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- Error code 3F0 cannot reboot

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07-11-2023 07:27 AM - edited 07-11-2023 07:52 AM
I have installed three drives on the HP Pavilion HP-2026. The first drive (SATA 0) has Linux OS; The second Drive (SATA1) has Windows 10 OS; the third drive (SATA 3) is a blank formatted disk to be used to place files. The SATA2 is the CDROM.
BIOS: 7.14
Problem:
The computer boots file but if you try to Restart the OS (Linux or Windows), the PC hangs on the BIOS splash screen. The only way out is to turn it off, wait then restart it again.
Did the default BIOS settings on the BIOS menu and did not fix the issue.
Ran the BIOS Diagnostics (F2) and I get:
Boot: Failed Error Code 3F0
No Active Partitions Perform a System Recovery.
Did the System Recovery (F11) but it did not fix the problem.
I bought the computer used and didn't noticed if it was able to reboot.
disconnected SATA1 and restarted the PC but same issue. Originally, the SATA1 drive was on SATA3 port and SATA3 drive was on SATA1 port and I had the problem.
Sometimes I boot the PC and the CPU Fan is going very fast and loud and stays that way. If I restart the PC, the fan goes on quietly as normal.
I can do further troubleshooting but I may be going in the wrong path.
Solved! Go to Solution.
Accepted Solutions
07-11-2023 05:02 PM - edited 07-14-2023 07:17 AM
Hi and sorry for the long reply but I wanted to assure that I provided all the details.
This are the result I've got:
Setup Test #1:
+ Setup:
SATA0 (Linux Drive) in Slot SATA0
SATA1 and SATA3 Disconnected.
Step#1 Turned PC ON and pressed ESC key to go to the BIOS menu
Step#2 Selected Computer Setup (F10) for verification
Device Configuration:
- Hard Disk SATA0 320 Gb
- CD-ROM SATA2 320 Gb CDDVDW
Boot Order:
UEFI Boot Sources
> ubuntu moved arrow from UEFI Boot Sources to ubuntu then pressed F10=accept
Step#3 Selected 'Save Changes and Exit'
Step#4 PC screen open the Splash screen but it froze.
Step #5 Turned power OFF, waited then power ON again (power strip switch to OFF position - no power to PC).
Step#6 Computer booted to Linux and no problem as usual
Step #7a Selected the 'Restart' button on the screen to restart the Linux OS
Result: The PC rebooted to Linux OS with no Problem! (so far!)
Step #7b Repeated Step#7a again
Result: The PC rebooted again to Linux OS with no Problem!
Step #8 Selected 'Shut Down' button to turn the PC OFF
Setup Test #1:
+ Setup:
SATA0 (Linux Drive) in Slot SATA0
SATA1 (Window 10) in slot SATA1
SATA3 Disconnected.
Step#1 Turned PC ON and let it boot without pressing the ESC key
Result: The PC rebooted to Linux OS with no Problem! (so far!)
Step #2 Repeated Step#7a
Result: Important!!!: At reboot, it looked like the Splash Screen froze again, BUT as I was typing these notes on my other PC, I noticed that all of the sudden, the screen turned black and it started booting to the Linux OS - I'll be dammed! I guess it takes a while for the BIOS to figure out what to do!?!?
Step #3 Selected the 'Restart' button on the screen to restart the Linux OS then entered the BIOS mode.
Note: Waited till the BIOS took it's time to decide what to do, but in the meantime, I kept pressing the ESC key a few times until I got to the BIOS screen.
Step #4 Selected the Diagnostics (F2)
Result: Everything passed except Boot Test Failed Error Code - 3F0
Step #5 Decided to go back to 'Setup Test #1:' and perform the Diagnostics (F2) - (no SATA1)
Result: Everything passed except Boot Test Failed Error Code - 3F0
Step #6 Shut the PC down and power OFF, then turned it back ON and pressed the ESC key a few times till I got the Boot menu screen.
Step #7 Selected the 'Boot Menu (F9)' screen then selected the 'ubuntu' drive and pressed the Enter key.
