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    Beware of Dell Update if using a docking station for your XPS15

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by mhch, May 30, 2016.

  1. mhch

    mhch Newbie

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    Earlier this year, I bought a X9550 XPS15 (Skylake) which I mainly use with a USB-C plugged WD15 docking station (external display, LAN, keyboard, mouse, USB peripherals). BIOS 1.2 and W10.

    Lots of problems for months with this configuration: LAN connection unstable, failure to recognize USB hot plugged peripherals, external USB keyboard loss (no response), all of this within 10 minutes of operations,
    plus memory dump at shutdown (1.5GB). Only way to recover (not for long) is to reboot.

    Issue is reduced if plugging the USB keyboard directly into a XPS15 port instead of into a WD15 port.

    After manually installing about 40 driver fixes during a couple of months, Dell seems to have released an working set of drivers (6 files) and a new 1.2 Bios which seems to fix that (big header for that in the Drivers download section of Dell site).

    Unfortunately a few days after this fix, Dell Update decided to install 2 new updates, bearing a similar name to two of those 6 files above,

    Beware !! they are not the same and I'm back to the above described issues.

    So now must perform a System restore, reinstall the 6 drivers, and disable Dell Update

    You are warned if you use a docking station !! great software management at Dell !!
     
    mhch, May 30, 2016
    #1
    PAPPL likes this.
  2. Meetloaf13

    Meetloaf13 fear the MONKEY!!!

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    Which 6 updates should we install and which should we ignore?

    Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
     
    Meetloaf13, Jun 1, 2016
    #2
  3. mhch

    mhch Newbie

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    The drivers to install are pointed to on the Dell Support Drivers and Download Pages for the 9550 (paragraph at the beginning of this page)

    No idea of what drivers to ignore (Not aware of any history record of what Dell Update does), Dell Support simply says "restore and disable Dell Update" !!

    Great Service !!
     
    mhch, Jun 1, 2016
    #3
  4. pressing

    pressing Notebook Deity

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    pressing, Jun 1, 2016
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  5. g.achrainer

    g.achrainer Notebook Geek

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    g.achrainer, Jun 13, 2016
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  6. Meetloaf13

    Meetloaf13 fear the MONKEY!!!

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    Testing Now on my HP 200W Dock.
     
    Meetloaf13, Jun 13, 2016
    #6
  7. PAPPL

    PAPPL Notebook Enthusiast

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    Using WD15 with dual external monitors. Installed all WD15 dock drivers like described.
    http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN301970#ANCHOR-TAG-NAME-9
    Had one external display intermittent blinking (mDP) after resuming from standby. :(
    Installed all other dell drivers (seemed to have nothing in common with WD15), and - voila - the blinking is gone. :)
    Otherwise the WD15 dock (USB, GBe,...) worked out of the box and immediately after plugging in to XPS 9350.
    Great HDMI out powers my 5.1 soundbar on via HDMI automaticly.
     
    PAPPL, Jun 13, 2016
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  8. TDO

    TDO Notebook Consultant

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    TDO, Jun 14, 2016
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  9. g.achrainer

    g.achrainer Notebook Geek

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    Newer than the version listed in the Notebook's download section (at least for the Austrian Dell support site)
     
    g.achrainer, Jun 14, 2016
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  10. PAPPL

    PAPPL Notebook Enthusiast

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    Intel(R) Thunderbolt(TM) 3 Firmware Update Version 2.12.07, A03 (Last updated 30 May 2016) is the latest.

    Fan noise with XPS 13 9350 and WD15 dock still very annoying. As soon as i plug in the WD15 dock the temperature raises +10°C immediately. Even if the laptop is doing nothing.
    Fans kick in and stay on. I hate the XPS fan, it's too loud and kicks in too early and stops too late.
     
    PAPPL, Jun 14, 2016
    #10
  11. TDO

    TDO Notebook Consultant

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    Yes this is exactly the version which was released on 24 Mar 2016 - actually it says this on the download page (release date ...)
     
    TDO, Jun 14, 2016
    #11