PC booting to BIOS

Nick12345

Nick12345

Nick12345

Associate
Joined
21 Feb 2021
Posts
8
I’m having problems with booting up my PC and hoping someone can help me. The problems started some time ago. I noticed that after power cuts the system would boot up to the BIOS screen. I could normally just exit that and the PC would boot up as normal. Last week it happened again and I couldn’t get past it. I removed and reinserted the SSD and rebooted and it worked again, but after another power cut I’m back to square one. As will be apparent from the steps below, I am a novice so not really sure what to do, but I have so far tried the following:
  • Enabling CSM and trying to boot from USB with Windows recovery file
  • Removing and reinserting graphics card, memory and SSD (again)
  • Replacing the battery on the motherboard
  • Belatedly bought a UPS :)
The motherboard, graphics card, processor, PSU, SSD and memory was all installed new 4 years ago, the only legacy component from the old setup is the hard disk. I have noticed when experimenting with the CSM setup that sometimes the hard disk appears on the list, sometimes it doesn’t. However, no matter what boot order I select, I get the same message on rebooting (reboot and select proper boot device)

Assuming something in the hardware setup has failed, but don’t know what I need to replace. Any advice much appreciated.
https://flic.kr/p/2qz2P99
https://flic.kr/p/2qyXb2h
 
You're booting from a HDD ? ... Sounds like it might be dying, suggest running a check on it.

Try a CMOS reset perhaps to see if it's anything weird (enable XMP after, 2133mhz :/) There's also a new BIOS out.

All worth a try but I'd suspect the HDD is the problem.
 
Last edited:
Rob_B said:
You're booting from a HDD ? ... Sounds like it might be dying, suggest running a check on it.

Try a CMOS reset perhaps to see if it's anything weird (enable XMP after, 2133mhz :/) There's also a new BIOS out.

All worth a try but I'd suspect the HDD is the problem.
Click to expand...
All tried but no change
 
Turning off intel rapid storage didn’t make a difference. I put ubuntu onto an external HD but PC not responding to it (same error message about proper boot device) - tested the ubuntu boot on my laptop and that found it ok on reboot.
 
If there's a surge/power spike
When the power comes back on after a power cut
It can damage stuff apparently
Years ago I had a gas cooker
It was also plugged into electric for the igniter
And the clock and digital timer on it
Power came back on and no more ignition,clock or timer
Electricity company denied liability
Said you should unplug stuff during power cuts because
May be a surge/spike when it comes back on
I thought that's what fuses are for
And what if I am not at home then?
They wouldn't budge ,admitted it could cause it
But denied liability

Anyway going by that experience
Would expect the psu to deal with it
But if not
Next thing in line after psu is the motherboard

Only other thing I can think to try
Unplug it from the wall
Take out cmos battery and wait at least 30 minutes
Before putting it back
Had a gigabyte board go wonky and that cured it
Doing it for 10 minutes didnt work
No idea why that fixed it but it did
 
Mcnumpty2323 said:
If there's a surge/power spike
When the power comes back on after a power cut
It can damage stuff apparently
Years ago I had a gas cooker
It was also plugged into electric for the igniter
And the clock and digital timer on it
Power came back on and no more ignition,clock or timer
Electricity company denied liability
Said you should unplug stuff during power cuts because
May be a surge/spike when it comes back on
I thought that's what fuses are for
And what if I am not at home then?
They wouldn't budge ,admitted it could cause it
But denied liability

Anyway going by that experience
Would expect the psu to deal with it
But if not
Next thing in line after psu is the motherboard

Only other thing I can think to try
Unplug it from the wall
Take out cmos battery and wait at least 30 minutes
Before putting it back
Had a gigabyte board go wonky and that cured it
Doing it for 10 minutes didnt work
No idea why that fixed it but it did
Click to expand...
Thanks - lesson learnt and hopefully the UPS will protect the PC in future. Have decided to replace the motherboard and HDD. Hopefully that fixes it, luckily all my work backed up online.
 
Nick12345 said:
Thanks - lesson learnt and hopefully the UPS will protect the PC in future. Have decided to replace the motherboard and HDD. Hopefully that fixes it, luckily all my work backed up online.
Click to expand...
While it's obviously not ideal situation
It's a relief to hear
That you have important stuff backed up
See many people who don't back stuff up
Then a disaster strikes
 
Mcnumpty2323 said:
I thought that's what fuses are for
Click to expand...
Fuses are essentially there to stop cables from overheating when more current than they are rated for is drawn (and subsequently stop said cable from causing a fire).

To stop what you had you would have needed an inrush current limiter in the cooker to stop that failure mode and you can bet they were ignored to keep costs low.
 
5abr3 said:
Fuses are essentially there to stop cables from overheating when more current than they are rated for is drawn (and subsequently stop said cable from causing a fire).

To stop what you had you would have needed an inrush current limiter in the cooker to stop that failure mode and you can bet they were ignored to keep costs low.
Click to expand...
That makes sense
 
Replace the HDD before buying a new mobo. Try a quick Win/Linux install on a different drive first.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom