Z790 Hero extremely slow post (40-50s)

[2sysel2]

Hi,

I recently upgraded my system from 8th gen to 13th gen Intel and I'm seeing alot longer boot(post) time. The actual post (till OS starts to load takes about 40-50 seconds). The os loading time seems to be pretty neglible compared to post - around 5-10s.

 

Specs:

MB: Asus Z790 Hero

CPU: 13900k

RAM: 2x G.SKILL 32GB KIT DDR5 6400MHz CL32

Boot drive: Samsung 980 Pro

Additional drives:

    970Evo + 980 on the Hyper M.2 card

    2x Sata MX 100

 

Some notes:

    - fast boot is enabled in boot options

    - I tried recording the boot codes and made a table attached bellow - some of the codes I can't find in the manual and some of them are just marked as placeholders (code not used/reserved for future)

    - it seems that USB detection is also taking long time - I tried disconnecting the hub I'm using for peripherals and that took around 10s of the time but (this wasn't the case for my previous build on Z370)

    - memory part of post seems to take 15-20s on every boot

 

Anyone got any suggestions ?

 

Boot codes (seconds are from pressing power on button):

 

| boot code | second | notes                                                 | phase?     |

| --------- | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | ---------- |

| 00        | 0      | code not used                                         |

| 7F        | 3      | Reserved for future AMI DXE codes                     | RAM start  |

| 31        | 3      | Memory Installed                                      |

| 18        | 4      | Pre-memory System Agent initialization is started     |

| 21        | 4      | ???                                                   |

| 25        | 4      | ???                                                   |

| 27        | 4      | ???                                                   |

| 29        | 4      | ???                                                   |

| 30        | 4      | Reserved for ASL (see ASL Status Codes section below) |

| 00        | 4      | code not used                                         |

| 04        | 5      | PCH initialization before microcode loading           |

| 7F        | 5      | Reserved for future AMI DXE codes                     |

| 31        | 7      | Memory Installed                                      |

| 02        | 8      | AP initialization before microcode loading            |

| 18        | 8      | Pre-memory System Agent initialization is started     |

| 1b        | 8      | Pre-memory PCH initialization is started              |

| 20        | 9      | ???                                                   |

| 25        | 9      | ???                                                   |

| 27        | 9      | ???                                                   |

| 29        | 10     | ???                                                   |

| 30        | 10     | Reserved for ASL (see ASL Status Codes section below) |

| 4E ?      | 10     |

| 00        | 10     | code not used                                         |

| 04        | 10     | PCH initialization before microcode loading           |

| 7F        | 10     | Reserved for future AMI DXE codes                     |

| 31        | 13     | Memory Installed                                      |

| 02        | 13     | AP initialization before microcode loading            |

| 18        | 13     | Pre-memory System Agent initialization is started     |

| 20        | 13     | ???                                                   |

| 21        | 13     | ???                                                   |

| 25        | 13     | ???                                                   |

| 27        | 14     | ???                                                   |

| 30        | 14     | Reserved for ASL (see ASL Status Codes section below) |

| 16        | 14     | Pre-memory System Agent initialization is started     |

| 00        | 14     | code not used                                         |

| 11        | 14     | Pre-memory CPU initialization is started              |

| 5C        | 14     | Reserved for future AMI error codes                   |

| 55        | 15     | Memory not installed                                  |

| 31        | 16     | Memory Installed                                      | RAM end    |

| 7F        | 17     | Reserved for future AMI DXE codes                     |

| 00        | 18     | code not used                                         |

| 20        | 18     | ???                                                   |

| 5F        | 18     | Reserved for future AMI error codes                   |

| 80        | 18     | ???                                                   |

| 65        | 18     | CPU DXE initialization is started                     | CPU  start |

