Fresh build takes a very long time to POST & boot

[Kywim]

Hello!

 

My new build is up and running since wednesday, but it takes a long time to post.

• +- 20s of no signal
• +- 5s of Mobo splashscreen
• +- 5s of windows loading (circle w/ mobo logo)
• +- 20s of more windows loading (just the circle on black background)

This is pretty annoying, especially the 20s of no signal when I turn my computer on. How can I fix this? 

 

Everything is stock in BIOS except the RAM that I set to 3000mhz (it's a 3600mhz RAM anyway)

Here is the specs:

• CPU: Ryzen 2700x
• Mobo: Asus Strix x470-F Gaming
• RAM: HyperX 2*8GB 3600mhz RAM (B-Die)
• GPU: EVGA 1080Ti FTW3
• Boot drive: Samsung 850 Evo 500gb
• Secondary HDD: 2To Seagate Barracuda

Some people recommended me to do a BIOS update, would that help? I'm really anxious about doing one, so I'll do it only if it guarantees a result. My BIOS version is 4018, latest is 4024.

 

Thank you for your help!

[xentropa]

Try powering the comp with only cpu, minimum RAM and video card.  See if getting to the no bootable devices error message takes just as long.  

[Master Disaster]

Yeah, I'd agree with a BIOS update. Especially considering you're board is from a brand new SKU.

 

If you ever buy a board that comes on the initial release BIOS ALWAYS update it.

 

You've got nothing to worry about, modern boards have so much anti brick protection the process is incredibly safe, just about the only thinb that can go wrong is a power cut mid flash.

[Kywim]

13 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

Yeah, I'd agree with a BIOS update. Especially considering you're board is from a brand new SKU.

 

If you ever buy a board that comes on the initial release BIOS ALWAYS update it.

 

You've got nothing to worry about, modern boards have so much anti brick protection the process is incredibly safe, just about the only thinb that can go wrong is a power cut mid flash.

It's not the release BIOS, https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-X470-F-GAMING/HelpDesk_BIOS/. There is only one update to do. I guess I'll try that if all else fails.

15 minutes ago, xentropa said:

Try powering the comp with only cpu, minimum RAM and video card.  See if getting to the no bootable devices error message takes just as long.  

Tomorrow I plan to try it with no USB devices, if that fails, I'll try without the HDD/SSD.

 

I'll also try to look at the debug led on my mobo while it's posting. It might give me some useful information.

[AngryBeaver]

This might not be the case, but I have also seen this issue when ram or cpu settings are unstable. The machine keeps trying to boot and it fails a few times and eventually reduces the speed of the component until it successfully boots. Normally you would get a bios message for this letting you know.

 

Have you tried resetting to factory defaults and/or clearing the cmos? I would give those a try too.

[Kywim]

Just now, AngryBeaver said:

This might not be the case, but I have also seen this issue when ram or cpu settings are unstable. The machine keeps trying to boot and it fails a few times and eventually reduces the speed of the component until it successfully boots. Normally you would get a bios message for this letting you know.

 

Have you tried resetting to factory defaults and/or clearing the cmos? I would give those a try too.

The only settings I changed in the BIOS is the RAM speed. I selected the default preset for 3000mhz. My RAM should be capable of 3600mhz so I don't see why it would be an issue. No CPU settings have been changed whatsoever but if the problem persists I'll try to reset the settings.

[Master Disaster]

7 minutes ago, Kywim said:

It's not the release BIOS, https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-X470-F-GAMING/HelpDesk_BIOS/. There is only one update to do. I guess I'll try that if all else fails.

Tomorrow I plan to try it with no USB devices, if that fails, I'll try without the HDD/SSD.

 

I'll also try to look at the debug led on my mobo while it's posting. It might give me some useful information.

It is the release BIOS, that's why there's only one update.

[Kywim]

Just now, Master Disaster said:

It is the release BIOS, that's why there's only one update.

Oh, I thought that by the release BIOS you meant the very first version, sorry!

[Master Disaster]

Just now, Kywim said:

Oh, I thought that by the release BIOS you meant the very first version, sorry!

I did and I was wrong, you were right. There's other earlier versions that are hidden.

[AngryBeaver]

26 minutes ago, Kywim said:

The only settings I changed in the BIOS is the RAM speed. I selected the default preset for 3000mhz. My RAM should be capable of 3600mhz so I don't see why it would be an issue. No CPU settings have been changed whatsoever but if the problem persists I'll try to reset the settings.

The default preset for 3000 might not have the correct timing for your ram. If you were going to increase the speed of your ram you should have just used the XMP profile. Either way this is something easy to eliminate by a quick bios reset. So instead of doing all of these other more involved items first... take the 5 minutes needed to change this and test it.

[homeap5]

You have premium motherboard and you set only ram speed? And you're surprised that your POST takes so long?

Spend some more time to configure BIOS. You can find many settings that speed up booting process - from testing ram every start (you can disable it) to enable faster boot.

[Kywim]

12 minutes ago, AngryBeaver said:

The default preset for 3000 might not have the correct timing for your ram. If you were going to increase the speed of your ram you should have just used the XMP profile. Either way this is something easy to eliminate by a quick bios reset. So instead of doing all of these other more involved items first... take the 5 minutes needed to change this and test it.

If it has incorrect timings (too loose) can this affect boot speed?

 

2 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

You have premium motherboard and you set only ram speed? And you're surprised that your POST takes so long?

Spend some more time to configure BIOS. You can find many settings that speed up booting process - from testing ram every start (you can disable it) to enable faster boot.

For the first few days I decided that I won't mess too much with the settings so I could enjoy my new setup and play some games with my friends. This weekend I'll probably tweak the RAM timings for Ryzen using the Ryzen DRAM calculator, that's about it.

Can you give me some examples of settings that affect POST time? I couldn't find any obvious one except the BIOS splashscreen delay (which I reduced to 1s instead of 3 by default) and Fastboot (enabled by default).

 

[homeap5]

Just now, Kywim said:

Can you give me some examples of settings that affect POST time?

Sorry, BIOSes are different and manuals for them are limited, so you must find by yourself.

Somewhere in OC ram settings you may find testing/trying memory - if everything works, disable it.

Enter every setting you can in BIOS and if you don't understand it - read info on internet. You can decrease POST time a lot. Especially on Asus motherboards - they're overpriced but I must admit that Asus has best BIOSes I ever seen (if we're talking about functions - especially missing in other BIOSes).

[Kywim]

I'm currently trying to use DOCP 3000mhz profile. I couldn't find it originally, it was hidden, but now I enabled it. Let's see if it changes something. My old profile was DOCP 3600mhz but downclocked to 3000mhz, so it has loose timings (CL18) with low frequency. Not it went down to CL15 I think.

 

EDIT: Wording

[xentropa]

If you adjust your RAM speed, you need to change the timings accordingly.

 

increasing stock memory frequency by X% requires CAS timings to be increased by that same amount for the same stability.

[Kywim]

Hey,

 

Today I checked the debug leds during the POST. I felt like the POST was a bit shorter, but here's what happened:

• +- 3s of DRAM (Yellow)
• +- 1s of CPU (Red)
• +- 5s of DRAM (Yellow)
• +- 1s of VGA (White)
• Boot 

The led went back to DRAM after trying to go to CPU. I don't know if that's normal. My computer did not look like it restarted to I guess it's normal?