[SOLVED] Desktop PC doesn't boot exactly 50% of the time

[Sparktown]

I get a blank screen 50% of the time I turn on or restart the computer. If turn off and on the computer again, I get an error message for UEFI:

"The system failed to boot several times before."

Then it gives me the option to press F2 to get into the UEFI boot settings menus or just wait for the boot to start as normal. If I just wait, the computer boots otherwise as normal. This is reliably reproducible. The UEFI will not boot, then boots with the error message, then not boot and so on. Like clockwork. It doesn't matter if I leave the computer on for 2 days or 2 minutes.

This is been going on for about 3 months. It is only a minor inconvenience. However, I'm worried my computer might not boot at all someday.

My desktop PC:
CPU: Intel i5-6500
Mobo: Asrock 170 Pro4s
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 950
PSU: Seasonic G-650
4 mechanical hard drives and 1 SSD

Everything except the storage devices are about 6 years old. I can't think of any change in my system that could have caused this. My computer is plugged into a crowded power strip, so I tried plugging it directly into a dedicated outlet - I got the same results. Any suggestions?

 

[helper800]

I get a blank screen 50% of the time I turn on or restart the computer. If turn off and on the computer again, I get an error message for UEFI:

"The system failed to boot several times before."

Then it gives me the option to press F2 to get into the UEFI boot settings menus or just wait for the boot to start as normal. If I just wait, the computer boots otherwise as normal. This is reliably reproducible. The UEFI will not boot, then boots with the error message, then not boot and so on. Like clockwork. It doesn't matter if I leave the computer on for 2 days or 2 minutes.

This is been going on for about 3 months. It is only a minor inconvenience. However, I'm worried my computer might not boot at all someday.

My desktop PC:
CPU: Intel i5-6500
Mobo: Asrock 170 Pro4s
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 950
PSU: Seasonic G-650
4 mechanical hard drives and 1 SSD

Everything except the storage devices are about 6 years old. I can't think of any change in my system that could have caused this. My computer is plugged into a crowded power strip, so I tried plugging it directly into a dedicated outlet - I got the same results. Any suggestions?

Try clearing the CMOS. Make sure the the PSU power switch if flipped off and the power cable is unplugged from the wall when doing the CMOS reset. After the reset before plugging it in again hole the power button down for 30 seconds or so. Then plug it back in, flip the switch on and try to boot.

 

[Sparktown]

Try clearing the CMOS. Make sure the the PSU power switch if flipped off and the power cable is unplugged from the wall when doing the CMOS reset. After the reset before plugging it in again hole the power button down for 30 seconds or so. Then plug it back in, flip the switch on and try to boot.

Thanks so much. That did it. I was worried I might need to a buy PSU or motherboard.

On a side note, clearing the CMOS also messed up my bootloader and my PC stopped recognizing my boot drive. I'm not blaming you. This seems to be a pretty common side effect of clearing CMOS. I just want to give a heads-up to anyone that tries this. Don't freak out. Your data should still be there.

I'm running Arch Linux. I reinstalled Grub by using an Arch Linux USB. I think there my be even simpler ways to do this in Debian/Ubuntu/Linux Mint. I'm not sure how you would do this in Windows or if you would even need to do something like this.

The moral is: Make sure you have a removable bootable OS installation (USB/CD) that can reinstall your bootloader before you clear your motherboard's CMOS.