| 7F        | 18     | Reserved for future AMI DXE codes                     |

| 60        | 19     | DXE Core is started                                   |

| 61        | 19     | NVRAM initialization                                  |

| 62        | 19     | Installation of the PCH Runtime Services              |

| 69        | 19     | System Agent DXE initialization is started            |

| 24        | 19     | ???                                                   |

| 62        | 19     | Installation of the PCH Runtime Services              |

| 7f        | 19     | Reserved for future AMI DXE codes                     |

| 94        | 20     | PCI Bus Enumeration                                   |

| 96        | 20     | PCI Bus Assign Resources                              |

| 99        | 20     | Super IO Initialization                               |

| 91        | 20     | Driver connecting is started                          |

| 92        | 20     | PCI Bus initialization is started                     |

| 97        | 21     | Console Output devices connect                        |

| 9c        | 21     | USB Detect                                            |

| b4        | 34     | USB hot plug                                          |

| 99        | 34     | Super IO Initialization                               |

| b4        | 35     | USB hot plug                                          |

| 99        | 36     | Super IO Initialization                               |

| 9c        | 46     | USB Detect                                            |

| b4        | 46     | USB hot plug                                          |

| 92        | 46     | PCI Bus initialization is started                     |

| 98        | 47     | Console input devices connect                         |

| --        | 51     | switch to temparature - os booting                    | OS BOOT    |

| --        | 59     | os boot finished                                      | -          |

[Milinko01]

Check for BIOS update 

 

Unplug ALL USB except keyboard

 

Unplug ALL drives and Check boot times into BIOS

 

return with results for further assistance.  

[Dedayog]

All this takes 40 seconds... I was going to mention DDR5 RAM learning, but that was only 20 seconds.  Is your BIOS set to default?  Any tweaking you did?

 

| 9c        | 21     | USB Detect                                            |

| b4        | 34     | USB hot plug                                          |

| 99        | 34     | Super IO Initialization                               |

| b4        | 35     | USB hot plug                                          |

| 99        | 36     | Super IO Initialization                               |

| 9c        | 46     | USB Detect                                            |

| b4        | 46     | USB hot plug                                          |

| 92        | 46     | PCI Bus initialization is started                     |

| 98        | 47     | Console input devices connect                         |

| --        | 51     | switch to temparature - os booting                    | OS BOOT    |

| --        | 59     | os boot finished                                      | -          |

[2sysel2]

44 minutes ago, Milinko01 said:

Check for BIOS update 

 

Unplug ALL USB except keyboard

 

Unplug ALL drives and Check boot times into BIOS

 

return with results for further assistance.  

bios up to date (0813)

 

no usb devices (except keyboard) - 30s post

no usb devices (except keyboard) + only boot drive - 27s post

 

gonna try individual USB devices tomorrow (and also plugging them directly into the MB)

 

14 minutes ago, Dedayog said:

All this takes 40 seconds... I was going to mention DDR5 RAM learning, but that was only 20 seconds.  Is your BIOS set to default?  Any tweaking you did?

 

| 9c        | 21     | USB Detect                                            |

| b4        | 34     | USB hot plug                                          |

| 99        | 34     | Super IO Initialization                               |

| b4        | 35     | USB hot plug                                          |

| 99        | 36     | Super IO Initialization                               |

| 9c        | 46     | USB Detect                                            |

| b4        | 46     | USB hot plug                                          |

| 92        | 46     | PCI Bus initialization is started                     |

| 98        | 47     | Console input devices connect                         |

| --        | 51     | switch to temparature - os booting                    | OS BOOT    |

| --        | 59     | os boot finished                                      | -          |

Regarding the DDR5 learning - my understanding was that this was supposed to be done once when new ram is detected not on every boot - but it seems like the ram takes 15-20s every time. Am I missing something ?

 

Regarding BIOS changes - not much:

• enabled XMP
• disabled multicore enhancement
• enabled Intel RST (used for Raid0 of the old MX100)
• switched mode of last PCIe slot to support both the SSDs on Hyper m.2 card
• fan curves

 

Usb devices also seem to take long time to be detected in windows (I can see my desktop without mouse/keyboard being detected - when booting with them plugged in).

