XPS 15 (Haswell) Owner's Lounge

Is there a guide anywhere to upgrading the mSATA from 32GB (mid-tier option) to something more sensible like 250GB?

My SSD is currently being used as a cache, so there's probably a load of settings I'll have to change.

 

Not really a fixed for this spec guide but you just need to remove the cache drive in "Intel RST" that you should have installed and change the sata mode in the BIOS to AHCI or RAID

 

I've managed to get the SSD swapped and running as its own drive. What a faff.

I had to uninstall Smart Response, boot into safe mode, interrupt boot, switch to UEFI in BIOS, continue boot, reboot out of safe mode, and allocate the mSata a drive letter and name in Disk Part.

Then had to install windows from an ISO and I've now got most things running. However I currently have no volume control using the media keys. The pop up appears and moves but it makes no difference to windows system sounds or music playback. Pause and Play work fine, as does brightness control, it's specifically the volume keys.

 

reinstall the current audio drivers and see if that helps.

 

So I am having two issues with my XPS15. First, the left speaker stopped working. Then while a local service shop had it, they ruined all of the little torex screws that hold the bottom plate on. And didnt find a fix for the speaker issue to boot. Does anyone have an idea where to get more of those little torex screws? And has anyone else had an issue with left speaker? Both sides work perfectly in headphones.

 

No warranty? doh.
I would charge the shop for the damage, I really hope you didn't pay anyone for using the wrong screwdriver!

Someone did post up a link for screes, I can't find it so hope they pop into the thread.
As for the speaker, buy a replacement pair as that's the cheapest part to start with.

 

Is magicbri's tech in the good old USandA? Two local shops to check out for screws are:

https://www.parts-people.com/
http://www.laptopscrews.com/

 

Oddly enough one of my screws was missing today, good job i liberated a few from the last one I returned.

 

For those considering this laptop for fast paced games- look elsewhere. I wanted to love this laptop, I really did. However the screen ghosting is really, really bad. It's a shame since in nearly every other aspect this laptop is perfect. Take a look to see what I mean. I never thought it would bother me as much as it did but it's now going to be returned
https://imgur.com/a/ThuUO

 

Old news on the ghosting i'm afraid, it is bearable on most panels though.

Sent from my SM-G920F

 

I'm getting ghost touching on my machine. Have tried updating touch drivers (already updated), rebooting, and have resorted to disabling the touchscreen.

One minute I was using it fine, next it started acting like I was touching the top left hand corner.

Any ideas?

 

I have just solved it by removing the base, disconnecting the battery, performing a full power drain and then reconnecting the battery.

Odd as this is a brand-new official charger, run from a surge protected main socket...

 

New problem. Using my laptop today and I heard a pop. Screen went black and machine restarted.

Assumed the display driver had just updated, however I now don't seem to have an nVidia Graphics Card in Device Manager... The integrated card is working fine, but no sign of the nVidia one.

Tried to reinstall the drivers from Dell, but it pops up telling me it can't find the Hardware

 

Run the BIOS diagnostics.

 

Shows no errors, but it also shows my graphics memory as 3mb, which I'd imagine is the integrate Intel Graphics...

 

Looks like you blew the nvidia card, are you under warranty?

 

Nope. Dell have quoted £900 for the part plus the engineer to fit...

I wouldn't mind but this is my third MoBo, the last one was swapped 14months ago.

 

Laptop also isn't waking from sleep with a "Driver Power Failure" Stop Code.

Sound has stopped working entirely too.

 

Lately I've been noticing some random freezes of Windows 10, especially using Chrome browser.
I tried reinstalling chrome and disable all extensions, but this still happens. I can't find a specific event which triggers this freeze.

Any idea what could be the reason from this?

 

Hello, Friends!
My laptop is 3 years old and have more than 50% battery wear, also it has swelled. So, I want to replace it to a new one.

Has anybody ordered new battery on online stores like Ebay or Aliexpress? Can You recommend good and verified seller? I live in Ukraine and it`s really hard to order something from Amazon or Dell Store.

 

This has happened to both of my XPS 15 9530s so I advise all owners of these systems to check the batteries. If your trackpad is up flush with the palmrest that is a big clue that the battery is swelling. I put in this ZTHY battery and it is working well so far. You can probably find this on Ebay or Ali also. Getting one from Dell is very difficult and they'll only sell you a refurb battery!

 

Thank you for your answer!
Can you show information about this battery from your laptop? For example from AIDA64 Computer/Power Management tab or from another program that can give full information about battery.

 

3 years in, my xps has has worn out pretty badly for an expensive laptop I must admit. The palm rest has got weird bubble-like scarring, touchpad has discolored badly, gpu heats up instantly and speakers have stopped working (thankfully headphones work). The display is still gorgeous and overall performance is still pretty solid, but I would expect at least 5 years of solid usage for a $2000 laptop aiming to compete with the macbook pro. If it had held up well, I would have gone for the newer xps as my next, but now I'm skeptical.

 

Have you repasted and cleaned up the heatsink in those 3 years?

 

Nope, I'd rather not open up my laptop. Why do you ask, because of the palm rest or gpu heating up?

