Common causes
Power supply not seated
The internal power supply must be fully seated in its bay for the appliance to power on reliably. A partially seated unit can cause intermittent shutdowns, failure to power on, or erratic behavior under load. Check that the power supply module (on models where it is accessible) is flush with the chassis and that any retention hardware is fully engaged. If you observe the unit rocking or feel resistance when pressing on it, reseat it carefully before attempting to power on.Cable not fully connected
The IEC power cable must be fully engaged at both the chassis inlet and the wall outlet or power distribution unit. A loose connection at either end can cause the appliance to lose power under load — even if the cable appears to be plugged in. Disconnect the cable at both ends, inspect the connectors for damage or debris, and reconnect firmly. If the chassis inlet has a retention clip, verify it clicks into place. Test the outlet independently with another device before concluding it is live.Inadequate or unstable power source
The LARK requires a stable 110V/120V AC supply. Connecting the appliance to an undersized circuit, a heavily loaded power strip, or a supply with significant voltage fluctuation can cause instability or prevent the system from powering on at all. If you are using a power strip, try connecting directly to a dedicated wall outlet. If your facility’s power supply is suspected to be unstable, consult your facilities team or use a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) with line conditioning to stabilize the supply voltage.Recovering from unexpected power loss
If the LARK lost power unexpectedly — due to a tripped breaker, a disconnected cable, a power outage, or an unstable supply — follow these steps to restore it safely.1
Wait before restoring power
After power is lost, wait at least 2 minutes before reconnecting or restoring the power supply. This allows capacitors on the system board to discharge fully and ensures a clean startup rather than a partial one.
2
Resolve the underlying power issue
Before reconnecting power, identify and address the root cause. Reconnecting to the same unstable supply or loose connection may trigger another unexpected shutdown. Verify the outlet, cable, and power strip (if applicable) are all functioning correctly.
3
Reconnect and power on
Reconnect the power cable firmly at both ends. Press the power button and observe the startup sequence. Confirm that the appliance progresses through POST and begins loading the operating system normally.
4
Verify services in the admin UI
Once the appliance has booted, log in to the admin UI and navigate to the system status page. Check that all expected services are running and that no pods are in a failed or crash-looping state. Give the system 3–5 minutes to fully initialize before assessing service health.
5
Check for data integrity warnings
Review the admin UI for any warnings related to incomplete writes, corrupted captures, or storage errors. If you see storage-related errors or services that cannot write data, refer to Responding to Hard Drive Failure and consider escalating to support.
If the appliance powers on but shuts down again within minutes, the issue may be thermal (blocked ventilation) or a failing internal power supply unit. Ensure the ventilation vents are clear and unobstructed. If shutdowns continue, escalate to support — see When to Escalate.