Optiplex 3020 No post after reboot

I assume you are using Win 10 (?).

Disable Fast Startup and see if that fixes it or at least lets you into the BIOS.

See this tutorial on how to turn off fast startup:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4189-turn-off-fast-startup-windows-10-a.html

Did you ever find a solution @SPCQC ?

I have the same issue.

Thanks for the suggestion @fireberd , but that's not related to the situation at all. The system simply won't POST after  REBOOT command from Windows. You can then hold down the power button and hard power down. Then hitting the power button again will let it POST just fine.

With this situation, Windows updates will fail as will all BIOS updates. I am stuck on BIOS A02. I am thinking that this version of the BIOS is the issue and would love to flash to the latest. I have tried using Dell Support Assist and manually downloading the executeable BIOS A20 update. Both fail because restart fails. Therefore, flashing never takes place. When powering up again, you can go into BIOS and see that it is still A02.

HELP!

NO post means what, use the intel rules on names ?

• no power
• no post (no post means it never starts the scan or never finishes the scan, or if working right tells you what is wrong.)
• no boot.

3 stages of serial power on  events, 

tell all you see, first the screen, the LEDs, (4 LED codes behind black plastic on some dells)

Power button color LED and if blinks and if blinks how does it blink (codes)

do not remove GPU cards or insert them until you pull the AC line and do the reset, first. 5 steps.

or you will blow up mobo or cards, or more. ok>

NEVER EVER FLASH A BAD PC ok?  gee the A2 ran for how many years now, and was ok.

Your problem is dead screen RIGHT. focus on dead screens always and means BIOS is dead

or the PC needs the long hard reset. (sleep mode fails do that with BAD DRIVERS)

when any PC goes dead the last  thing to think about is BIOS UPDATES, ok? (or you will brick the PC)

so with GPU card out and monitor connected to iGPU ports, now, it fails, now you know the GPU card is not the cause, and a great first test. in all PCs. but my guess is you dont know how to strip a PC down? is that it?

nor doing the hard long reset posted on every PC makers web site on earth?

(cures latchup, ESD and sleep failures and AC power surge events , that is why all PCs on earth have this page)  or near.

any time a PC acts dead or black screens or F2 and F12 hot keys are dead we do this. first, not flash BIOS ever.

here. 4 steps.

my 3020 run w10,64bit 100% solid, but I do not use sleep mode and if wise do not use that, unless you are 100% sure your  drivers to all chips present, (yah GPU too) are 100% good for sleep ,many are not.

in CP click power and turn off all sleep modes. if PC runs perfect you learned why it is failing. (OS upgrades love to land you here)

my w10 is fresh 1903 from MS. direct. is yours, it was installed with ethernet to lan working and not one dell chip on board fails, not ONE. Always shuts off and reboots prefect off my SSD, are you on SSD if not why not?

do not run rust drives to boot from, those days are gone. ($20 128GB drive is dirt chip run one?)

i could answer 10x better but I'd have to see all you did there and screen results and more.

this PC has F12 diagnosics  run ePSA yet

this PC has beep codes, get those ever,

or SMART errors, the POST has many errors on this PC vast in fact.

make sure the SMART = Enable is on in BIOS first.  keep it on.

page 39 in your service manual shows. power lamp codes, do you get those?

off
off
system is OFF
off
breathing
system is in sleep state
blinking
off
power supply unit (PSU) failure
steady
off
PSU is working but failed to fetch code
off
steady
system is ON
Amber LED State
Description
2,1
system board failure
2,2
system board, PSU or PSU cabling failure
2,3
system board, memory or CPU failure
2, 4
coin-cell battery failure
2,5
corrupt BIOS
2,6
CPU configuration failure or CPU failure
2,7
memory modules are detected, but a memory failure
3,1
possible peripheral card or system board failure
3,2
possible USB failure
3,3
no memory modules are detected
3,4
possible system board error
3,5
memory modules are detected, but a memory configuration or compatibility error
3,6
possible system board resource and/or hardware failure
3,7
some other failure with messages on screen
39

after replacing a COIN cell set the BIOS to defaults (f2 screen)

then turn off PXE. (thin net remote server boot not for you) disable this, now.

then BOOT ORDER PAGE F2., set HDD or Better SSD0 to BOOT first.

bingo if the drive is good it boots. from dead cold hard boots, not sleep,,  sleep takes vastly more software magic to work and not FAIL.

alternate way 1 and 2.

also if confused,  as many are on locked up PC.

just pull the AC plug from the wall and wait 24 hours, and see the PC is ok now. (until sleep fails)

way2:

the ICH chip will respond if you hold the power button for 5 seconds, this rule is in the silicon ICH, hard logic.

use that to learn whats up? 

w10 has no start button reboot, it has shutdown and restart and more but not reboot, sorry.

Post photos of rear of your PC and inside left, side lid off, then we can see what YOU HAVE.

F2 screens must work if not we focus like laser beam on that hard failure. (forget windows) F2 must work.

Unfortunately, it does the same thing on Win7 and disabling it changes nothing.

It does the same thing on Win7, even though I disabled Fast Boot.

The computer was still on warranty so I shipped it back.

never say you have the same issue, you will never know that. I promise you.

learn that PC has vast single point failures.  Ok VAST. never hyjack and assume things, it only makes your  PC problems hard to fix and muddies the poor OP's  issues.  this is no toaster, it's a computers. sorry.

focus on YOUR PC only and your evidence not stated. even start your own post.(always #1 best choice)

and all things connected outside and inside your PC not stated.

"REBOOT command from" (  I guess you meant to say RESTART?)

I say do not use the lame support assistant,  it causes huge problems, google it , see? ( It is a toy)

run epSA first and on hdd if present, do you boot from RUST drives. that be first to say. no>?

run smart tests on your unstated HDD0 or SSD0 we have no idea at all what is inside any Desktop (options vast)

nor of you removed all USB devices first to see if restarts (right word) fails.

are your running windows 10 64bit from MS direct>? v1903 or 09? type winver in run box, mine shows 1909.

is the device manager clean?  all chips show OK>??? no yellow , red marks , NO UNKNOWN FLAGs

are all MS updates up to date.?

if you use CP + power (control panel) and set up a custom power profile (advanced) and turn off speed junk

does the PC run ok now,(junk means bad drivers love to fail sleep, we all know that and we for sure assume that any time you have power issues be on that (sleep bull) like a tick on a hound dog tail.. YAH

but I can be all wrong, I cant see you , your  PC what it has connected or what screens do nor if BIOS screens go dead or error codes or beep codes are any of that, even the lack of errors, speaks to me.

nor if you turned off features in BIOS. like smart = enabled, (be so)

but do tell the full story , the OP removed the GPU card,  that would hide the nasty bad sleep mode drivers, to it and be care, a wise step. I go way farther testing:

stripping a PC to minimum. (on hard nut cases I sure do)

trying a test SSD (i keep spares on had $20each) and load w10 fresh here,  and be Ethernet connected to the router, at install time.

does the PC work now, yes, then you know old OS is bad, or old HDD was bad.

I then run full and complete smart tests on any RUST drive. (like step one on all PCs that act funny) why delay .

@savvy2 

Great response!
I will try to flesh out my posts better!
This is a barebones working unit that I am refurbishing. It currently has an i3-4160, 2x4GB DDR3 1600Mhz RAM, Samsung 860 EVO 250GB SSD for SATA-0 and the oem dvd drive for SATA-1. It has only the iGPU being used and no add-in cards. It only has usb keyboard and mouse plugged in along with ethernet.

When I power up the computer, the power button LED goes solid white and I don't see any diagnostic lights. It boots right into windows 10 1903 Pro. No complaints or warnings in Device Manager. 

So I go online and download the latest BIOS A20. I right click it and Run As Administrator. It opens up and compares BIOS versions, then I click OK and it attempts to Restart. However, no Restart occurs, after waiting for minutes or hours. This same behavior occurs when I click Restart after selecting the Power Button icon in the Windows Start menu.

I do not use Sleep. I have selected the High Performance power plan.

I have disabled S4 and S5 sleep in the BIOS.

I hope I have not missed anything. I can create my own post if the OP is done with this post.

Edit*

I just tried to use F12 to flash a BIOS from a bootable USB drive. The utility loaded the BIOS, then said it would need to Reboot. I clicked ok, and the screen went blank. I get no BIOS Spash Logo, same as when the I tell windows to Restart. After waiting a while, I hard powered off. Then powered on and it has the same BIOS and went straight to windows.

