[SOLVED] Boot problem with new build

[mois23]

Dear users,

that's my first post in the forum and I sincerely hope you can give me a hand.

I bought a custom build on a well-known online store that I use for work (Simulations and 3D Rendering). These are the main features:

Case
COOLERMASTER MASTERCASE H500M GAMING CASE
Processor (CPU)
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X 32 Core CPU (3.7GHz - 4.5GHz, 147MB CACHE)
Motherboard
Gigabyte TRX40 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi 6: ATX, USB 3.2 - ARGB Ready
Memory (RAM)
128GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (8 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
24GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3090 - HDMI, DP
1st Storage Drive
6TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 256MB CACHE
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SEAGATE FIRECUDA 520 GEN 4 PCIe NVMe (up to 5000MB/R, 4400MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB SEAGATE FIRECUDA 520 GEN 4 PCIe NVMe (up to 5000MB/R, 4400MB/W)
Power Supply
CORSAIR 1200W HX SERIES™ MODULAR 80 PLUS® PLATINUM, ULTRA QUIET
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre UK Power Cable (Kettle Lead)
Processor Cooling
CoolerMaster MasterLiquid ML360 RGB TR4 High Performance Liquid Cooler

Unfortunately, the computer has been in trouble since the beginning and I have already sent it for service twice. Today is the third time I received it back and the problem still remains.

When the computer is shutdown for a long time (at least 2/3 hours) when I turn it on, nothing happens. No bios beeps, black screen, just spinning fans.

I made a video of the problem https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CWR_13yW_52CJ1beCI-XzVOouHoSD-Rc/view?usp=sharing

As you can see I have to wait at least 3/4 minutes before the PC starts loading the bios. During these 3/4 minutes, on the motherboard, of the four red LEDs relating to CPU, DRAM, VGA and BOOT, the one that remains on the most at the beginning is always the CPU. Several minutes later the light switches to VGA DRAM and finally BOOT. Then the PC starts up normally.

Once started, the computer works perfectly. Programs run, benchmarks and stress tests are successful. If I reboot or switch off and on again within a few minutes, the boot is perfect.

The first time I sent for assistance they said the problem was the MoBo and the CPU and then they are replaced. However, the problem persists. The second time, they replaced all the components, and it turns out that the PSU was damaged. The computer comes back from technical support this morning and once again I have the same problem.

I tried to unplug and reattach all cables on the motherboard. I did a Clear CMOS. I have done the reseating of RAM and GPU. Dowgraded and upgraded the BIOS. But all this does not solve the problem.

I have called for assistance and I am reminded that it is normal that the PC, after being turned off for a long time, needs more time to enter the post. It stinks me a bit, because the first two times I sent back (according to them) they found and fixed the problem, so why this time is normal while the first two times not? I even marked the serial numbers of the components and found that the components have actually all been replaced this time.

I would like your opinion on it. What could be the problem? Is it true that these boot times are normal?
Could it be that my wall socket does not deliver enough power and therefore this causes slowdowns in the post phase? (I'm really thinking about them all)

I really hope you can help me unravel this problem. I would just like to understand if it is really my problem or the PC has something wrong.

 

[mois23]

...No one?

 

[Quanticriver]

...No one?

Given the amount of troubleshooting that has been done, i'd just breadboard the system

try to boot it with 1 ramstick, and the ssd that holds your OS, no GPU, just plug your dvi/hdmi/display port straight into your mobo

Let us know how it went, and we'll proceed from there

 

[mois23]

Thank you so much for your reply. Since it is a while that I have this problem (first time I received the machine was at the end of February), I already tried everything I could:

• Reseating all components and unplug and plug all cables again;
• Removed and placed mobo battery;
• Replaced mobo battery with a new one;
• Boot with single RAM (Did the same in quad channel);
• Removed all Disks;
• Removed GPU;
• Upgraded or Downgraded Bios;
• Disabled/Enabled XMP profile;
• Disabled/Enabled Fast Boot;
• Made a downvoltage of CPU;
• Cleared CMOS;
• Kept machine off without PSU;
• Used a surge protector;

All these actions did not solve the problem. If Machine is shutdown for at least 2 hours, then it won't post quickly. I need to wait several minutes before starts booting properly. This morning, after an overnight shutdown, I waited for 10 minutes.

Technical Support also replaced all components with new one and installed a new PSU. Nothing.

 

[Quanticriver]

Thank you so much for your reply. Since it is a while that I have this problem (first time I received the machine was at the end of February), I already tried everything I could:

• Reseating all components and unplug and plug all cables again;
• Removed and placed mobo battery;
• Replaced mobo battery with a new one;
• Boot with single RAM (Did the same in quad channel);
• Removed all Disks;
• Removed GPU;
• Upgraded or Downgraded Bios;
• Disabled/Enabled XMP profile;
• Disabled/Enabled Fast Boot;
• Made a downvoltage of CPU;
• Cleared CMOS;
• Kept machine off without PSU;
• Used a surge protector;

All these actions did not solve the problem. If Machine is shutdown for at least 2 hours, then it won't post quickly. I need to wait several minutes before starts booting properly. This morning, after an overnight shutdown, I waited for 10 minutes.

Technical Support also replaced all components with new one and installed a new PSU. Nothing.

Your boot drive may casue this problem

Try the following:

create a hiren boot stick
instructions here

USB Booting | Hiren's BootCD PE

boot your machine from the stick (use the boot menu)

let us know if that does anything

 

[mois23]

Your boot drive may casue this problem

Try the following:

create a hiren boot stick
instructions here

USB Booting | Hiren's BootCD PE

boot your machine from the stick (use the boot menu)

let us know if that does anything

Do I need to remove SSD before booting from Stick, or I can keep them?

