Dell XPS 9560 Clean install guide + custom ISO download.

If I download Windows 10 image from Microsoft site ( https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10) instead of downloading from OP, will I get the same clean Windows?

How does it activate the new installation? (I don't own an XPS though, a friend is interested in buying one so I help him do some research) I assume they don't give users a Windows key anymore, it's kind of bound with the motherboard, right? Thanks.

 

You will get a clean windows install but it will be missing the drivers that OP has 'baked' into the file. You can just download drivers yourself though from the dell website.

If you didn't make any hardware changes, the windows install should activate itself. There is still a Windows key but this is not needed if simply reinstalling. However, just in case, I would recommend having the key written down with you. To find the Windows key from your system ( before starting the clean install) you can use a free program called Produkey. http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/produkey.html

Just run the above and it will show you the product key which you can write down and keep safe just in case.

 

You couldn't see the NVMe drive with the pre win10 anniversary install media, at least you can now but they still use a really old Raid/Ahci driver. Other than the outdated drivers if you want to DIY then you need the wifi drivers to get online and it will pull down most others.

 

Hi again,

Seem to be having a strange problem with my xps 15 after the clean install and likely a driver issue. As you mention, I did get the latest bt and wifi drivers. The problem I have is:
- When I connect a wireless mouse to the laptop, the wifi internet just slows down (almost to not working) but as soon as I unplug the wireless mouse, it restores to normal operation!?

I tried with two wireless mice and both result in the same problem. They work perfectly on other computers though.

Surely this is something to do with the wifi / bt drivers...any ideas?

 

It will be the wifi drivers but nothing I have come across, try to disable "packet coalescing" in the advanced wifi properties in the device manager
If it is a BT mouse then set "Bluetooth Collaboration" to disabled.

Seems the 1830 cards a bit sheet so if everything oyu find to help fails look into a intel card.

 

Ok thank you will give it a try

 

My XPS 9550 reboots after a few hours (let's say >1 hour) from sleep. It does not reboot after wake-up from sleep for a short period of time (say 20 seconds). I am using the original Windows 10 Pro that GoNz0 posted (not Anniversary Ed). It used to be O.K., but happens repeatedly. It seems many Windows 10 users are experiencing this after Google search. If anyone knows how to fix this, please share with us. Thanks.

 

Since I swapped to the Toshiba drive and put on the anniversary update (clean install) it never came back. My other 9550 with the Samsung drive has the issue still.

I would ask Dell for a Toshiba drive.

 

Thanks for your prompt reply. Well, my XPS 9550 has a Toshiba's PCIe drive (nvme thnsn5256gpu7), but has the issue... Any other suggestions? Thanks again.

 

Try the toshiba NVME driver?

Whats the error code when it craps out?
WhoCrashed should be able to tell you.

FYI my latest ISO had an updated intel Raid/AHCI driver ( I use AHCI) that may be something to do with it?

Has to be worth a try with my ISO?

 

I did not change the NVME driver since it was included in your ISO. When I just checked it, it says version 10.0.10586.0. It might have been installed through Windows Update as it says Microsoft is a provider.

Below are the details in the event viewer. Windows 10 kernel power has an issue. Is this a Win10 issue then?

Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date: 10/7/2016 8:51:02 PM
Event ID: 41
Task Category: (63)
Level: Critical
Keywords: (70368744177664),(2)
User: SYSTEM

Description:
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns=" http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}" />
<EventID>41</EventID>
<Version>4</Version>
<Level>1</Level>
<Task>63</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000400000000002</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2016-10-08T00:51:02.615482700Z" />
<EventRecordID>5709</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>JYL-Laptop</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="SleepInProgress">4</Data>
<Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">0</Data>
<Data Name="BootAppStatus">0</Data>
<Data Name="Checkpoint">0</Data>
<Data Name="ConnectedStandbyInProgress">false</Data>
<Data Name="SystemSleepTransitionsToOn">1</Data>
<Data Name="CsEntryScenarioInstanceId">0</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

 

Download WhoCrashed from replenish software

 

After running a crash dump test for manually initiating a crash, I got the following message as below.

description: Resplendence WhoCrashed Crash Dump Test
Bug check description: This indicates that the user deliberately initiated a crash dump from either the kernel debugger or the keyboard.
This bug check belongs to the crash dump test that you have performed with WhoCrashed or other software. It means that a crash dump file was properly written out.

