Intermittent Boot issue Windows 8 / AMD FX / ASUS M5A97 R2.0

[roawh]

Full build info here: Link

Below is similar to what I provided to ASUS customer support:

"Motherboard: M5A97 R2.0
Motherboard Revision : 2.0
Motherboard BIOS Revision : 1503

[VGA Card Specification]
VGA Card Vendor : MSI
VGA Card Model : R7770-PMD1GD5
VGA Card Chipset : Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition
VGA Card Driver : 14.100.0.0

[CPU Specification]
CPU Vendor : AMD
CPU Type : FX-6300
CPU Speed : 3.5 GHz

[Memory Specification]
Memory Vendor : Crucial
Memory Model : Ballistix Sport BLS2KIT4G3D1609DS1S00
Memory Capacity : 2 x 4 GB

[HDD Specification]
HDD Vendor : Western Digital
HDD Model : WD1002FAEX
HDD Capacity : 1 TB

Operating System : Windows 8 64bit

[Problem Description]
Some of the time, my computer fails to completely boot into windows. When this
happens, the computer locks up on the first windows screen, or on the second
windows screen where the user enters their password. This doesn't happen every
time, but seems to happen more often when the computer has been off for a longer
period of time.

I don't have any issues with the PC whenever I successfully boot into windows. If I
power the computer down after it locks up and try again, it boots successfully the
second time."

I have tried a few solutions that were suggested to me by ASUS. I reset the CMOS, updated the BIOS (I now have 2501). I tried a different SATA port for the HDD. I don't have another HDD to try and I haven't done a clean install of Windows. I am hoping there is something less drastic that can solve the problem.

Any other suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[tiny voices]

First of all I want to say great job on your cable management for you first build! Looks great!

Some things to try before reinstalling Windows are to run Windows Hard drive diagnostic test to check for bad sectors, and to run memtest for 5+ passes to check the RAM.

If both of these pass, I would then recommend reinstalling windows.

 

[roawh]

Thanks for the advice tiny voices-

I ran memtest 5.1.0 free version, 4 passes (that was the default). I got 0 errors.

Used the Windows Hard drive test, no errors found.

Any advice on reinstalling windows? I suppose you mean I have to back up anything I want to an external and then pop the disc in like it's day 1?

I am still willing to test any other possibilities before I push the big red button

 

[tiny voices]

Is your copy of Windows legit?

 

[roawh]

Yeah, I have the OEM version of Windows 8 (DVD)...purchased from newegg

 

[tiny voices]

I would try reinstalling Windows. If that does not do it, then it must be a hardware issue or setting.

 

[roawh]

Is it worth trying the Windows 8 "refresh" feature?

 

[jakey1995abc]

Do you get 3 beeps when the computer locks up on first boot? I have this problem with the same mobo. when I leave my computer turned off for over a certain amount of time (over an hour for example) it will lock up on first boot after about 5/10 seconds and will be fine when I try booting again shortly after. But when I turn it off and after 5 minutes back on again it will boot fine. Could what we are experiencing be some sort of power issue? Like dodgy psu or damaged transistors?

 

[roawh]

So, as it turns out it was my anti-virus that was causing the problem (Avast free version). There was a setting to delay the start of the AV process until after windows processes were up and that did the trick. I ended up removing Avast due to annoyance, but that's irrelevant

Sorry that this doesn't help you any, jakey1995.