[SOLVED] PC Sometimes stuck at bios. Requires 2-3 restarts to get to boot

[Alex Mck]

For the last 4 weeks, my PC has been getting stuck at bios. Normally one restart fixes this but now it takes three restarts. And now my USB Hub switch sometimes randomly drops out when using the computer. I believe this could be a PSU problem but I thought since it's "Platnium" it should be working fine and perhaps it's the mobo? Is their any tests I should be doing to gain a better understanding of the problem?

The bios settings essentially default except for enabling M.2 and Virtual Technology for VMs.

Specs:
PSU: Corsair AX860 80 Plus Platnium
GPU: GTX780 ti
CPU: i7-4770k
MOBO: ROG VII Hero
RAM: DDR3 32 GB

Additionally tid bits:

• Old System (2013)
• System is dust-free (clean it every 3 months)
• Has been in hot temperatures in the past (but has since enjoyed air con for the last 2 years).
• Newest components was an additional 16GB of ram however they are clocked at 1600mhz unlike my other 16GB which are clocked at 1866mhz
• Windows and Nivida Drivers are updated.

 

[mamasan2000]

If you have both kits of RAM installed I would suspect RAM. Mobo might be having difficulty memory training. Set speed + timings manually. Maybe increase voltage to SOC, don't know what it is called on Intel, maybe VCCIO or VCCSA. Those might be the newer terms.
Try 1600 Mhz at the slower sticks timings. 4 sticks are a bit harder to run than 2, voltage increase can help here.

 

[Alex Mck]

If you have both kits of RAM installed I would suspect RAM. Mobo might be having difficulty memory training. Set speed + timings manually. Maybe increase voltage to SOC, don't know what it is called on Intel, maybe VCCIO or VCCSA. Those might be the newer terms.
Try 1600 Mhz at the slower sticks timings. 4 sticks are a bit harder to run than 2, voltage increase can help here.

Still the same problem. But now if you leave it for a minute or two it sorts itself out

 

[mamasan2000]

Still the same problem. But now if you leave it for a minute or two it sorts itself out

Sounds like memory training.

 

[Alex Mck]

Sounds like memory training.

Probably should mention that the RAM are the same make, model except for one is a lower Mhz clock. I already clocked all the ram to 1333Mhz which is well below both kits clocked speeds

 

[mamasan2000]

Probably should mention that the RAM are the same make, model except for one is a lower Mhz clock. I already clocked all the ram to 1333Mhz which is well below both kits clocked speeds

Make and model means nothing. Only the chips on the sticks.
What you could do is take 1 set, run only that set, let mobo set RAM timings, everything on Auto. See what timings and speed you get. Repeat with other set. Note down timings and speed. Now you take those settings, use the highest/loosest of the timings and the lowest speed, Mhz. Manually insert those in Bios. Test if it works.

 

[Alex Mck]

Make and model means nothing. Only the chips on the sticks.
What you could do is take 1 set, run only that set, let mobo set RAM timings, everything on Auto. See what timings and speed you get. Repeat with other set. Note down timings and speed. Now you take those settings, use the highest/loosest of the timings and the lowest speed, Mhz. Manually insert those in Bios. Test if it works.

Thanks for the tips thus far. I've tried to carry out bios changes with the memory frequency and voltage however I still run into the same issue of getting stuck on bios for 2-3 minutes or boot a couple of times until the PC carries me through to windows.

I changed the memory frequency based on my 1600MHz RAM ( CL10-10-10-30 1.5v Left Side):

For Reference here's my other ram (1866Mhz CL10-11-10-30 1.5v);

So I set it to 10-10-10-30 the only difference is that the 1866 ram label says DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay is 11 not 10;
Changes Carried Out
DRAM CAS#: Auto -> 10
DRAM RAS# to CAS#: Auto -> 10
DRAM RAS# PRE: Auto -> 10
DRAM RAS# ACT: Auto -> 30

DRAM Voltage: Auto -> 1.5v
DRAM Frequency: 1333MHz -> 1600Mhz
Tried with both XMP on and off (doing it manually)

---

Another thing I noticed is that in Bios even after manually changing the DRAM frequency it shows the frequency as 1333Mhz despite setting it as 1600MHz several bootsago

But when I check Task Manager it says it's running at 1600MHz

And when I tried Z-CPU it gave me two slightly different MHz; 799.6MHz and would flicker to 799.3MHz - Not too sure if it really matters but figured it was worth mentioning.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[mamasan2000]

Looks like it's running 1600 Mhz. Divide that by two and you get the DR-part. DDR = Double! Data Rate. Ram works on both the up and down phase of voltage. So technically it is running at 800 Mhz.
The 1333 Mhz in BIOS, probably something that is programmed into the SPD of the RAM or something. If your BIOS has a page where it lists CPU and RAM speed, I would trust that more. Usually also shows speed of both when you boot, if you disable boot screen graphics. The screen where it lists drives, CPU + speed, right before loading Windows.

 

[Alex Mck]

It's been almost a month and problems just got worse. In short, I just purchased another 1600Mhz 16GB kit as the 1866Mhz seemed to cause memory management errors and blue screens. My guess is the 1866Mhz kit may have died (its from 2013). Thanks for all your help mamasan2000