[SOLVED] Asus STRIX GTX970 4GB - Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit boot time issue

[PCMA187]

Hello,

After I installed the above mentioned GPU this week I noticed that boot time to desktop has increased significantly, from ~20 seconds to over a minute.
Booting goes like it did before except that now it stays on the windows "Welcome" screen for over 30 seconds, then a black screen with the mouse visible for about 5 more seconds and only then the desktop.
The GPU is installed into the PCI-E X16 slot, connected with an 8 pin cable to the PSU and with a DP cable to the monitor.
Most recent Nvidia driver was installed only after the GPU itself.

What could cause this ?

Specs:
Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit - Installed on a 240GB SSD drive
Asus STRIX GTX970 4GB
Intel I5 4690 3.5 Ghz
2X4GB RAM DDR3
500GB HDD
PSU 750 Watt

 

[GhostWPT]

Hello, are you running the latest GPU bios?
I have the same gpu and I don't have this problem, if the problem persists maybe it will help if you reinstall your windows.

 

[PCMA187]

Hello, are you running the latest GPU bios?
I have the same gpu and I don't have this problem, if the problem persists maybe it will help if you reinstall your windows.

I dont know if its up to date, how can I check it and how to update it if needed ?

I know for a fact that my motherboard BIOS version isn't up to date - are they the same thing ?

 

[GhostWPT]

I dont know if its up to date, how can I check it and how to update it if needed ?

I know for a fact that my motherboard BIOS version isn't up to date - are they the same thing ?

No, this is not the same thing, but you can update the motherboard bios as well, to find out your GPU bios, just download Gpu tweak 2 from ASUS, or GPU Z.
You should find the latest GPU bios and GPU tweak 2 here https://www.asus.com/ro/SupportOnly/STRIX-GTX970-DC2OC-4GD5/HelpDesk_Download/

The GPU bios update is pretty straightforward, just run the setup and let it do its thing, and after that restart your system.

 

[PCMA187]

No, this is not the same thing, but you can update the motherboard bios as well, to find out your GPU bios, just download Gpu tweak 2 from ASUS, or GPU Z.
You should find the latest GPU bios and GPU tweak 2 here https://www.asus.com/ro/SupportOnly/STRIX-GTX970-DC2OC-4GD5/HelpDesk_Download/

The GPU bios update is pretty straightforward, just run the setup and let it do its thing, and after that restart your system.

I did download GPU Tweak 2 just to monitor performance, I'll try as I get a chance and come back with an update, thanks.

 

[PCMA187]

I did download GPU Tweak 2 just to monitor performance, I'll try as I get a chance and come back with an update, thanks.

I downloaded the VBIOS update from the site you mentioned and when I unpacked and ran the installation it said that my GPU doesn't need a BIOS update

I noticed that it also gave the option to download a VGA driver, which it said is the Nvidia game ready driver which I already have the latest version of, maybe it causes the problem ?

About the system BIOS, how should I update it ?
I dont really know much about it and I know it can mess up stuff with my computer.

How should I proceed ?

 

[GhostWPT]

First, you should perform a clean driver installation, namely, you remove all Nvidia drivers with DDU tool and then, you reinstall your drivers using geforce experience, it should download the latest version available right away.

Regarding the update of your motherboard bios, go to your motherboard website, then go to support and download your latest bios from there. After you do this, plug in an empty USB drive and copy your bios there, after you have extracted it, it should be a Cap file. Restart your computer and hit delete and then proceed to install it.

Make sure you don't loose power while updating, because this should broke the motherboard.

 

[PCMA187]

I did use Nvidia cleanup tool which removed all Nvidia features from my computer and then re-installed the latest driver, it didn't help the problem, and like I said, I also tried update the GPU VBIOS and I got a message saying I do not need to update the VBIOS.

Until now I didn't have this problem, only after I changed my graphics card to the current one.

I tried to re-seat the graphics card and RAM sticks, also didn't help...

How do you think I should proceed ? What could be the cause for this ?

 

[GhostWPT]

Have you tried to reinstall your windows?
Or maybe you should install windows 10, windows 7 is pretty old by now.

 

[John Chesterfield]

Have you tried to reinstall your windows?
Or maybe you should install windows 10, windows 7 is pretty old by now.

You have not given great advice here considering these are the first troubleshooting steps, jumping to major stuff like VBIOS and motherboard BIOS upgrades without even trying to troubleshoot the hardware itself first. Because that is what has changed, this new piece of hardware.

I realise you have good intentions and are trying to help, but users can fairly easily brick a graphics card when flashing VBIOSes. Flashing motherboard BIOSes is also something you'd do at a more later stage if all other steps have failed or unless you happen to know that a certain BIOS is needed for a certain piece of hardware and motherboard. Not to flame you, but you jumped to some pretty major stuff very quickly and that is not good troubleshooting as you haven't even asked the motherboard model. So I really do not understand you suggesting a BIOS update without knowing that?

OP, this happened since you installed the 970 and it appears to happen when Windows is loading drivers. If you have installed these drivers correctly, which I expect you have, I'd be trying the card in another system to ensure that the hardware itself is okay. If the issue follows the hardware, the hardware is at fault. Where did you get the 970?

Also, your power supply just says '750 Watt'. That is not enough information to know if this unit is providing stable power and the full 750 watts on the 12v rail. I very much doubt that this is the issue, but it needs ruling out so please provide the brand and model of the power supply.

