F5F Stay Refreshed Software Operating Systems Device continues operating indefinitely after disconnecting the power source for short periods.

Device continues operating indefinitely after disconnecting the power source for short periods.

Device continues operating indefinitely after disconnecting the power source for short periods.

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SuperRowando
Junior Member
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9
12-19-2016, 06:34 AM
#1
I'm dealing with a frustrating problem where Windows 10 (pro 64-bit) won't load after unplugging the power while the PC was off. The screen shows a logo and white dots spinning endlessly. This has happened multiple times, and I've already prepared backups, but this year it's not working. Advanced startup options never appear beyond "preparing...". Every time I try to reinstall, it keeps happening. After the first incident, I checked all hardware and found nothing wrong, so it seems like a software issue. Now I'm attempting to boot from an installation USB, but even with priority settings or manual selection, it jumps straight to the hard drive. I'm worried about damage if I leave the PC plugged in during storms. I miss Windows 7 sometimes when the PC follows my commands. My attempts so far include: turning off fast boot (thought it was hybrid shutdown), updating BIOS, using startup repair in advanced options (now blocked), unplugging everything except PSU and display (still no luck), holding the power button for over ten seconds, letting it try to load for three hours, and restoring to an earlier date (which didn't help). I also ran a MBR fix via CMD in advanced startup settings. My specs are: i7-6700 3.4GHz, 32GB RAM at 2133MHz DDR4 (4x8GB), Z170A Gaming M5, PNY 1TB M.2 NVMe graphics, GTX 1070 MSI, Zalman 650W PSU.
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SuperRowando
12-19-2016, 06:34 AM #1

I'm dealing with a frustrating problem where Windows 10 (pro 64-bit) won't load after unplugging the power while the PC was off. The screen shows a logo and white dots spinning endlessly. This has happened multiple times, and I've already prepared backups, but this year it's not working. Advanced startup options never appear beyond "preparing...". Every time I try to reinstall, it keeps happening. After the first incident, I checked all hardware and found nothing wrong, so it seems like a software issue. Now I'm attempting to boot from an installation USB, but even with priority settings or manual selection, it jumps straight to the hard drive. I'm worried about damage if I leave the PC plugged in during storms. I miss Windows 7 sometimes when the PC follows my commands. My attempts so far include: turning off fast boot (thought it was hybrid shutdown), updating BIOS, using startup repair in advanced options (now blocked), unplugging everything except PSU and display (still no luck), holding the power button for over ten seconds, letting it try to load for three hours, and restoring to an earlier date (which didn't help). I also ran a MBR fix via CMD in advanced startup settings. My specs are: i7-6700 3.4GHz, 32GB RAM at 2133MHz DDR4 (4x8GB), Z170A Gaming M5, PNY 1TB M.2 NVMe graphics, GTX 1070 MSI, Zalman 650W PSU.

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mapri5
Junior Member
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7
12-20-2016, 04:27 PM
#2
First - avoid unplugging power cord. Just shut down your system and that is all. Every time you plug and unplug power cord, you risk that your PSU may be damaged by power spikes - it's not good for capacitors. I had many friends who broke their computers by constantly unplugging everything because they think that it's good idea. Anyway - it not suppose to happen anyway. Do you at least turn off power by using switch on your PSU before you unplug/plug power cord? Do you pressed power button on your case after you unplugged power cord? Seriously - do not perform unnecessary actions.
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mapri5
12-20-2016, 04:27 PM #2

First - avoid unplugging power cord. Just shut down your system and that is all. Every time you plug and unplug power cord, you risk that your PSU may be damaged by power spikes - it's not good for capacitors. I had many friends who broke their computers by constantly unplugging everything because they think that it's good idea. Anyway - it not suppose to happen anyway. Do you at least turn off power by using switch on your PSU before you unplug/plug power cord? Do you pressed power button on your case after you unplugged power cord? Seriously - do not perform unnecessary actions.

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FaZeJr_Storm
Junior Member
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15
12-24-2016, 04:49 PM
#3
I didn't turn on the PSU, just removed the power cord once I was confident the PC was off. I guess I prefer not to unplug it, but when faced with a real risk of damage from lightning, I’d rather avoid plugging it in than risk overheating.
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FaZeJr_Storm
12-24-2016, 04:49 PM #3

I didn't turn on the PSU, just removed the power cord once I was confident the PC was off. I guess I prefer not to unplug it, but when faced with a real risk of damage from lightning, I’d rather avoid plugging it in than risk overheating.

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azrebel703
Junior Member
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33
12-24-2016, 10:37 PM
#4
Additionally, whenever I encountered this problem, loading Windows installation media on the hard drive was impossible, though other bootable options like GParted worked. After erasing the hard drive, the installation media functioned properly. This time I aim to prevent data loss. Also, the operating system operates smoothly—installing it during a power outage eliminated BSODs, driver errors, and boot failures.
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azrebel703
12-24-2016, 10:37 PM #4

Additionally, whenever I encountered this problem, loading Windows installation media on the hard drive was impossible, though other bootable options like GParted worked. After erasing the hard drive, the installation media functioned properly. This time I aim to prevent data loss. Also, the operating system operates smoothly—installing it during a power outage eliminated BSODs, driver errors, and boot failures.