Result: the PC booted right into the Linux OS - no wait
Comment: At this time I am confused about the results! I'm used to the standard AMI and Phoenix BIOS which works great. If you had two or more bootable drives, you would tell the BIOS which one you wanted to boot first and that was all. If you wanted to boot on the secondary drive, you would hit the boot select key and select the second drive and you are done. Next time you booted, it will go back to the first bootable drive. This new UEFI does not seem to work in the conventional way, unless I have a problem either with the volatile part of the BIOS being corrupted which I would have to take the battery off the put it back on again or I need to install the Linux boot loader which loads right after the BIOS boot and gives you a screen to select which drive you want to boot to. I think the most probable cause could be the removal of the battery and it's also the easiest too.
Worse case scenario, I can just leave it for now, but it's a pain to have press the ESC key and select the Boot Menu to boot straight into the OS or the other chose is to wait for the BIOS to take it's time to figure out what to do.
Addendum:
Decided to switch the boot drive (SATA0) to the 'Legacy Boot Sources' to SATA0 by selecting 'F10=Accept' then saving the 'save setting and exit' to reboot.
I figured that perhaps it would work with the legacy drives, assuming that my SATA0 drive was probably not compatible with the UEFI BIOS, but I still got the same delay boot issue.
I also turned on the post boot message which got rid of the HP splash screen and now it gives me the PC specs at boot and also when it wakes up to boot, it display the message to press the ESC key to enter menu which I was not getting it with the the HP splash screen.
Conclusion:
For now, I can live with the issue because at least it boots which was my initial concern. I just got to put up with the delay, although sometimes it boots and restarts the normal way without any delays - go figure?!?!
Credits:
I want to thank 'TheOldMan' for his help in giving me a Kick-Start and some hint as to where I needed to look!!!
He got me motivated and focus in the right path.
07-11-2023 07:54 AM
Typically the error code 3F0 means the drive in the SATA 0 position is the one causing that error. Since it has the Linux OS, it should not be the problem unless that is where the boot loader is located, also.
To see just what is being reported run the Diagnostics routine.
To run the Diagnostics routine, Start tapping the Esc key BEFORE starting the PC and then press the start button.
Keep tapping the Esc key until a popup menu shows. Then pick Diagnostics from that popup menu, F2.
Also from that same menu you can check and set the boot drive to be the Windows drive (SATA 1) by picking a different screen, F9, but it needs to be saved to get it to do it more than once.
Report back with the results.
I'm not an HP employee.
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07-11-2023 08:09 AM - edited 07-11-2023 08:13 AM
Hi,
Thank you for the reply!!!
I press the power button then I keep pressing the ESC key when the BOOT Splash Screen appears which takes me to the Startup Menu. I do not know what you mean by pressing the Start Button.
I can boot fine with the Linux and Windows 10 drives but if I select to Restart the OS, the PC tries to restart but when the BIOS Splash screen appears, it freezes and cannot do anything. I would have to power off the PC and wait then press power on again.
Again, Thank you for getting back to me!
07-11-2023 09:41 AM
I suspect that what you are calling the power button is the same thing, as you got to the splash screen. Press F9 and see what drive is chosen for the first boot attempt. Change it to the Windows drive, in your case the SATA 1. I understand what you are stating.
There could be a problem that is hiding in the boot loader. If none of those suggestions help, then disconnect the drives and then start-up with just the Linux (SATA 0) drive connected and no others. If that repeats the problem, try with just the Windows drive connected. If it repeats, then move the Windows drive to SATA 0 and test again. If it still does the same thing, then IDK.
I'm not an HP employee.
Did this message answer your question? Please indicate below as an Accepted Solution!
Did you find this message useful? Click on the "Was this reply helpful" Yes button.
07-11-2023 05:02 PM - edited 07-14-2023 07:17 AM
Hi and sorry for the long reply but I wanted to assure that I provided all the details.
This are the result I've got:
Setup Test #1:
+ Setup:
SATA0 (Linux Drive) in Slot SATA0
SATA1 and SATA3 Disconnected.