 

[Quanticriver]

Do I need to remove SSD before booting from Stick, or I can keep them?

you can keep the ssd installed

 

[mois23]

you can keep the ssd installed

Thanks, just last question. I downloaded windows ISO and I'm using ISO2USB.exe to copy it into USB Stick. Then I need to make the stick as first boot option in BIOS, correct?

 

[Quanticriver]

Thanks, just last question. I downloaded windows ISO and I'm using ISO2USB.exe to copy it into USB Stick. Then I need to make the stick as first boot option in BIOS, correct?

this is a way to do it, it would be much more effecient to have find the "boot menu key" for your mobo

this summons a "one time boot menu" so it will only boot from the chosen media once, in our case the usb stick

goal is to see if the boot is faster, without using the ssd, also can you unplug all other hdd' ssd?

 

[mois23]

this is a way to do it, it would be much more effecient to have find the "boot menu key" for your mobo

this summons a "one time boot menu" so it will only boot from the chosen media once, in our case the usb stick

goal is to see if the boot is faster, without using the ssd, also can you unplug all other hdd' ssd?

I removed the two SSDs and the HDD. I waited two hours (usually after this time it gave me problems).
In the meantime I have prepared the USB with a Linux Lite live distro.

Once switch on, it appears that the problem has improved a bit. After pressing the power button, the light of the mobo was stopped on the CPU for about thirty seconds. It later moved on to DRAM, VGA, and finally BOOT. So the computer goes into just over a minute. (Is it an acceptable time?)

With the USB stick attached, Linux starts normally.

I turn off and reconnect SSD and HDD again.

I made a clear CMOS, replaced the backup battery with a new one and restarted the computer. Again the PC enters the post after about a minute. Obviously I will have to wait another 2/3 hours to check if it works or not.


At the moment, removing the disks from the computer seems to give good hope. In that case, if discs were really the problem .. what should I do?

 

[Quanticriver]

I removed the two SSDs and the HDD. I waited two hours (usually after this time it gave me problems).
In the meantime I have prepared the USB with a Linux Lite live distro.

Once switch on, it appears that the problem has improved a bit. After pressing the power button, the light of the mobo was stopped on the CPU for about thirty seconds. It later moved on to DRAM, VGA, and finally BOOT. So the computer goes into just over a minute. (Is it an acceptable time?)

With the USB stick attached, Linux starts normally.

I turn off and reconnect SSD and HDD again.

I made a clear CMOS, replaced the backup battery with a new one and restarted the computer. Again the PC enters the post after about a minute. Obviously I will have to wait another 2/3 hours to check if it works or not.


At the moment, removing the disks from the computer seems to give good hope. In that case, if discs were really the problem .. what should I do?

It is VERY probable that the ssd where your os is installed is borked

STEP 1:

insert one of your other ssd's into the pc (as the only ssd/hdd) make a win 10 usb install stick

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-99a58364-8c02-206f-aa6f-40c3b507420d

STEP 2:

and install a new os on the ssd (no key required, the key is bound to your motherboard, so when you have internet the activation process wil happen automatically

STEP 3:

if this fixes the issue, mark my answer as best

STEP 4:
Go to another store/pc guy next time you have issues on your pc

I have called for assistance and I am reminded that it is normal that the PC, after being turned off for a long time, needs more time to enter the post. It stinks me a bit, because the first two times I sent back (according to them) they found and fixed the problem, so why this time is normal while the first two times not?

I call BS on this one

ALTERNATIVE:

if it doesn't help, report back here, and disregard step 3 and 4

also 1 min boot time is acceptable but should be faster, pls "load optimized defaults" into your bios

 

[USAFRet]

I bought a custom build on a well-known online store

From where?

and I have already sent it for service twice. Today is the third time I received it back and the problem still remains.

I'd be thinking about a refund and getting something else.

You should not have these issues, nor have to troubleshoot it.

 

[mois23]

From where?


I'd be thinking about a refund and getting something else.

You should not have these issues, nor have to troubleshoot it.

I bought from PC Specialist UK. I totally agree with you.

However I noticed that lot of people with new M2 4th gen have problem with post in windows. Some people suggest to change from legacy to UEFI boot. But I'm thinking to downgrade my system with ONE single SSD (not M2) and a HDD. Do you think it will help?

 

[USAFRet]

I bought from PC Specialist UK. I totally agree with you.

However I noticed that lot of people with new M2 4th gen have problem with post in windows. Some people suggest to change from legacy to UEFI boot. But I'm thinking to downgrade my system with ONE single SSD (not M2) and a HDD. Do you think it will help?

As above, breadboard. Reduce it down to a minimal config, and see what happens.

Then, maybe change the boot drive. A fresh OS install on a regular SSD.
See what happens.

 

[Myronazz]

Disk drives can be such devils. They have caused several problematic systems of mine to look like something else is causing the problem, when it really isn't. My most recent encounter was a Sandisk SSD making my BIOS hang and sometimes not post at all. I didn't know that at the time obviously, I thought my Mobo was dying, but when I somehow got through a POST by rebooting several times, I was witnessing my Linux kernel keep downgrading and upgrading the SATA bus speed in an endless loop of 3 GBPS and 6GBPS. Removed the SSD, no problems at all. When I was inserting it again, problems would resume, but to a reduced degree. Linux kernel would boot into emergency mode cause it couldn't mount fstab drives. It was even preventing other drives from being recognised by the kernel as proper block devices.

The funniest thing is how I took the drive, shorted the power/data pins together and that fixed the problem completely. Mounts properly no problems at all. Static electricity is interesting, but probably not your problem. I wouldn't be surprised if a controller in one of your drives is screwing up the POST routine in your system.