Dell XPS 15 9560 Troubleshooting

The laptop is consistently getting very hot to the touch.

Blocking the exhaust ports on a laptop can cause it to overheat due to a lack of airflow. Place the laptop on a cool, flat surface, and remove anything blocking the air vents so the fans can operate optimally.

If the fans are not operating properly, the laptop will overheat. Check to see if the fans are operational when the computer is on. If the fans are not working, they will need to be replaced. Consult this guide on how to replace the fans.

Some programs are resource-intensive and can cause the laptop to heat up as it works harder. Restarting your laptop may stop itself from overheating.

The laptop cannot hold a charge, and the battery is dying unusually quick.

Some battery management drivers can improve performance when they are up-to-date. Make sure your drivers are up-to-date by following these steps:

• Search for “Device Manager” in the Windows search bar.
• Click on “Device Manager”.
• Navigate to the “Batteries” dropdown and find your battery adapter.
• Right click on this adapter and select “Update driver”
• A pop-up window will appear, click on the “Search automatically for drivers” option. Windows will check to see if your drivers are already updated and if the drivers are not updated, it will update the driver automatically.

A loose power adapter or faulty connection may be keeping the battery from charging. Plug the charger into an outlet to check if it still works. If the light is on at the end of the cord, then the charger still works. If the light at the end of the charging cord does not light up, then you should consider replacing the charger.

If power is flowing through the charger, the issue may lie with a faulty power adapter port. Sometimes the power adapter port within the computer may become damaged and will need to be replaced. Consult this guide on how to replace the power adapter port.

If the power is flowing through the charger, but there is no evidence that the computer is charging, then the battery may be dead. Make sure that the battery is connected to the charging port and is safely secured within the computer. Another way to check if the battery is dead is if the computer will not turn on when the charger is unplugged. Consult this guide on how to replace the battery.

Nothing moves on screen, and typing or moving the cursor do not do anything.

Restarting your laptop may return functionality to your screen.

If the laptop is freezing on start-up, some start-up settings may be to blame.  Start by disabling the ‘Fast Startup’ option by follow these steps:

• Search “Power & Sleep” using the Windows search bar
• Click on the “Power & Sleep Settings” icon
• On the right hand side of the screen, click “Additional power settings” underneath “Related Settings”
• A pop-up window will appear. On the left hand side of the screen, click on either “Choose what the power buttons do” or “Choose what closing the lid does”
• Click on “Change what setting are currently unavailable” and navigate to the bottom and uncheck “Turn on fast startup”

If it seems a software program may be routinely causing the computer to freeze, check the computer’s resource usage by viewing the Task Manager. To view the Task Manager, follow these steps:

• Search for “Task Manager” in the Windows search bar
• Click on the “Task Manager'' app

The Task Manager details the performance and usage impact of various software currently running on your computer. If you notice a particular software with high impact on your computer, see if there are settings within that software that can be set to use less processing power. Additionally, the Task Manager has a tab called “Startup” which lists the software that automatically runs on startup and details their level of impact on your system. By right clicking on a software, you can disable it.

In a worst case scenario, if your screen continually freezes or results in a “blue screen of death”, a system restore may be the only remaining solution.  This should only be done in a situation where all other troubleshooting has not helped, as a system restore may result in a loss of data.  Before doing a system restore, back up any and all personal folders and files, passwords, preferences, and any media.  To do a system restore follow these steps:

• Search for “Settings” in the Windows search bar
• Click on the “Settings” app
• Find and click on “Update and Security”
• Navigate to and click on the “Recovery” tab on the right
• Click “Get Started” under “Reset this PC”

No response when attempting to use the touchscreen.

Clean the touchscreen with a cleaning solution and microfiber cloth. Excessive dirt or grime can limit the functionality of the touchscreen.

Make sure the touchscreen drivers are up-to-date and the touchscreen is activated in the device manager.  Make sure your drivers are up-to-date by following these steps:

• Search for “Device Manager” in the Windows search bar.
• Click on “Device Manager”
• Navigate to the “Human Interface Devices” dropdown and find “HID-compliant touch screen”
• Right click on this adapter and select “Update driver”
• A pop-up window will appear, click on the “Search automatically for drivers” option. Windows will check to see if your drivers are already updated and if the drivers are not updated, it will update the driver automatically.

Device cannot connect to a wireless network.

Restarting your laptop may re-establish your internet connection.

The router’s firmware may need to be updated to restore proper internet connectivity. Many routers will update automatically but you can contact your router manufacturer for how to update the router.

Resetting your router may re-establish your internet connection.

The driver’s used to connect to your network may be out-of-date.  Make sure your drivers are up-to-date by following these steps:

• Search for “Device Manager” in the Windows search bar.
• Click on “Device Manager”.
• Navigate to the “Network adapters” dropdown and find your network adapter.
• Right click on this adapter and select “Update driver”.
• A pop-up window will appear, click on the “Search automatically for drivers” option. Windows will check to see if your drivers are already updated and if the drivers are not updated, it will update the driver automatically.

Some computers have an energy-saving power mode that reduces power consumption by disabling certain processes, thereby helping the battery last longer.  By switching from energy-saving mode to the default or performance modes, or by disabling energy-saving preferences on your laptop, your Wi-Fi card’s access to the network may be re-enabled.

At times, the wireless card may be damaged or faulty and a replacement is needed. Please refer to this guide on how to replace your wireless card.