Question When I first start PC I get black screen, until I do power button reset and start again - then it works ?

[ghghghta]

TL;DR: I start a PC for the first time a day - have permanent black screen (no BIOS logo splash/no Windows startup screen). Shut it down with power button and start again - it starts up fine, until next day

Hello there!

I've had this PC for about 3 years now and it's all been smooth until recently. Out of a sudden, when I start my PC for the first time a day - I get a permanent black screen. I don't even see a motherboard logo splash, it's just black screen. Only thing I can do is press the power button to shut down the PC and start it up again - then the PC starts as usual with no issues. How can I solve this problem? Every time I do a hard reset and then start again - it asks me do do a disk check.

I have the following setup:
Monitors: main one - 4K MSI (connected via DP), secondary - Full HD AOC (connected via HDMI);
GPU: ASUS RTX 3080;
CPU: Intel i7 9700K;
MB: ASUS Prime Z390-A;
RAM: 4x8 GB;
PSU: 1000W
SSD: Samsung 256 GB (main OS disk) + another Samsung 1 TB SSD;

Things I've tried:

1. Plugging into EVERY HDMI/DP ports on the GPU/monitors/MB and trying every combination of connections - doesn't help;
2. Updating/reverting graphics drivers - doesn't help;
3. Checking for viruses (Kaspersky), do a Tron system checkup - doesn't help (system is clean - there's no viruses or malware);
4. Doing the suggested disk check after a hard reset - doesn't help;
5. Disconnecting the power cable of PC, discharging current, then connecting it again and turning on - doesn't help;
6. Use just 1 connected monitor on startup, MSI or AOC - doesn't help;

Some observations:

1. CPU and GPU fans spin alright as the PC starts;
2. My MB has the LED indicators of checking the boot components: CPU, DRAM, VGA. If any of those remain lit, then there is a problem with them. They are NOT lit;
3. Sometimes the rear fan on the chassis doesn't spin up on the PC start up either, until I poke it with a plastic stick - then it starts spinning;
4. The GPU itself is fine from what I can tell. I run my games as usual in 4K and I don't see any artifacts/suspicious FPS drops/temperature anomalies/flickering;
5. When I start the PC for the first time, the LED lights on my monitors switch to green/white, indicating that they have a video signal, however after about 5-7 seconds into the boot they all get back to "No signal" and turn orange;

My take on this problem: I think something is wrong with the MB, maybe it doesn't "connect" with the GPU on a first start, but on a second boot "it just works" for some reason? Plus the rear chassis fan not starting may also point towards the faulting MB.

My another thought on that is that, perhaps on the first start the PC gives out some kind of BIOS error and sits on the error screen, but the displays just don't recognize that error screen as a video output for some reason and therefore it's just black screen?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks a ton!

 

[Ralston18]

Make and model of that 3 year old 1,000 watt PSU?

History of heavy gaming use?

PSU may be nearing its' designed in EOL (End of Life) and starting to falter and fail in some manner.

More specifically something is a bit loose and full electrical connectivity is inhibited. Once started, things warm up, expand, and connectivity is restored.

Until the next cool down after the PSU is turned off.

The other symptoms (poking a fan to start) also suggest to me a PSU/power problem.

Remember that PSUs provide 3 different voltages (3, 5, and 12) to various system components.

If any one or more of those voltages are below tolerance or otherwise inhibited in some manner then there will be problems.

Do you have access to another known working PSU (1000 watts or better) to swap in for testing purposes?

And if the PSU uses any modular connections, use only the cables that come with the modular PSU.

 

[ghghghta]

Make and model of that 3 year old 1,000 watt PSU?

History of heavy gaming use?

PSU may be nearing its' designed in EOL (End of Life) and starting to falter and fail in some manner.

More specifically something is a bit loose and full electrical connectivity is inhibited. Once started, things warm up, expand, and connectivity is restored.

Until the next cool down after the PSU is turned off.

The other symptoms (poking a fan to start) also suggest to me a PSU/power problem.

Remember that PSUs provide 3 different voltages (3, 5, and 12) to various system components.

If any one or more of those voltages are below tolerance or otherwise inhibited in some manner then there will be problems.

Do you have access to another known working PSU (1000 watts or better) to swap in for testing purposes?

And if the PSU uses any modular connections, use only the cables that come with the modular PSU.

Hi, thanks for your reply!

My PSU is Chieftec APS-1000CB.

Now that you asked about the PSU, I remembered that I actually got it a very long time ago, used it for a different PC for about 3-4 years for consecutive gaming in 1080p and then transferred it to my current PC. So all together it should sum up to about 7-8 years of usage, with the past 3 years being heavy 4K gaming.

I think you are right about the EOL, I just could not find the EOL information for this particular PSU, and from what I could find it's been produced around 2013-2015. How long are PSUs actually intended to operate?

Unfortunately, I don't have a spare PSU to do tests

 

[thestryker]

When you're shutting it down are you doing an actual shutdown through windows or some sort of sleep/hibernate? If it's a straight shutdown then I'd be looking at the PSU. Looks like it may be a fairly old spec (which isn't inherently a problem for a good PSU), but also carried a 2 year warranty which isn't a good sign.

 

[ghghghta]

When you're shutting it down are you doing an actual shutdown through windows or some sort of sleep/hibernate? If it's a straight shutdown then I'd be looking at the PSU. Looks like it may be a fairly old spec (which isn't inherently a problem for a good PSU), but also carried a 2 year warranty which isn't a good sign.

Hello, thanks for your reply!

When I start the PC for the first time a day - I shut it down with the power button: just press it (don't even need to hold it) and the PC turns off. On the first boot this is the only way I can use to shut it down, because I can't even get to Windows.

When I start the PC for the second/third etc. time - I shut it down normally via Windows Shut down option, cause at this point the PC works fine. I don't use Sleep or Hybernate options at all, never been a fan of it

 

[Ralston18]

Unlikely that you will find any specific EOL data.

The nearest "value" might be the length of the warranty.

However "Lifetime Warranty" simply begs the question of who or whats' lifetime.

At best, product reviews may provide some guidance with respect to how long any given product will last in what would be a real environment: versus a test lab or extreme conditions.

Depending on the product the applicable User Guides/Manuals may prove useful. Look for the fine print and other caveats that do not readily appear in advertising. Also go online to the manufacturer's webite to look for product related FAQs and Forum discussions. Pay attention to both what is said and what is not said.

Also, if at all possible, go ''hands on" to physically see and hold the product. Likely you will get a different sense of the quality other than what appears in the ads. What looks good in print - not so much in the store.

Lastly: do some research regarding the seller's/manufacturer's return policies (RMAs etc.). Find out if other buyers have encountered difficulties returning a product or just getting help with a product.

Actually, all of the above can be very much applied to most things being purchased.

Nothing new in there.

 

[xKaizoku]

When you're shutting it down are you doing an actual shutdown through windows or some sort of sleep/hibernate? If it's a straight shutdown then I'd be looking at the PSU. Looks like it may be a fairly old spec (which isn't inherently a problem for a good PSU), but also carried a 2 year warranty which isn't a good sign.

Hi, I have a similar issue with OP. The laptop is in sleep mode. When I press the power button, the keyboard LED lights up and power button lights up, but the screen remains black. After a while, the power button light disappears. I press the power button again and now the laptop properly starts into the login screen.