HELP: Power / Startup delay

[nuahster]

I have been using my PC for >4yrs. Lately I have been getting a random delay during powerup/startup.
After I press the PC's power button three scenarios can happen:

• The system turns on normally and boots into windows.

• The system turns on after a random delay (can be anywhere between a few seconds to a couple of mins) and boots into windows.

• The system does not turn on.

I got no problem with booting into windows once the PC manages to power on. At first, I suspect PSU might be failing. So, I ran some stress test and Benchmarking programmes to see if the PSU gives way but all ran perfectly fine, my OC is stable too, no signs of any problems. I can use it the entire day (8-14hrs) for work and games with no restarts or shutdown occurring.

The problem only seems to exist in the “turning on” phase after I shut it down. Motherboard LEDs are on and seem normal, checked all wiring connections are good. My motherboard has onboard “Start” button, I tried using the MB onboard button instead of the case power button and it starts up without delay every time, so I’m not sure that its PSU related.

My next thought is the physical case button that might be giving way, but with naked eyes I can’t see any issue with the button or wiring. Also doesn’t explain the times I press it and the PC immediately turns on without any delay, or even with the delay occurring the fact it turns on after the delay means the button must have completed the circuit in order to turn on the PC anyway.

I checked the BIOS settings, All seems normal, didn’t make any changes for the last few years. I also replaced the CMOS battery as a precaution, but delay still persist.

I have been living with the power on delay issue for a few months now, and It seems like its occuring more frequently and the delay duration is getting longer, happen before 30-45mins later the PC powers on after I’ve pressed the case power button. Now anytime I can’t get the PC to turn on immediately, I’ll just open my case side panel to use the MB onboard Start button, buts its starting to get annoying having to do it more and more frequently.

If anybody face similar issues before can share what might be the cause, or any help with troubleshooting is appreciated. Thanks.

Update: resolved in post #12

 

[wwenze]

Disconnect the case power button and use screwdriver to short the pins on the mobo. If it turns on, it's your power button.

Alternatively use the reset button as replacement

 

[Naoyuki]

I had an issue before where... I had a misbehaving USB device which prevented me from powering on, maybe can try unplugging your peripherals and try?

 

[Phen8210]

change cmos battery first see how

 

[jtjt00]

Suspect aging component is giving cold boot issue. Try with a spare PSU first, then Graphic Card and finally motherboard.

 

[abstrax]

Suspect aging component is giving cold boot issue. Try with a spare PSU first, then Graphic Card and finally motherboard.

I think so too....

 

[jtjt00]

Time for a new rig.

 

[RyoHarusaki]

Normally pc will start to see issues around the 5 year mark.

So time for a ryzen

 

[yusoffb01]

replace psu

 

[sanzhu]

I have been using my PC for >4yrs. Lately I have been getting a random delay during powerup/startup.
After I press the PC's power button three scenarios can happen:
• The system turns on normally and boots into windows.
• The system turns on after a random delay (can be anywhere between a
few seconds to a couple of mins) and boots into windows.
• The system does not turn on.

I got no problem with booting into windows once the PC manages to power on. At first, I suspect PSU might be failing. So, I ran some stress test and Benchmarking programmes to see if the PSU gives way but all ran perfectly fine, my OC is stable too, no signs of any problems. I can use it the entire day (8-14hrs) for work and games with no restarts or shutdown occurring.

The problem only seems to exist in the “turning on” phase after I shut it down. Motherboard LEDs are on and seem normal, checked all wiring connections are good. My motherboard has onboard “Start” button, I tried using the MB onboard button instead of the case power button and it starts up without delay every time, so I’m not sure that its PSU related.

My next thought is the physical case button that might be giving way, but with naked eyes I can’t see any issue with the button or wiring. Also doesn’t explain the times I press it and the PC immediately turns on without any delay, or even with the delay occurring the fact it turns on after the delay means the button must have completed the circuit in order to turn on the PC anyway.

I checked the BIOS settings, All seems normal, didn’t make any changes for the last few years. I also replaced the CMOS battery as a precaution, but delay still persist.

I have been living with the power on delay issue for a few months now, and It seems like its occuring more frequently and the delay duration is getting longer, happen before 30-45mins later the PC powers on after I’ve pressed the case power button. Now anytime I can’t get the PC to turn on immediately, I’ll just open my case side panel to use the MB onboard Start button, buts its starting to get annoying having to do it more and more frequently.