Conclusion
2 crash dumps have been found and analyzed. No offending third party drivers have been found. Connsider using WhoCrashed Professional which offers more detailed analysis using symbol resolution. Also configuring your system to produce a full memory dump may help you.

It looks like this cannot detect a cause of "reboot from wake-up after sleep"...

 

GoNz0;

You've made an EXCELLENT resource for us 9550 users. My setup is as follows...
-9550 with 4k
-OEM drive, 256GB NVMe (intially told me it was a Toshiba under BIOS, but after fresh install it identified as a PM951)
-16GB (2x 8GB, bunch 'o liars.... I'll get my 1x 16GB stick from Dell......)
-Win 10 Pro

I followed steps as indicated. First fresh install wouldn't boot with AHCI. I forget the steps, but I probably restored to factory defaults and restored BIOS defaults, and then I did a RE-fresh install. Had an issue with Windows Activation. Followed steps to use that clean little OEM-key tool you linked to, got my code. Windows Activated properly!

**I think you should post that Windows Activation tool to the original post**
**I think you should perhaps link (or mention) that people can remove Dell's touchpad drivers and replace them with Synaptics. This will give the option to allow one-finger scrolling options (which I love).**

Please send me your paypal account info, GoNz0. PM, I assume? I'd like to contribute to your 1080 pot if it's still in your sights. K my laptop is going to die. Thank you very much for your succinct and efficient help. Love this machine. I think I got a good one, so far. None of the other assembly-related issues people have complained of....... again, so far.

K i gotta go. PM me please! Thank you!

David

 

Thanks Dave, PM on it's way & your suggestions added but I did add that people need to read the Synaptics thread as it has bugs attached I couldn't live with so I decided not to try it. Saying that I am tempted to do so until Kaspersky sort the issue that breaks scrolling in Chrome with the PTP driver!

 

The reboot issue after wake-up from sleep/hibernate seems to be coming from Windows 10. There seems to be no solution yet. Please see below.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...l/202c275e-fa97-4d35-bcb5-09d02abf6265?page=5

I have updated the IRST driver to the latest v15, but am still experiencing the same issue...

 

Well until you do a clean install with the latest ISO I can't help any further as I don't have this problem with it.

 

O.K. I will give a try when I can.

I have a 256 Gb Toshiba NVMe drive and a 2.5" Samsung Evo 850 SSD drive. When I do a clean install, which setting do I need to have between RAID and AHCI on BIOS using the new ISO with the Anniversary Edition? Then do you still recommend "enable secure boot"? Thanks a lot for all of your help.

 

Secure boot should be on all along and AHCI is needed with the Toshiba drive.

 

Just to make sure, I guess I need to switch from RAID to AHCI "right before" a clean install is done using the new ISO with Win10 Anniversary.

If I switch my current Win10 with a RAID setting to AHCI, it won't boot. Is my understanding correct? I guess the new ISO with the Anniversary Edition has a NVMe Toshiba driver (not Win10's Windows certified one). Thanks again.

 

The ISO doesn't it will use the windows one until you download and install it, I linked to it somewhere on here?
Switch to AHCI before you install. You can switch your current install by doing it from safe mode. just tick the safe mode flag in msconfig, reboot into safe mode, reboot into bios and swap modes then reboot again into safe mode to remove the flag. Googles your friend.

 

O.K. I will give a try again.

If I may, what benefits can I get from AHCI rather than RAID? I am just curious because your setting from the first ISO was RAID... Thanks!

 

Achi uses nvme specific drivers.

