Issue with booting from DVD.

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IAmElite

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Dec 26, 2013
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I've recently upgraded to the following stats:

Mobo: Gigabyte Z87-DS3H
CPU: Intel Core i5 4670K 3.40ghz
GPU: AMD HD 6850 1GB
RAM: 8Gb Corsair DDR3 1866mhz Vengeance
Sound: Audigy 4
O/S: Windows 7 64bit Home Premium
PSU: Corsair TX650v2

I've been having the following issue with Battle of Britain 2:

I loaded up the game and it ran like crap - ten times worse than before my upgrade - so I decided to reinstall Windows; I had changed to a new motherboard after all. After that, the game ran as smooth as anything on pretty much maximum settings on 'Battle of Britain Day' mission (literally a hundred plus planes in the sky at once). Next time I started up, the game is running like crap again. I tried reinstalling the game and v2.12/multiskin - no joy. What's going on here and how do I sort it out?

Incidentally, I also tried Cliffs of Dover and that ran well so I don't think there's anything wrong with the hardware.

Thanks in advance. :)
Click to expand...

I have tried any number of different ATI drivers, without any joy. I did discover a sort of workaround, but not something that made the game run as well as before:

Step 1: Run game.
Step 2: Alt-tab out and exit Track IR.
Step 3: Enable Track IR.
Step 4: Run second instance of game.
Click to expand...

Without steps 2 and 3, Track IR doesn't work in the game and a flight sim without Track IR is like having your head in a box. 😉

I decided to try dual booting with Windows XP - the game is rather old so I'm wondering whether it'll perform better under XP but when I restart the PC and the 'Press any key to boot from DVD/CD' message comes up, nothing happens when I press a key - the system proceeds to load Windows as though I'd done nothing. I have checked the BIOS and the DVD is first in line for booting. Furthermore, if I go to the boot menu, I can't use the arrow keys to select how I want Windows to boot; therefore I'm unable to get into safe mode should I wish to do so at some point.

Anyone got an idea as to what's going on here? The keyboard works fine while in Windows, and the DVD drive reads discs no problem as well.
 
I'm not sure - I'll have to check which ports are USB 2.0 - some are 3.0. Will that make a difference then?

The keyboard was connected to a USB PCI card; pretty sure it's USB 2.0 - I've now reconnected it to one of the motherboard's actual 2.0 ports.
 
USB 2.0 ports are available at POST. If the keyboard works fine once Windows is loaded, then it probably is connected to a USB 3.0 port. Since it's USB 1.1, jut connect it (and the mouse) to one of the USB 1.1/2.0 ports.
 


I've done as you said, but I still can't boot from the Win XP DVD. I double checked the BIOS, and that's set for DVD to boot first. Could there be a setting inside the BIOS that's interfering with this somehow? What I don't understand is I am able to get into the BIOS, so surely that means the keyboard is responding? When it comes to pressing a key to boot from DVD though, nothing happens.

I tried installing XP while actually in Windows, but that didn't work of course. I was hoping it would give me a message that Win XP can't be installed in Windows; it'll install at the next restart but no such luck. 😉
 
I've been reading that DVDs connected to SATA 3 won't work properly outside Windows - is there any truth to this? If so, I might have a bit of a problem because I cannot see any SATA 2 on my motherboard diagram.


I saw this in the BIOS though:

$_12.JPG


There is no mention of the DVD drive in that screenshot - should there be?

 
It sees the DVD if it displays "Press any key to boot from DVD/CD". I'd make sure the keyboard is connected to a USB 2.0 port. How was the DVD burned? Is it an OEM from microsoft or was it burned from an ISO image? If burned from an ISO image, was it burned at the lowest speed?

I honestly doubt the game will run faster on XP than it does on Windows 7. You applied this patch? http://bob2wov.com/download-the-latest-patch/
 


Yep, I've got the latest patch. If it was a performance issue that would make it run worse because it drastically improves the game's graphics and includes multiskins for all aircraft. As I said, I had it running flawlessly and then the next time I played it, the game was running like crap!

The Win XP is an original MS disc, not an image or anything like that. I'm pretty sure the keyboard is connected to a USB 2.0 port now. So you're pretty sure it's more likely to be a keyboard issue than a DVD issue? Maybe I'll try the keyboard in each port in turn to see if I can get lucky and hit the one that will work. :)

 
I was able to use the keyboard in the BIOS so surely that means it's working fine? Why won't it register the key press when I want to boot from a disc then? Damn, this is annoying!
 

USB 2.0 ports are clearly identified in the documentation. If your keyboard is connected to one of the two black USB ports above the PS/2 connector, then the issue isn't with the keyboard. All other ports (blue) are USB 3.0.
 


Thanks for informing me; I can stop chasing my tail over that issue then. I do need to get this sorted out though, if I want to run Memtest or something similar.
 


Yep, it's definitely connected to a USB 2.0 port. Last night, I ran Memtest overnight just to make sure my new RAM is OK, which booted fine from the CD (it is - twelve passes and no errors) but when I tried to press Escape to exit, it wouldn't register. I also tried it in the USB ports on the front of the system, I tried the USB 3.0 ports, I tried the ports of the PCI USB card I installed and I even gave an old PS/2 keyboard a go - no joy. However, I'm able to get into the BIOS and even navigate around that with the arrow keys and press Escape to exit.

For some reason, my keyboard appears to refuse to respond at POST. It wouldn't really bother me, but if I can't use the keyboard at POST, then I can't get into Safe Mode or any of Windows' other options if I need to. What could be causing this?

Incidentally, regarding the problematic game, I've tried other games including Rise of Flight, which is a much more advanced game graphically, and it runs as smooth as silk on pretty much maximum settings - not a hint of slowdown, so there's nothing actually wrong with the new components. I've tried countless different ATI drivers and none will give the results I had from a fresh Windows installation without any drivers other than those Windows added - but even with those drivers, the game runs like crap next time it's run. I have no idea what's going on here; other people with similar specs to mine are running it flawlessly.
 


Damn; I hope I don't have to return the motherboard! I don't know how to install motherboards - I had it done by a local PC shop so I'd have to pay them again to fit the replacement!
 


OK, so should I look for a BIOS update for my mobo or contact Gigabyte regardless?
 
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