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mintylog
Junior Member
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15
12-24-2016, 10:52 PM
#5
Occasionally, just one voltage surge can disrupt a motherboard. For instance, my friend recently had a brand-new computer function normally until he would unplug the power cord, thinking something bad might occur. After some time, his Windows 8 stopped working properly. Regardless of whether it's new, fresh, or old, the system behaves as if the keyboard and mouse are frozen with high lag. Even systems that previously worked fine now cause issues. I spent several hours trying to solve this because it was a challenging problem. Unfortunately, my time ran short, but after testing, I believe the surge likely affected the USB ports. Windows 7 handles USB well, but not Win8 or Win10. Using safe mode with generic drivers helps, though not when proper drivers are used during normal startup. It's odd, isn't it? The issue seems to be that capacitors on the motherboard retain charge even after turning off the computer. You can test this by pressing the power button after completely unplugging the device and removing the power cord. If the computer briefly powers up—sometimes just for half a second or a faint fan noise—it usually means the capacitors were still charged. Sometimes it only causes a blinking display or a slight fan speed increase, but the real problem is that you disconnected the power without using a safe PSU switch and without draining the capacitors by pressing the button. Once connected to power, fully charged capacitors can trigger a surge, which may interfere with the SSD controller, especially since it's installed on the motherboard. Sometimes environmental factors like storms can make this worse.
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mintylog
12-24-2016, 10:52 PM #5

Occasionally, just one voltage surge can disrupt a motherboard. For instance, my friend recently had a brand-new computer function normally until he would unplug the power cord, thinking something bad might occur. After some time, his Windows 8 stopped working properly. Regardless of whether it's new, fresh, or old, the system behaves as if the keyboard and mouse are frozen with high lag. Even systems that previously worked fine now cause issues. I spent several hours trying to solve this because it was a challenging problem. Unfortunately, my time ran short, but after testing, I believe the surge likely affected the USB ports. Windows 7 handles USB well, but not Win8 or Win10. Using safe mode with generic drivers helps, though not when proper drivers are used during normal startup. It's odd, isn't it? The issue seems to be that capacitors on the motherboard retain charge even after turning off the computer. You can test this by pressing the power button after completely unplugging the device and removing the power cord. If the computer briefly powers up—sometimes just for half a second or a faint fan noise—it usually means the capacitors were still charged. Sometimes it only causes a blinking display or a slight fan speed increase, but the real problem is that you disconnected the power without using a safe PSU switch and without draining the capacitors by pressing the button. Once connected to power, fully charged capacitors can trigger a surge, which may interfere with the SSD controller, especially since it's installed on the motherboard. Sometimes environmental factors like storms can make this worse.

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DieEchteSophie
Junior Member
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37
12-25-2016, 05:37 AM
#6
It's quite unusual. Right now I'm really excited to try your method of disconnecting the power cord. I plan to clean the hard drive (hopefully just once this year), set up a fresh operating system, and... where is that storm when you need one? I also appreciate you sharing this. Throughout my training to become an IT technician, I've never come across the correct procedure for safely unplugging a power cord. In fact, even at university, we weren't taught to be careful about it.
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DieEchteSophie
12-25-2016, 05:37 AM #6

It's quite unusual. Right now I'm really excited to try your method of disconnecting the power cord. I plan to clean the hard drive (hopefully just once this year), set up a fresh operating system, and... where is that storm when you need one? I also appreciate you sharing this. Throughout my training to become an IT technician, I've never come across the correct procedure for safely unplugging a power cord. In fact, even at university, we weren't taught to be careful about it.

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Ninjaboy399
Junior Member
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25
12-25-2016, 06:16 AM
#7
So I finally pinpointed the problem. As I mentioned, I’m the IT technician, but I made such a beginner error that I feel like I’ve lost my mind. After reinstalling the OS, it still wouldn’t boot. On the motherboard, the code displayed was 35, then 33 and 34 cycling back and forth. It’s AMI BIOS, and in older versions code 35 was linked to memory issues. I double-checked again, recalling that sometimes just gently removing the RAM sticks, giving them a good tap, and reinserting them helps. First I tried with one stick in, and the OS booted on its own. Then I put all back in, but it still wouldn’t start. (I managed to restore the system image, so no data loss Big Grin). Probably old-school fixes work best. Also, I’m glad I picked up something new today — a proper way to unplug the power cord. For that, I’ll mark this post as solved. Hope you and everyone looking for answers have a great day!
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Ninjaboy399
12-25-2016, 06:16 AM #7

So I finally pinpointed the problem. As I mentioned, I’m the IT technician, but I made such a beginner error that I feel like I’ve lost my mind. After reinstalling the OS, it still wouldn’t boot. On the motherboard, the code displayed was 35, then 33 and 34 cycling back and forth. It’s AMI BIOS, and in older versions code 35 was linked to memory issues. I double-checked again, recalling that sometimes just gently removing the RAM sticks, giving them a good tap, and reinserting them helps. First I tried with one stick in, and the OS booted on its own. Then I put all back in, but it still wouldn’t start. (I managed to restore the system image, so no data loss Big Grin). Probably old-school fixes work best. Also, I’m glad I picked up something new today — a proper way to unplug the power cord. For that, I’ll mark this post as solved. Hope you and everyone looking for answers have a great day!

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