Sent from my SM-G920F

 

Then is it a good idea to replace the Win10's Toshiba driver with the Toshiba driver that you posted on page 30 (copied below) after switching from RAID to ACHI before doing a clean install? I didn't intend to, but am sorry to continue to ask. Every time I see your guidance, I have come up with a series of these questions... Thanks!

https://ocz.com/download/drivers/nvme/windows/ocznvme-1.2.126.843_whck.zip

 

I assumed you would have it installed already considering it was the 1st thing I suggested when you said you had a Toshiba drive. Might have saved a lot of wasted time.

 

As I did not know that you posted the Toshiba driver and could not easily find it from Google, I replace the IRST driver first with v15.2.0.1020 from winraid. Until going through the reboot/turn off cycle a few times, the rebooting from sleep issue did not go away. However, for some reason, I have not had the issue since yesterday although I need to see...

As another question, in my current RAID setting, can I simply replace the Win10's NVMe driver with the Toshiba driver that you posted? Or do I need to replace it after switching from RAID to AHCI? Sorry and thanks again.

 

Switch to ahci, it is a ahci driver.

Sent from my SM-G920F

 

O.K. After installing it, do I need to uninstall the RAID driver? Thanks!

 

no

 

GoNz0,

Hey dude, just want to say thank you for this. Absolute champion! I'm in the process of updating drivers which I found I had to manually find the updates through the device manager, no big deal just hope I got the right ones and not install unnecessary drivers. Dell website just detects the chipset and bios which I have already done.

Once I reinstall my software and backup files, it seems you recommend to clone the drive via Macrium for backup/restore in case something ****s the bed. Is this the most efficient way to backup my drive?

Also if you have any other recommendations for proper use of windows 10, software, config's etc. That would be sweet az!

Once again, thank you!

 

Yes Macrium is the best option, the Delta recovery feature makes restoring bloody fast. I had a 400gb install recover back a day in 15 minutes via a USB3 HDD. It would be slower with the free version if you only used differential backups but still faster than microsoft's built in backup. Try the free 30 day demo and see how you get on.

And I let windows 10 run as is, I make a couple of tweaks with UWT4 such as taskbar thumbnails size but this thread isn't about that.

 

I could successfully switch from RAID to AHCI. Before I made the switch, I upgraded to the Anniversary Edition, which seems to have the Toshiba driver, too. I installed the Toshiba driver that you posted anyway. Now I see that the NVMe driver is changed and also the RAID driver is changed to XG3. Thanks so much!

Well, but unfortunately, it still reboots from wake-up after sleep/hibernate. However, it seems to happen particularly after moving it (e.g. after a commute). This makes me suspect whether the NVMe drive is sensitive to vibration... I need to watch it to see if that is really the case for a while. But, it's just a thought at the moment. I note that your new ISO has the ST Microlectronics LNG3DMTR Motion Sensor Driver, and will try to install it. If there is another suggestion, please... Thanks.

 

If you have no yellow explanation marks in the device manager you don't need to do anything. Did you do a fresh instal yet?

Sent from my SM-G920F

 

I see. No, not yet. A fresh installation is the last thing that I want to do. But, I guess I need to find a time to do. I will get back later after a clean installation. Thanks for all of your help.

 

Hello everyone,

1st: I would like to thank GoNz0 for his effort and time creating this iso image and reading and answering to all these comments.

2nd: Thanks for everyone shared there experience and tried to help.

3rd: I will try to make my story short with my laptop

I have the 512 SSD (PM951) with 16GB i7 non-touch edition.
Since I bough it 3-4 months ago it gave me a really hard time. First I had to deal with BSoD every few hours and sometimes less. I tried to replace some drivers, tring different Win 10 pro iso images, contacting Dell, Microsoft, ... no one could fix it.
Then I made a fresh installation (I booted as legacy with secure boot off with RAID on) used 3rd party application called Driver Easy " https://www.drivereasy.com/" .. I let it update my laptop and since then I didn't had even 1 BSoD.
A week ago while playing around with virtual machine, my wireless card stopped working and I couldn't fix it, So i decided to install a new Win 10 pro. I used the same iso I used the last time. Now the BSoD came back and I can't get rid of it even with the Driver Easy app.
I tried Changing RAID to AHCI, installing in UEFI/FAT32 mode.. I keep changing settings and drivers but I can't get rid of the BSoD.