Step#1 Turned PC ON and pressed ESC key to go to the BIOS menu
Step#2 Selected Computer Setup (F10) for verification
Device Configuration:
- Hard Disk SATA0 320 Gb
- CD-ROM SATA2 320 Gb CDDVDW
Boot Order:
UEFI Boot Sources
> ubuntu moved arrow from UEFI Boot Sources to ubuntu then pressed F10=accept
Step#3 Selected 'Save Changes and Exit'
Step#4 PC screen open the Splash screen but it froze.
Step #5 Turned power OFF, waited then power ON again (power strip switch to OFF position - no power to PC).
Step#6 Computer booted to Linux and no problem as usual
Step #7a Selected the 'Restart' button on the screen to restart the Linux OS
Result: The PC rebooted to Linux OS with no Problem! (so far!)
Step #7b Repeated Step#7a again
Result: The PC rebooted again to Linux OS with no Problem!
Step #8 Selected 'Shut Down' button to turn the PC OFF
Setup Test #1:
+ Setup:
SATA0 (Linux Drive) in Slot SATA0
SATA1 (Window 10) in slot SATA1
SATA3 Disconnected.
Step#1 Turned PC ON and let it boot without pressing the ESC key
Result: The PC rebooted to Linux OS with no Problem! (so far!)
Step #2 Repeated Step#7a
Result: Important!!!: At reboot, it looked like the Splash Screen froze again, BUT as I was typing these notes on my other PC, I noticed that all of the sudden, the screen turned black and it started booting to the Linux OS - I'll be dammed! I guess it takes a while for the BIOS to figure out what to do!?!?
Step #3 Selected the 'Restart' button on the screen to restart the Linux OS then entered the BIOS mode.
Note: Waited till the BIOS took it's time to decide what to do, but in the meantime, I kept pressing the ESC key a few times until I got to the BIOS screen.
Step #4 Selected the Diagnostics (F2)
Result: Everything passed except Boot Test Failed Error Code - 3F0
Step #5 Decided to go back to 'Setup Test #1:' and perform the Diagnostics (F2) - (no SATA1)
Result: Everything passed except Boot Test Failed Error Code - 3F0
Step #6 Shut the PC down and power OFF, then turned it back ON and pressed the ESC key a few times till I got the Boot menu screen.
Step #7 Selected the 'Boot Menu (F9)' screen then selected the 'ubuntu' drive and pressed the Enter key.
Result: the PC booted right into the Linux OS - no wait
Comment: At this time I am confused about the results! I'm used to the standard AMI and Phoenix BIOS which works great. If you had two or more bootable drives, you would tell the BIOS which one you wanted to boot first and that was all. If you wanted to boot on the secondary drive, you would hit the boot select key and select the second drive and you are done. Next time you booted, it will go back to the first bootable drive. This new UEFI does not seem to work in the conventional way, unless I have a problem either with the volatile part of the BIOS being corrupted which I would have to take the battery off the put it back on again or I need to install the Linux boot loader which loads right after the BIOS boot and gives you a screen to select which drive you want to boot to. I think the most probable cause could be the removal of the battery and it's also the easiest too.
Worse case scenario, I can just leave it for now, but it's a pain to have press the ESC key and select the Boot Menu to boot straight into the OS or the other chose is to wait for the BIOS to take it's time to figure out what to do.
Addendum:
Decided to switch the boot drive (SATA0) to the 'Legacy Boot Sources' to SATA0 by selecting 'F10=Accept' then saving the 'save setting and exit' to reboot.
I figured that perhaps it would work with the legacy drives, assuming that my SATA0 drive was probably not compatible with the UEFI BIOS, but I still got the same delay boot issue.
I also turned on the post boot message which got rid of the HP splash screen and now it gives me the PC specs at boot and also when it wakes up to boot, it display the message to press the ESC key to enter menu which I was not getting it with the the HP splash screen.
Conclusion:
For now, I can live with the issue because at least it boots which was my initial concern. I just got to put up with the delay, although sometimes it boots and restarts the normal way without any delays - go figure?!?!
Credits:
I want to thank 'TheOldMan' for his help in giving me a Kick-Start and some hint as to where I needed to look!!!
He got me motivated and focus in the right path.