I've been running 3 Unraid servers without any major issues for a few years.

 

This morning I added a data drive to one server (which I've done countless times before), but after turning server back on it keeps getting stuck at system BIOS.

 

Other than drives, this system has the exact same basic hardware as one of the other two servers which is restarting normally on command - Ryzen 7 3700x, Asrock B550M pro4, 32gb gskill.

 

The USB flash for system at issue is operating normally as far as I can tell (confirmed on another PC) and is the first boot option in the BIOS. Confirmed repeatedly.

 

Other than adding a SATA cable for the new drive and connecting to power, no other hardware changes were made.

 

I'm able to use boot override from BIOS to select the USB flash and it will reach the Unraid GUI and operate normally from there but I've never had to do that before - and that's a major problem for remote restarts.

 

Prior to today this server had been running without a restart for about 60ish days, to the extent something changed that would make that info relevant.

 

Any ideas what's going on?

 

Let me know what info/screenshots are needed to assist and I'll post. Thank you!!

Edited September 2, 20223 yr by mmagl
Solved

I recently had this issue while trying to fix another issue. It came down a Sata cable not being fully plugged in. 

Edited August 28, 20223 yr by macros the black

Thanks for the input. It definitely could've been that because I pushed down on all connectors while troubleshooting, but I think it ended up being a flash config file corruption issue. I did a full reformat of the USB, wrote fresh files via the USB creator, and then tossed my original config in there, and it booted right up. Either way, working now. Thanks again! 

So... I figured it out, and it's the worst kind of stupidity on my part.

 

Started having trouble with reboots not moving past BIOS again. Figured it had to be mechanical, because BIOS was flashed to latest update. CMOS cleared, new CMOS battery. New USB drive w/fresh boot files from Unraid, etc., etc., I even went through and removed all SATA cables and the NVMe thinking I could reconnect one by one and replace as needed. No change despite nothing connected.

 

Then I realized, I still had a wired keyboard attached sitting behind the computer. Legacy vm hardware.

 

Turns out, the sea of wires back there was squashing the delete key on that keyboard, which is one of Asrock's BIOS entry keys. So stupid. Pulled the keyboard out from back there.. system booted right up past BIOS.
 

I should've known because it would never give me the boot menu even when I was smashing F11 (Asrock's boot menu key). I knew it had to do with THAT part, but couldn't figure it out and was pulling my hair out. It always ignored my F11 input and went straight to the BIOS.

 

SOLVED = my stupidity (smh).