Also it looks like the USB devices get disconnected after the POST finishes and then reconnected when OS boots (backlight going off)

[2sysel2]

I figured out what was causing the slow USB detection - I have a usb switch from pluggable (https://plugable.com/products/usb3-switch2 older version) which I use for switching between my main rig and work laptop - the curious thing is that my previous rig didn't have a problem with this.

 

Still no clue on the ram taking around 20 seconds.

[Robchil]

57 minutes ago, 2sysel2 said:

Still no clue on the ram taking around 20 seconds.

try to rewrite bios and reset.. 

sounds like the ram training don't set properly. 

 

[Dedayog]

2 hours ago, 2sysel2 said:

I figured out what was causing the slow USB detection - I have a usb switch from pluggable (https://plugable.com/products/usb3-switch2 older version) which I use for switching between my main rig and work laptop - the curious thing is that my previous rig didn't have a problem with this.

 

Still no clue on the ram taking around 20 seconds.

 

1 hour ago, Robchil said:

try to rewrite bios and reset.. 

sounds like the ram training don't set properly. 

 

DDR5 always takes this long, at least mine does no matter what I change in BIOS.  I can make it longer by enabling the full training crap in BIOS tho.

[Robchil]

34 minutes ago, Dedayog said:

 

DDR5 always takes this long, at least mine does no matter what I change in BIOS.  I can make it longer by enabling the full training crap in BIOS tho.

we used to have a setting doing quick boot.. not retraining.. is it completly gone now?  or is that's what you have on? 

 

[2sysel2]

2 hours ago, Robchil said:

we used to have a setting doing quick boot.. not retraining.. is it completly gone now?  or is that's what you have on? 

 

I have that enabled, but 20s for RAM POST check every time seems insane

[Heliian]

Is that raid setup maybe slowing it down?  

 

Oh, also, is the ram in the correct slots? 

[2sysel2]

14 hours ago, Heliian said:

Is that raid setup maybe slowing it down?  

 

Oh, also, is the ram in the correct slots? 

Don't think it's the RST - with only the boot drive connected (which is a single ssd) it got around 3s faster

 

Ram is in all the slots 4x16

[Heliian]

20 hours ago, 2sysel2 said:

4x16

Have you tried only 2?

 

 

[2sysel2]

5 hours ago, Heliian said:

Have you tried only 2?

 

 

no, why ?

[Heliian]

The qvl only lists 6000mts ram for 4 slots. 

 

 

[2sysel2]

23 hours ago, Heliian said:

The qvl only lists 6000mts ram for 4 slots. 

 

 

ok, didn't want to mess around with getting the ram out today (hardline tubes), but what I tried is disabling XMP (so 4800) with 4 sticks and there is basically no difference (~20s to get past memory check) after the first boot with the new settings (first boot with new settings takes around 50s for the memory check)

[Heliian]

I would still try with only 2 sticks.  Sometimes 2 kits, even if they're the same brand can cause problems.

 

Bummer about the hardlines.

 

 

[Robchil]

2 hours ago, 2sysel2 said:

ok, didn't want to mess around with getting the ram out today (hardline tubes), but what I tried is disabling XMP (so 4800) with 4 sticks and there is basically no difference (~20s to get past memory check) after the first boot with the new settings (first boot with new settings takes around 50s for the memory check)

you have a drain port i hope.. 

[2sysel2]

29 minutes ago, Robchil said:

you have a drain port i hope.. 

yep, might actually not need it as originally the tubes were tall enough to clear corsair dominators so there might be enough space to pull them out it will just be annoying

1 hour ago, Heliian said:

I would still try with only 2 sticks.  Sometimes 2 kits, even if they're the same brand can cause problems.

 

Bummer about the hardlines.

yeah, planning to try on the weekend

[Robchil]

1 hour ago, 2sysel2 said:

yep, might actually not need it as originally the tubes were tall enough to clear corsair dominators so there might be enough space to pull them out it will just be annoying

good planing..

