Grub not showing at start except with weird ritual

[radisionwablean]

Hello,

I am new to Debian and my computer doesn't let me boot directly into Debian Stretch. I recently installed it. I can't make it to the Grub menu.

It goes as follows:
1. I am using Debian normally and I turn off my computer appropriately.
2. Later, I decide I want to use the computer again so I press the power button.
3. The screen goes black and does nothing. The back light of the monitor appears to be on, but there is no image. I have waited at most 5 minutes and no change.
4. I have to turn off the computer and turn it back on. When I press the power button to turn it off, it takes about 5-10 seconds to turn off.
5. Grub menu appears.
6. Debian starts normally.

Some times after a second power off the screen still remains black and I have to restart and enter the BIOS setup and just exit (no changes) and Grub will appear. I hold F2 immediately after pressing the power button and then select "Exit discarding changes".

- I have no other drives connected.

Dell Inspiron Desktop
AMD 64-bit

What seems to be wrong?
Thanks

[bw123]

You were told that "AMD cards also require non-free firmware, see the wiki for details."
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php? ... 95#p685291

Did you do this? please don't make separate threads about your boot issue, use one thread to solve it, thanks.

[radisionwablean]

I in fact installed the gpu driver (libgl1-mesa-dri and xserver-xorg-video-ati), and the post was considered solved, as it regarded Debian failing to boot. That is not the case here. I can boot into Debian just inconsistently. Previously the outputs screen would just freeze and couldn't get past that.

[bw123]

I think there could be several reasons for this kind of issue. Could be a broken/bad UEFI implementation, but you didn't say what type of bios or firmware the machine has so that's a wild guess. Could be incorrect BIOS settings, I usually use defaults if at all possible. Could be a bad grub install, you didn't mention how or where it is installed. Could be a multiboot conflict with another os or linux? You didn't say..

I've seen machines hang before/during and after POST from a bad disk also, or bad cable, or bad ram.

Without more information the best people will be able to do is guess.

p.s. the pkgs you mentioned are not firmware. Most radeon cards I have used need the firmware in the initramfs to boot correctly. Make sure you have installed the firmware for the card by using the link in the other post.