system boots every 3rd time.. wtf?

[resonance451]

I've already asked a similar question on another forum section, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere.

For some reason, my system only posts and boots every third try. That means that the first two tries, everything turns on and the board posts FF for normal boot, but nothing displays and there's no beep or anything. But the third time, it makes the beep, posts 7F for error requiring user input, and then says "Warning! Now system is in safe mode. Please reset CPU or memory frequency in the CMOS" or something like that. I've googled it and seen the problem across all ranges of platforms (low and high end AMD and Intel rigs with different video cards, OC and stock) with no clear solution. Yes, all my hardware is compatible, and everything is running stock, and it's not a heat issue, considering the giant stock fan of the QX9650 and the 7 120mm case fans I have running.

And the third time, if I press F1 to continue to windows, it does so and everything runs alright for the most part...

..except for severe lag every 70 seconds or so from the entire system. And CPU usage doesn't jump during that lag or anything. I had this lag spike problem on my previous system running a Q6600 and completely different hardware.

I also can't understand why the system boots exactly the third time, and only the third time. If I exit the BIOS after it boots all wonky, it won't boot, so I have to turn it off. If I turn it on two more times, it boots, making it exactly the third time. If i try three cold boots, it works on the third time as well. WTF?

Any ideas? Somebody has suggested to simply take off the error alerts from the bios, but I don't want to completely shut that down.

 

[portal]

Get a multimeter and test your wall socket?

 

[rattman169]

I have seen this problem seveal times on all different hardware, 1 of 3 things cause this problem. CPU is the main problem. Normally this error ocurrs when OC CPU and the motherborad can't run due to voltage issues. Check that your RAM timing in BIOS is correct, update BIOS, check the BUS and clock speeds and set them in BIOS. If this is still happening, MOBO would be second. It's not booting properly because of hardware issue. On rare occasions it will be due to PSU, check the health status in BIOS to see if PSU voltages are close to what it is marked, see if there is big fluctuations in voltage, if this is the case, replace PSU. I would say 1 of these things is the issue. Hope this help, Iknow you are not OC'ing the CPU that is why MOBO or PSU would be problem, but never rule out a faulty CPU.

 

[benchaz]

I have the same problem, i just got my rig today and i have an XFX 780i mobo, q9300 cpu, 9600 GT SLI and 4GB RAM (which the computer does not recognize)

@resonance451:
did you manage to fix it?

 

[Andrius]

I'd say if USB keyboard and mouse are present check the BIOS setting for legacy support.
Basic CMOS "Halt on error" should be "halt on no errors".

Complete CMOS Reset might help.

 

[benchaz]

I tried that, turning it to halt on no errors, and it helped get rid of the 'Warning! Now system is in safe mode' error, but i still have to turn the computer off 2 times (on 3 times), inorder for it to boot.

Please help, thanks!