Can anyone understand the rambling of savvy2's reply?

The reboot problem has nothing to do with the OS. 
My Optiplex 3020 has the very same issue...no soft restart and stuck at BIOS ver A2.
The system has been stripped down to the bare bones in the diagnosis process.
My guess is at a later BIOS version it MAY fix the soft restart, but not sure.

Symptoms:
If you shutdown from the OS, it will shut down completely and power turns off.

If you try to restart from the OS, it will shut down the OS, but the power will remain ON.
You then need to press and hold the power button which will shut down the PSU.

To restart, you press the power button. Power will pop on and then quickly turn off again.
Pressing the power button a second time and the PC will boot normally.

The inability to soft restart also seems to prevent the system from updating the BIOS.

I have tried booting from a USB stick using GRUB4DOS and running the BIOS update from there. No Joy.
I also started a topic at Tom's Hardware addressing both the BIOS and Soft Restart issue.
See: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/dell-3020-cannot-update-bios.3562982/

The only thing not tried so far is setting the service jumper to closed and trying the bios update again.

Hey MSHarris,

You tired chaning the jumper yet? I have a fair few at where i work with the same issue and i am stumped.

here I will rumble  again (for me? I can not edit posts, no mater how I try, just one post works, sorry.

you can not uptate a2 to a20 (is general rule, on many)

the BIOS updates each a text file, I think marked on the DELL screen as more information? read those

it tells you the NO LONG JUMP rules,,  I have 3020MT and updates were super easy doing F12 update

but I read the info files,  and did as it told me, not to do any A2 long jump, as that will not work.

these words should be on the main dell 3020 update bios page at the top but is not. sad no?

the instructions stated turn UEFI off to legacy, did you> (and is vague that,  lots of UEFI choices there)

the instructions are painful, sure.

A10 states this.

For Windows 7 OS users, please install Microsoft KB931125 to prevent the invalid Digital Sign.       

Please make sure you suspend BitLocker encryption before updating BIOS on a BitLocker enabled system.

update  to. say A7 first the first urgent. then a10 , a15 then a20,  I just looked and could not find the NO LONG JUMP rule now, seen on many many a dell.

I wish I could see your screens, rule one for me, is never BIOS update any PC if the PC is not working right,

for example a bad PSU, (old PSU with bad caps and now huge noise on the power rails) bad to the bone there.

the PC must be stable, even booting it to LINUX demo USB  stick and testing the PC in LINUX demo mode.

learn how burning EEPROM works,  if the timings or power get off the flash fails and you bricked a PC.

but that is bumbling ,right.? good luck,  we can not see your PC screens nor test the PC.

WE can not know what  NO POST means unless stated, in words or screen shoots.

( it is good that this PC is at A2 means others didn't brick it flashing WRONG.

did you ever get an explanation as to what the actual issue was?

a PC that will not shut down or you click start restart ? (this is super basic info here)

that is OS corruption or same with the OS drivers,  if your OS is corrupted it  can not communicate with the south bride intel chip, the magic hardware ,that device, runs ACPI and all power S0 to S5  and more modes.

the chip is not bad, do you know that? (unless power is bad, PSU bad can cause this, if huge noise is on the PSU rails, and the chip can not operate logic with bad power of any kind (ripple spec,) (electronics 101 stuff)

but most cases, OS NOT corrupted that is bad drivers,  the PC can not shut down with bad  drivers.

bad software driver, not matching your UNSTATED OS and PC.  bad.

there are 3 sources, all others are infected or just wrong , even paying cash form scaplers gets you wrong.

• DELL. com 3020 page.
• MS PnP driver, let it. (it does work let it)
• if running non Dell GPU card, go to the maker of your card get the driver for your OS there.

a 3020 will fresh load (installed) and will PNP with Ethernet wired, and hit the deck running, for a fact.

if you took a spare ssd and did that you;'d lean that in 30 minute work gee it works now. on new SSD,hummmmm

do not flash BIOS with windows, there is never a reason to do so (unless pain, is fun or bricked PCs)

UEFI turned off, , even remove the hdd, no bitlocker enabled.

USE F12 update.

the Firmware rom file exe is on a spare, empty USB memory stick, and F12 will find it, format the STICK  to Fat32. is best, simple is best.

