the random crashes.  The solution was to reformat the hard drive (SSD) and do a fresh install of Windows 11.

My warranty had expired, so I paid Dell support $99 for one-event software support. The agent was excellent. He connected to my laptop for remote support and ran every test availalbe and looked at every setting in Windows and in the BIOS. (We talked on the phone the entire time he was connected to my computer, and I had the option to disconnect my computer from his at any time.) We actually talked and did a remote connection four days in a row. That gave time to see if any of the changes the agent made fixed the issue. Nothing worked, so the final option (which I really had hoped to avoid) was to back up all of my data and reformat the hard drive and reinstall Windows. The agent walked me through reinstalling Windows, and it was quite easy. While it was a bit of a nuisance to reinstall my applications and restore my data, I'll say that the laptop now runs as fast as it day on the day I first got it. No more crashes.

Why the random crashes happened remains a mystery. I have always run WIndows Update and Dell SupportAssist for the latest updates. My applications include Chrome, Adobe Creative Cloud (PS, LR, Acrobat), a Word/Excel clone, Dropbox and Google Drive. None of those should have caused this issue.

@johnblaustein​ the exact same issue with me recently on my XPS 15 9520. My logs showed the same KillerProviderDataHelperService.exe failing. Spent days going back and forth with Dell tech support and letting them remote in to fix my machine. They ultimately told me I needed to reformat my computer as well and reinstall Windows. I didn't want to do this at all, so I tried uninstalling SupportAssist and SupportAssist Remediation. I haven't had a single blue screen event since (its been a week) and I was having them every hour or so. Dell doesn't want to admit its their own software causing it... very upsetting that this cost you $100 

@jtmccormick  Sorry to hear you had the same issue, but glad you resolved it without the hassle of reformatting your HD and reinstalling Windows.  After Windows was installed, the Dell tech had me go to Dell.com/support and have it search for drivers and necessary applications.  Of course it installed Killer (or maybe Microsoft did that) and SupportAssistant.  Even with Killer and SupportAssist, my system is running perfectly since the reinstall.  While I did everything I could to avoid the reformat/reinstall, it turned out not to be as bad or time consuming as I'd expected.

As for the $100, it was my choice to opt for a short support plan when I bought the computer.  I think a longer plan would have cost more than $100 more, so maybe I'm ahead.  If something like this happens again, I'll try everything I did this time and then go for a reformat on my own, without spending $100 and hours on the phone with Dell.

@jtmccormick​ 

Exactly in the same situation, ramdomly bluescreen reboot on the HTTP(s) Boot

pass several hours to try to update drivers bios, antivirus scan blahblah

strangely the Dell support contrat was passed 3 days before

I saw your message and uninstall of Dell SupportAssit software and by Magic no more problems

smell a bad practice of Dell