Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF Spontaneous Boot Issue

The issue is with your upgraded to Samsung 1TB.  The boot partition was not being detected properly and the system was defaulted to network boot options.  Windows Boot Manager should be the first option.

How was the upgraded change being carried out?  Did you perform a clean Windows installation on the Samsung or did you clone it from original drive?  Did you remove the original drive from system? 

Focus on repair your Samsung boot drive, not the physical drive but the operating system installation.  That should resolve your issue. 

Chino- Thanks for the feedback and ideas. I really appreciate it!

The original install was a clone of the Samsung 990 PRO from the original boot disk (which is no longer around). I used the Samsung Data Migration tool as I have done many times before on numerous other machines.

The drive functioned fine from its installation in July until early October when I began observing this spontaneous boot behavior.

You are suggesting a complete wipe and reinstallation of the OS on the Samsung 990 PRO, right? I was hoping to avoid that, if possible, because it is pretty complex (2 accounts, MS Office 2021 Pro with Outlook and all its email .pst files, Servant Keeper church software and its license, etc.) 

I have another OptiPlex 5000 at home with a cloned Samsung 980 PRO installed. It is having no issues for the better part of a year. I was considering cloning the 990 PRO to a new 980 PRO. That would avoid all of the rebuilding work and leave me with an "almost-as-fast" drive, assuming the clone worked!

I have an almost identical "spontaneous overnight boot/lock" issue on another Dell 7000 SFF machine of the same vintage. It also has a Samsung 990 PRO cloned boot drive.

I leave these systems powered on 24/7/365.

My question is: What is causing the spontaneous boot/lock in the first place? I have all OS and Dell updates paused or turned off, so why is the system trying to reboot in the first place?

I am thinking that some sort of firmware incompatibility has developed between the Samsung 990 PRO and the Dell BIOS/drivers.

If performing a clean Windows installation is not feasible option, cloning from a proper functioning system drive seems like a better option.  

Many users are satisfied with their Samsung 990 Pro performance with Dell machines and there is no report of incompatibility so far.

OK Chino - Thanks for the comments. Looks like I may be faced with a complete rebuild on two systems.

The Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF spontaneous boot issue could be due to several factors, like BIOS settings, power supply inconsistencies, or hardware malfunctions. It's advisable to check the power settings in the BIOS, ensure the power supply is stable, and inspect hardware components like RAM and motherboard for any issues. Regular firmware updates and system diagnostics can also help identify and resolve the problem.

I also face the same problem on my desktop when I open my website names cluster on it.

Thanks for the info and ideas, kateanne1!

The BIOS power settings I have set tell the machine to boot up after restoration of AC power following a power outage. All other BIOS power settings are the Dell defaults. The machine is plugged in to a working and charged UPS. All of the system hardware components pass Dell's "Thorough" EPSA hardware tests. The BIOS is up-to-date at v1.17.0. The Samsung 990 PRO boot disk firmware is up-to-date at version 3B2QJXD7 and it is running Samsung Magician v8.0.0, which I believe is their latest version.

Have you found a way to resolve the same problem on your desktop?

I am currently pondering re-cloning the drive to a different make/model like the Crucial T500. The only other option I currently see is a complete wipe & re-install on the boot drive. I have been trying to avoid this because it is somewhat complex, but that is the last resort currently.

I have a ticket into Samsung, but they want an amazing amount of information (photos, proof of purchase, etc., etc.) before they will respond. Fortunately I have all the info they want, so I will continue to pursue a response from Samsung as well.

Just a couple of tips:  Windows updates will cause rebooting, but shouldn't cause "No boot device found."

As long as the PC's are not booting from a network, NIC PV4 and PV6, or something very similar to it, should be unchecked in BIOS.

@bradthetechnut​ Agreed and thanks for the comments. I have tried eliminating (unchecking) the network boot devices (because I do not have them). This made no change in the spontaneous overnight booting. It still continues.

I was trying to eliminate all controllable sources of rebooting (OS updates and Dell software), but something is still causing the reboots to happen and I can't figure out what it is. 

The other issue is why it still can't boot cleanly anyway since the Windows Boot Manager (twice) and The Samsung drive are both active in the Boot device list. Maybe it is getting confused by having TWO Windows Boot Managers listed? I haven't tried unchecking one or the other of the Windows Boot Managers listed. Maybe that is something to try. Why are there TWO of them anyway?

The oddest part (and most fortunate for continued operation) is that a simple Power OFF/ON (cold boot) from the failed boot state ends up booting successfully every time!

I haven't heard of 2 Windows Boot Managers being in BIOS before.  Having only 1 checked could be a try.

Besides the plan for cloning/reinstallation of the boot drive, there are couple things you can try.

*Reset the power settings in BIOS, allow the machine to stay OFF after a power restoration.

*Temporarily connecting the power directly to wall outlet, bypass the UPS.

Perform each test separately so that you can identify the root cause if the issue gotten resolved.

Hi, @CPFUMCTrustee

Thanks for sharing idea with us 

@bradthetechnut​ I'm trying that (unchecking one of the two Windows Boot Managers in BIOS) today; will let you know if it has any effect one way or the other.

It didn't work. Later today, within 12 hours from the BIOS boot order revision, the machine has spontaneously rebooted again into a faulted state.

I will try the BIOS power update and direct wall outlet change suggested by Chino de Oro.

A new version of the Samsung 990 PRO firmware just became available tonight. I was able to successfully install it remotely. Since the machine is shut down following FW installation, I will not be able to check it out further until tomorrow morning when I get onsite again.