[2sysel2]

took me a while to get back to it - tested with 2 sticks in slots a2-b2 and that took about 4s off the RAM time (so 16s instead of 20)

[Jasueh]

Hey guys! New in the forum, I'm seeing the same behaviour. I thought that it was XMP trying to learn about the memory but setting it to auto which is the default, is doing the same, I was able to see cycling 2 times, and then booting up, and is around 38 secs until I get to Windows Login 

[problemsolver]

On 2/2/2023 at 7:35 PM, 2sysel2 said:

bios up to date (0813)

 

no usb devices (except keyboard) - 30s post

no usb devices (except keyboard) + only boot drive - 27s post

 

gonna try individual USB devices tomorrow (and also plugging them directly into the MB)

 

Regarding the DDR5 learning - my understanding was that this was supposed to be done once when new ram is detected not on every boot - but it seems like the ram takes 15-20s every time. Am I missing something ?

 

Regarding BIOS changes - not much:

• enabled XMP
• disabled multicore enhancement
• enabled Intel RST (used for Raid0 of the old MX100)
• switched mode of last PCIe slot to support both the SSDs on Hyper m.2 card
• fan curves

 

Usb devices also seem to take long time to be detected in windows (I can see my desktop without mouse/keyboard being detected - when booting with them plugged in).

Also it looks like the USB devices get disconnected after the POST finishes and then reconnected when OS boots (backlight going off)

1. Is this a fresh Windows install and if so, what version? (Asking to determine if you have a drive in MBR instead of GPT format which could affect POST times.)
2. I couldn't tell from your posts if you disabled RST or if you simply removed the drives to see how long it took to POST.  (Obviously Windows won't load due to you running RAID 0, but you'll now have a benchmark for the "perfect" scenario)  I haven't used a new MOBO, but older MOBOs with RST have to load an additional OROM (optional ROM) which adds significant time to each POST.
3. And what I would guess is the most likely culprit TL;DR  Lots of 3rd-party chips that slow down POST times.  Want faster boot?  Try disabling things you don't need.  i.e. Thunderbolt, 3rd-party OROMs for SATA controllers etc.
4. You also don't mention your GPU.  If it's an older GPU, you could try manually setting your PCI-E slots to the older version i.e. 3.0 or 4.0

[2sysel2]

On 3/8/2023 at 3:32 AM, problemsolver said:

1. Is this a fresh Windows install and if so, what version? (Asking to determine if you have a drive in MBR instead of GPT format which could affect POST times.)
2. I couldn't tell from your posts if you disabled RST or if you simply removed the drives to see how long it took to POST.  (Obviously Windows won't load due to you running RAID 0, but you'll now have a benchmark for the "perfect" scenario)  I haven't used a new MOBO, but older MOBOs with RST have to load an additional OROM (optional ROM) which adds significant time to each POST.
3. And what I would guess is the most likely culprit TL;DR  Lots of 3rd-party chips that slow down POST times.  Want faster boot?  Try disabling things you don't need.  i.e. Thunderbolt, 3rd-party OROMs for SATA controllers etc.
4. You also don't mention your GPU.  If it's an older GPU, you could try manually setting your PCI-E slots to the older version i.e. 3.0 or 4.0

1. Yes it is a fresh install of Win 11 (whatever the latest ISO was available at the end of January) and it is GPT format

2. I didn't try just disabling RST, but I tried disabling RST + pulling all the non OS drives out (2 old SATA drives I use RST with + Asus m2 carrier card which comes with the MOBO) - with just the boot drive (Samsung 980Pro) the post got about 3-4 seconds faster

3. Will try some of that but I'd say my main issue is the memory training/check + extremely slow detection of USB devices if they are behind USB switch

4. 2080Ti, so yeah, PCIe 3, will try switching that if it makes any difference, can resizable bar have some impact if it's on but not supported by the card (was on by default and I just left it like that)

 

Also I noticed that there is a new BIOS out for the MB so I'll update it - it mentions "Support high-capacity DDR5 memory kits" but that is not very specific