If anybody face similar issues before can share what might be the cause, or any help with troubleshooting is appreciated. Thanks.

Pau may sexplodes anythinme

 

[Assault]

Don't listen to the people here saying your PSU is dying.. if you can start it up everytime without fail using the MB Start button, then clearly the issue is with either the physical case button, or its connection to your mobo (the small little pins that are always so difficult to plug in).

I'd try swapping to the reset button instead - if that solves your problem then at least you know what's faulty. Then you can decide to either permanently use the reset button, or change to a new case.

If PSU is spoilt then certainly pressing the mobo Start button won't change anything..

 

[nuahster]

update

Thanks to all who offered your troubleshooting advise. think I’ve managed to find the source of my delay/no boot problem. It’s the PSU!!

Thought I’ll share my experience here so it might help others in future facing a similar issue. And hopefully explain why my mobo start button worked previously (mainly luck and series of correct events).

*Warning long text, continue if you’re interested to find out more*

Spoiler

I’ve changed CMOS battery, tried shorting mobo pins, swapped case power & reset button, unplugged all peripherals. All provided no definitive answer for me to conclude as the “random” delay/no boot still occurred. I have no spare PSU on hand to test or confirm either.

So I decided to do a PC clean-up during one weekend, unplugged and removed everything (PSU cables included) cleaned up dust and reapply thermal paste, reconnect everything up, only keyboard, mouse & ethernet plugged in. First couple of boots after the clean-up worked without issue, subsequently the “random” delay/no boot happen again. And now my Mobo Start button doesn’t seem to work as effectively anymore.

After much troubleshooting I noticed one way of replicating this power delay/no boot is when I shut down my system after it has undergone a medium to heavy load, the following next boot the PSU just fails to supply enough power to boot the system again, that’s where sometimes I’ll also hear faint buzzing and humming noises from the PSU when trying to power on.

My current work around this delay/no boot issue, is that I would have to turn off the wall power mains, let the PSU discharge and leave it at rest for a couple of mins to sometimes even a few hours before trying to power up my system again. and by doing so it manages to boot normally 80% of the time.

My routine is that I leave my PC on the entire day and only shut down at night when I go to bed. Sometimes the shutdown can be right after a light load like web surfing/email/MS office, and other times its after playing games or using some CPU/GPU load dependant apps. Futhermore I don’t usually switch off the wall’s main power, but on those occasions that I do it lets the PSU discharge/rest overnight and explains why it’s able to immediate boot the next day.

So why MB Start button managed to worked previously that misled me to ruling PSU out, few reasons I can think of:

• I would usually use the case button first, if that didn’t work, then I’ll use the MB start button. My case is placed below my desk, time taken to transition from case button to opening the side panel to the MB button will probably account some of the “time” delay and when I repeatedly press the MB start button it just so happens its ready to boot.

• Another explanation is when I wake up, first thing I’ll do is press my PC power button before I head to clean up and make my breakfast, by the time I come back ready to start using it, if the pc is not on yet, I’ll try MB button, and like the above, initial first press time delay is already ongoing for quite a while, somehow it just works immediately with the MB start button.

• I’m guessing its usually because I’m powering up from a previous light load shut down or I switched off the power mains the night before, and it was probably luck or coincidence that it managed to power on every time.

TL/DR
PSU starting to fail
Powering up after previous shutdown from Light load = can boot immediately or short delay boot (secs/mins)
Powering up after previous shutdown from medium/heavy load = cannot boot or very long (mins/hrs) delay boot.

I bought PSU from Amazon about <6yrs ago, still got 1yr warranty, I’ll consider if it’s worth to RMA.

 

[cscs3]

Don't listen to the people here saying your PSU is dying.. if you can start it up everytime without fail using the MB Start button, then clearly the issue is with either the physical case button, or its connection to your mobo (the small little pins that are always so difficult to plug in).

I'd try swapping to the reset button instead - if that solves your problem then at least you know what's faulty. Then you can decide to either permanently use the reset button, or change to a new case.

If PSU is spoilt then certainly pressing the mobo Start button won't change anything..

That's not true. PC start up base on power good signal from power supply.
So high chance power supply is in question. I have a power supply get similar issue. I put a meter at power good pins, found for some reason the signal came in slowly (up to 5 seconds). Power good signal can means many thing. Those cheap power supply sometime use only 1 voltage (usually 5v). more complicated one use all voltages. ie any one voltage below spec and power good signal will not turn on or delayed till power is stable.