Jumping from A2 to A20 on most Dells fail,  do smaller jumps,

if the windows is corrupted as sure it is, why would YOU flash firmware, with WINDOWS? why,  would you.?

F12 runs firmware machine code (no OS or HDD  needed) and directly burns the main BIOS.

best is to DO THAT, the best and most safe way. there is, (my ASUS PCs call this, Ez_flash) same thing.

do not flash any unstable PC, < I  Warned you!

Hyjacker #2 Harris (why not start your own post and not mix your facts with others?) no really !

The reboot problem has nothing to do with the OS. (FALSE)
My Optiplex 3020 has the very same issue..(how can you know that?).no soft restart and stuck at BIOS ver A2.

Until the OP fixes his PC you well never know ever, that it I the same cause, there are over 10 (I have 20) causes of BIOS flash failing, a  1 in 20 change, I bet. use only your own post please, not hyjack them.

The system has been stripped down to the bare bones in the diagnosis process. (a very good IDEA)
My guess is at a later BIOS version it MAY fix the soft restart, but not sure.(no it will not)

Symptoms:
If you shutdown from the OS, it will shut down completely and power turns off. (now silent and power light shows not in sleep mode)

If you try to restart from the OS, it will shut down the OS, but the power will remain ON.(huh)
You then need to press and hold the power button which will shut down the PSU. (this is speed mode in the failing try fresh loading W10 v1909 from MS direct?

To restart, you press the power button. Power will pop on and then quickly turn off again. (if stuck in sleep mode a 5 second power on can clear stuck sleep, mode,  via the Intel South bridge chip rules (hardware)
Pressing the power button a second time and the PC will boot normally. (sleep failure) wrong drivers. !

did you do the Hard long reset anytime a PC will not turn on? seen here.

The inability to soft restart also seems to prevent the system from updating the BIOS. (use F12 way  only)

YOU DO know this PC will flash update the firmware F12 way with no HDD in the PC no DVD drive ether right, and there is no saver way on earth to do so, lacking a UPS, power system.

I have tried booting from a USB stick using GRUB4DOS and running the BIOS update from there. No Joy.
I also started a topic at Tom's Hardware addressing both the BIOS and Soft Restart issue.
See: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/dell-3020-cannot-update-bios.3562982/

The only thing not tried so far is setting the service jumper to closed and trying the bios update again.DON't

do not mess with service jump,ok it  is not even documented,.

do not use GRUB4DOS. use dells DDDP (google that, Dell DDDP , it always works.

1: UEFI turned off right.

2: no hint of any kind of Bitlocker turned off, heck remove the HDD.

3: no long jumps if BIOS allowed A2 to A20 is to far to jump in 1 jump,.( do them say 4 at a time?)

4: use only F12, BIOS update.  power on hammer F12, nothing is as safe. ever. (NO OS exists, is why)

if any OS exists, that OS is corrupted and now you brick the PC firmware.

here are the 20 ways to mess up, there are more,,,,

I repeat do not flash any PC that is sick , ill, acting odd, AND FOR SURE FAILS TO run great with LINUX BOOT demo media (eg; Ubuntu v16_ try me ) mode.  do not flash any PC that is not working right.

(sure there is 1 exception to that, last guy bricked his PC and now you have it, all sick and nasty)

In my case it appears to be a BIOs revision (A02), i tried and failed to update the bios due to it not rebooting. I did however manage to prove (at least in my case) that it is a revision fault, after search through many different articles and posts that said that a bug exists in A02 causing this soft reboot crash. The way i proved it was i have tons of faulty 3020's at hand due to the nature of my work i asked my work colleague to remove a bios chip from one faulty board to the one i was working on and low and behold it worked, the chip we moved across was on revision A07 and the 3020 now works correctly.

Looks like we best invest in a programmer and some extra chips lol.

Thanks for the start everyone it was a great help  

Hullo everyone -

I Just joined the list because I have the same problem. I'm not using Windows.

I use  Unix-like OS (OpenBSD). After a system upgrade on 6 March I can't boot and can't see the BIOS. I just get the Dell logo and a message saying it is preparing a one-time boot but nothing further.

I tried booting with a memory stick but no result. Is this computer a write=off? Would replacing the HDD fix it?