Now after i red this post and all the users comments I have some ideas to test and I of course i will give you the result hoping it maybe useful for someone there.
I'm trying to download the new ISO made by GoNz0 but because of my slooow internet connection and the Mega server quota limitation it could take a week for me to finish downloading . So I will keep trying diff solutions for now.

** Most of the time the BSoD stops at 0% with CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED with no more inf.

I have two question I hope you can help me with:
1- Why do you recommend deleting all partitions and then create 1 partition? If I have 1 partition for the OS and my DATA, won't be much harder to install a clean/custom windows later? I always make separate drive/partition for the OS so I can format it every time I want to install a clean/custom windows.
2- Is it this laptop that have so many problems, or it's a common thing to face such problems in laptops running windows 10?

 

1, I never suggested making one partition, just delete them and hit next on the drive, it will do the rest.
2, Dunno I only own 4 laptops, 2 are 3&4 years old so took it quite well and 2 9550's, one with the samsung that BSOD's but I never got round to updating it with the new ISO.
The one with the Toshiba drives been solid for 4 months with the new ISO.

 

With the new ISO including Anniversary, which SATA setting do I need to have between AHCI or RAID? I have a NVMe Toshiba drive and a 2.5" SSD. Thanks.

 

1st page, 1st post, #3

 

oh.. I think i miss understood. Sorry English isn't my 1st language

 

Ramez

After the first few uneventful months of ownership my 9550 was plagued with numerous BSODs, even after a complete rebuild using GoNz0's excellent clean install ISO. I also have a PM951 and my BSODs have been completely resolved by installing the Samsung NVMe driver; not had a BSOD now since I installed the Samsung driver on 30th August. See http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...requent-bsod-issues-in-xps-9550.794246/page-4 for more details.

As you've also got a PM951 and have already tried a clean build, I'd strongly suggest installing the Samsung NVMe driver and running in AHCI mode.

Good luck.

 

PhilTheHill
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience
The funny thing is that I have just installed the the Samsung driver about 2 hours ago to test it. No BSoD so far. I'm on AHCI too.

I hope this fixes the problem.. I really need the laptop to act normal as I really need it to study, I'm behind my studding schedule because of it.

Would you please check the screenshots here " https://www.mediafire.com/folder/4dp8wo6y1u6m2/Dell_XPS_15 " and tell me if things are the same like in your stable system or If you have any comments or suggestions.

 

Your screenshots are essentially the same as mine but you should also check that the "Samsung NVMe Controller" is shown under "Storage controllers" in Device Manager. Mine shows driver date as "11/12/2015" and Driver Version as "1.4.7.17".

 

I checked it .. Mine have the same date and version.
No BSoD so far.
Thanks a lot

 

Your partitioning schema is somewhat different as you have an OS and Data partitions while I have two OS partitions (for dual boot) plus a data partition. This is however largely irrelevant to whether you use RAID or AHCI or which AHCI driver is active.

 

PhilTheHill
Which drivers did you install? from Dell website or Intel, nVidia and Realtek?

 

Currently, nVidia from nvidia.com, 1830 Bluetooth from Realtek, NVMe driver from Samsung and everything else from Dell. Versions are documented here https://www.dropbox.com/s/96y8tjcg3fhdbx6/XPS 15 9550 Drivers and Firmware.pdf?dl=0

 

Well my installs more a newbies guide to get things going, anyone dual booting will have a working knowledge of what needs doing and can figure it out for themselves

 

Thanks again for sharing
Can you please tell me how did you exported these inf from your system in this form?

 

And you did great job in that. It has been very informative for me

 

Can someone please have a look at these Benchmarks for my NVMe PM951 SSD and confirm that it's working properly.
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/6y8dl5g2t0jj9/PM951_NVMe_Benchmarks

I have just created a new thread for this here >> http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/nvme-pm951-ssd-simple-fast-benchmarks.797070/