Question Dell Optiplex 3090 weirdness ?

[MalcolmKK]

Hi All, I hope you are well.
I am losing patience to this PC by Dell.
Two Samsung SSDs are in, showing in BIOS but when I launch my live Linux distro these are not showing.
I don't know what is going on this PC has this RAID Intel Rapid Storage and AHCI. By default this RAID Intel Rapis Storage is selected in the BIOS but I don't need it.
Has anyone experienced similar weirdness?

 

[Aeacus]

By default this RAID Intel Rapis Storage is selected in the BIOS but I don't need it.

In BIOS, switch it back to AHCI and look if drives show up when you launch your GNU/Linux distro.

RAID is not needed at all.

 

[cruisetung]

Intel RST RAID does not work well under Linux, switch to AHCI as suggested.

https://grok.com/share/bGVnYWN5_97161cda-deb6-4236-ae85-506cd240637a

 

[MalcolmKK]

I have done that. Thank you
Is there a particular reason why Dell logo stays for like 5 minutes before the boot menu appears?

 

[cruisetung]

I have done that. Thank you
Is there a particular reason why Dell logo stays for like 5 minutes before the boot menu appears?

Disable network boot and unplug all USB drives as Dell PC might be trying to boot from network or one of the usb drives.

 

[MalcolmKK]

I unplugged all USB except the keyboard and mouse.
Network plug is unplugged.

I don't know why but getting into BIOS takes like 5+ minutes.
I see Dell logo, a blue progress bar that looks full and "Preparing to enter Setup" in top right corner.
I see this for like several minutes before it goes into BIOS (F2).

Integrated NIC:
1. Enabled
2. but without PXE
3. UEFI Network Stack - not enabled

SATA Operation: AHCI

I have also disabled all that crap:
1. SMART reporting
2. Intel SGX Software Guard Extensions

Changed Fastboot from Auto to Minimal

WLAN and Bluetooth disabled

If I want to get a boot menu (F12) I also have to wait a couple of minutes.
Once I see Live Linux on the list, I select it and it does nothing, black screen.
On different systems this Live Linux USB stick has booted for hundreds of times unless this PC corrupts all of them.

This system has some fault or something. It is intermittent. What a pity!
I should build my own PC instead, wasted money.

 

[Aeacus]

I don't know why but getting into BIOS takes like 5+ minutes.

Dell prebuilt PCs usually have their own, Dell proprietary MoBo. And with this, custom BIOS as well.

As of why it takes ages to enter BIOS - that i can't tell.
On one instance, perhaps Dell doesn't want people to get into BIOS, so they deliberately making booting into it a slow process (on normal ATX MoBo, getting into BIOS after POST is instant). Also, there could be plethora of system checks that MoBo does, before allowing to enter into BIOS, hence why it takes so long. But progress bar to enter BIOS doesn't make sense at all.

I should build my own PC instead, wasted money.

So very much true.

Dell prebuilt PCs are essentially for office workers, who doesn't know nothing about BIOS or hardware. Nor do they care.

For everyone else, best price to performance ratio is with DIY (buy separate components, assemble by yourself). Or the very least, proper prebuilt PC (e.g StarForge).

 

[cruisetung]

Reset BIOS and then update the firmware to latest version

After update, disable network boot again in the BIOS

 

[MalcolmKK]

Reset BIOS and then update the firmware to latest version

After update, disable network boot again in the BIOS

ok, I try that.

This is a weird experience. I was able to boot from Live USB, install the OS and then it all degraded to no booting.

 

[cruisetung]

I used to have a 4th gen Dell 3090, just junked it last year.

CMOS battery probably dying?