 

3 years without a service will explain why it is hot, no doubt the fins are blocked up, the thermal paste has broken down and can eventually act as an insulator.

If you're not prepared to do it take it to a shop who will carry out the service.

 

I still couldn't find a solution for this
I suspect it's the SDD drive, I have a Samsung 512GB PM851 drive

What's the best way to check if the SSD is faulty? Or if it's a problem with accessing Windows cache??

Any idea will be highly appreciated

 

Try Intel's video drivers direct from Intel as the 9560 owners have major issues with the current Dell driver (locking up etc as you described)

You will have to manually install the driver with the ing file, goole how to do it if you are unsure or it will block the install.
https://downloadmirror.intel.com/26563/eng/win64_154514.4590.zip

 

Thank you.
For now I tried DiskFresh on the whole windows partition. I know it damages the SSD, but this way I can at least know if that is the problem.
If this doesn't work, I'll try your suggestion.

Thank you!!

 

Has anyone put the Windows 10 Creator's update on this laptop yet?--any issues post install?

Thanks,
N123

 

Best to clean install with such a big changelist

 

My Sleep-Mode has stopped working, the Computer seems to go to sleep, but doesn't wake up again wenn pressing the power button, it doesn't do anything. I have to force reseting it by pressing the power button for a longer period of time and then it will boot normally, but sleepmode isn't working at all anymore. Already had this Problem on the Mainboard earlier, but after a year, it started again now and of Course, i am out of warranty.

Also a Hardware issue or is there a fix for this?

 

try resetting the BIOS.

 

Tried it, it changed the SATA Operation from "Intel Rapid Storage" to AHCI, so i had to fix my Windows with the safe boot trick. It changed a Little bit the Problem, the machine doesn't seem to freeze anymore, i can turn it on again immediately, but sadly, it still only boots normally, sleep mode is still not working. I tried to disable "Intel Smart Connect" and "Intel Rapid Start Technology". As soon as i turn off "Rapid Start", the Problem goes back to it's old behaviour. Don't find other sleep-mode related Option in the BIOS.
Also tried to disconnect the battery, but this didn't help either.

 

Try changing usb settings on bios. This was the fix in my case with sleep issues

 

I tried turning of some usb Settings, now the System won't turn on at all anymore. The power LED goes on for 5 secs and then goes off. no Display, nothing.
The same error as last year, but now, i am out of warranty. disconnected CMOS battery and main battery. Will try tomorrow again to start it up.

 

Update: The machine is completely dead, even unplugging the CMOS Battery overnight didn't help. So you can reproducely destroy a XPS 9530 by changing USB-related BIOS Settings. As it seems, it's only a matter of time, as you can see on this Video:


This is the worst Laptop i've ever bought.

 

have you tried the trick where you hold the power button for >25 seconds to force a BIOS reset?
Dunno if you have or if I already asked as i'm on my phone for a week.

 

It happened to me.
Try disconnecting and reconnecting the battery once. I remember it helped.

 

Thanks, tried it with battery plugged in and one time without battery, no luck :/

Tried this too, left the battery unplugged overnight. But this didn't help either

 

Also main battery? I don't mean cmos battery

 

Yes, both batteries, Main Battery and CMOS Battery... I think the Motherboard is toast or does somebody know a trick?

 

I had my motherboard replaced 3 times during warranty, so now I never get into the bios as I know that it can cause it to break.
You have to keep trying and see if you can get into bios and revert the USB setting.
There's a way to reset bios using a USB stick, even if the laptop doesn't wake up.
Try it and see if the laptop runs on with this method. It doesn't always work.
https://blog.jmwhite.co.uk/2015/08/09/dell-xps-9530-uefi-bios-recovery/

It worked for me once.

 

Thanks for this method! I tried it, but sadly, it didn't work either. The Power LED is blinking for 5 seconds (instead of being constant on for 5 seconds like on normal boot). No Fan is Spinning, no Screen goes on, nothing, only this power LED.
How did you brick the Notebook when you had to use this method? Updating BIOS or Change Settings, like me?

I don't think it's a Problem with the changed BIOS Settings, because i've removed the cmos battery, so the Settings should be reseted. I think, there is a serious hardware-Problem with the EC or something and if you Change something, you destroy it.
I am a Little bit angry at dell, this seems to be a serious issue with this model. My standby mode stopped working, this is why i changed the bios Settings.

 

Did you put the correct bios files in the USB? Read instructions carefully and the files must be exactly as the bios installed

 

Yes, i triple checked it. I had A08 installed, so i took A08 exe.
Formatted my drive with Fat32, as stated and carefully did everything as in the tutorial.

 

Sorry, I don't have any other idea

Has anyone updated to the latest Window 10 Creators update?

 

I updated to Creators. Works fine on my xps 15 9530 so far.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

Can we have a show of hands of who has had faulty motherboards with this model?

I myself am on my third and it's faulty, and am trying to get Dell to fix it, so need some more evidence to show that it's genuinely a fault with the laptop and not wear and tear.

 

This is my third motherboard. The second time Dell put a precision m3800 with a Nvidia quadro GPU.
Still usb ports don't work properly, but overall it's working fine.
But I'm always scared it will fail as my warranty expired