Before doing any of those two things above, try disabling all startup items except for the necessary ones in Windows and only leave basic peripherals connected and then retry.

 

[PCMA187]

You have not given great advice here considering these are the first troubleshooting steps, jumping to major stuff like VBIOS and motherboard BIOS upgrades without even trying to troubleshoot the hardware itself first. Because that is what has changed, this new piece of hardware.

I realise you have good intentions and are trying to help, but users can fairly easily brick a graphics card when flashing VBIOSes. Flashing motherboard BIOSes is also something you'd do at a more later stage if all other steps have failed or unless you happen to know that a certain BIOS is needed for a certain piece of hardware and motherboard. Not to flame you, but you jumped to some pretty major stuff very quickly and that is not good troubleshooting as you haven't even asked the motherboard model. So I really do not understand you suggesting a BIOS update without knowing that?

OP, this happened since you installed the 970 and it appears to happen when Windows is loading drivers. If you have installed these drivers correctly, which I expect you have, I'd be trying the card in another system to ensure that the hardware itself is okay. If the issue follows the hardware, the hardware is at fault. Where did you get the 970?

Also, your power supply just says '750 Watt'. That is not enough information to know if this unit is providing stable power and the full 750 watts on the 12v rail. I very much doubt that this is the issue, but it needs ruling out so please provide the brand and model of the power supply.

Before doing any of those two things above, try disabling all startup items except for the necessary ones in Windows and only leave basic peripherals connected and then retry.

To answer your questions, the GPU isn't new, I bought it from a private seller, according to him it was never OC'd and used only for gaming for 7 months or so since new, the rest of the time it spend in storage, before buying I checked for physical damage and also temp issues with GPU Tweak II and found that it didn't have any problems, if there's something else I should check please let me know, max temp was ~55c under load and games run fairly smooth on the higher end of graphic settings, only thing I noticed is coil whine under load, which I know is common with these cards, to be sure I also ran the card's serial code on Asus' warranty site just to rule out its not a fake or something.

About the PSU, its an FSP Raider RA750, its been there since the PC was built back in 2015.

Could it be the fact I'm using a Displayport cable ?
The VBIOS update decription said it fixed DP compatibility issues that these cards had, even though it said I do not need the update.

 

[spentshells]

Have you serviced the gpu with a cleaning or fresh thermal paste?

I would try that first

Reinstall the GPU drivers using ddu
Google it,

Reinstall windows. Or chase down the oil fix you requiire.

 

[PCMA187]

Have you serviced the gpu with a cleaning or fresh thermal paste?

I would try that first

Reinstall the GPU drivers using ddu
Google it,

Reinstall windows. Or chase down the oil fix you requiire.

I checked the thermal paste before installing it and it seemed to be OK, temps under load also good at around 55 degrees Celsius.

I tried downloading DDU and honestly, I don't know how to use it in a way that wont mess up the problem further.

And... oil fix ?

 

[Satan-IR]

I'd say don't worry it can't "mess up the problem further". It's a software with a very specific purpose.

The purpose is remove the graphics driver and all that it does to various parts of the system (registry and all). Then you install a clean driver from scratch. It's safe to use DDU.

There's also another utility called NVCleanstall which gives you the option of choosing what to install and what not to install when you install nVidia drivers (cause a lot of utilities and programs are installed during a normal driver installation such as nVidia HD audio via HDMI drivers, Geforce Experience, Ansel, Telemetry, ShadowPlay, NV Contailer etc. which can somehow be considered not that necessary if you don't need/use them). You can only choose to install the graphics driver (required) and PhysX and what you might need.

Or you can just rund the nVidia driver installer as is and do an Express of Costum install. Anyway it's better checking with clean set of graphics driver before trying to update the MOBO or card BIOS. Those can actually further mess up. There's a small chance a botched BIOS update would brick either mobo or graphics card.

 

[PCMA187]

I'd say don't worry it can't "mess up the problem further". It's a software with a very specific purpose.

The purpose is remove the graphics driver and all that it does to various parts of the system (registry and all). Then you install a clean driver from scratch. It's safe to use DDU.

There's also another utility called NVCleanstall which gives you the option of choosing what to install and what not to install when you install nVidia drivers (cause a lot of utilities and programs are installed during a normal driver installation such as nVidia HD audio via HDMI drivers, Geforce Experience, Ansel, Telemetry, ShadowPlay, NV Contailer etc. which can somehow be considered not that necessary if you don't need/use them). You can only choose to install the graphics driver (required) and PhysX and what you might need.

Or you can just rund the nVidia driver installer as is and do an Express of Costum install. Anyway it's better checking with clean set of graphics driver before trying to update the MOBO or card BIOS. Those can actually further mess up. There's a small chance a botched BIOS update would brick either mobo or graphics card.

I'll try both and come up with the results.

Also, can dxdiag or msinfo files will help here to find out what the problem is ?

 

[PCMA187]

Today I tired once again to re-install the drivers, again with Nvidia Cleanup Tool, only this time I first got the GPU out of the system first, then ran Nvidia Cleanup Tool and only then re-installed the GPU into the system and installed the Nvidia driver, now without Geforce experience, and the problem is now solved.

I appreciate all the help from you guys.