Question Slow PC boot time Windows 10 pro, core i9-9900k

[broodmother]

Hi all,

I am writing because I couldn’t find any solution elsewhere.

I have just bought core i9-9900k with Aorus Master Z390 mobo. After installing windows 10 pro on my nvme Samsung Evo 960 500 gb, I was expecting a lightning fast boot up time. But it did not happen. It took about 15 secs or so to load into Windows.

So I took it as a challenge to increase boot time. In the Aorus Master software in Windows, there is an option to:

1. Normal boot
2. Fast boot
3. Ultra fast boot

Of course I selected Ultra Fast Boot, knowing my 16 gb ram 3600 mhz would cache some memory into itself to enable really fast boot (that is what I read in the manual). However, it did not work. It is still about 15 secs or so. Then I tried changing to normal boot and fast boot. The boot time is actually the same. Actually I think the problem is before loading into windows, it got stuck at the Aorus startup logo for quite some time.

Then I have done tons of googling, couldn’t any answer related to Windows 10 pro boot up time with such CPU+mobo combination. There is no one out there concern with such slow boot time using this cpu+mobo combition? I wonder.

Ironically, I have few other notebooks and PCs, of which 1 of the notebook (core i7 4th gen) and PC (core i7-4790k OC to 4.4 GHz). These 2 devices of mine is able to load into windows in about 5 secs, both of them using Windows 10 pro. Funny thing is that these 2 devices are not even using nvme SSD, just normal SSD. Which I wonder why my core i9-9900k OC to 5 GHz is taking 3 times as much to load into the same windows using nvme SSD (enabled NVMe in bios).

I am suspecting that it is either problem with the settings in my bios or the fact that this core i9-9900k PC of mine has 4 other internal HDD hooked into it and 3 external HDD. For the latter, I suspect so because my other fast windows loading laptop/pc has just only 1 SSD hook into them. I also ensured when I installed the windows for the core i9 pc, I have all other HDD unplugged.

I am seeking help from you guys who have clues of what I am missing here.

 

[drivinfast247]

Did you install the nvme drivers?

 

[broodmother]

Did you install the nvme drivers?

I read somewhere that windows 8 and later versions would already have it built in?

 

[Colif]

do you have latest bios?

I can't find a 100% answer as to whether installing the drivers is necessary in win 10 or not
its unclear if it will help anyway - https://www.tenforums.com/drivers-hardware/109201-samsung-nvme-driver-updated-2.html

for instance, the intel nvme install guide says Win 8 & 10 have native support for them, so no extra drivers needed.

 

[broodmother]

do you have latest bios?

I can't find a 100% answer as to whether installing the drivers is necessary in win 10 or not
its unclear if it will help anyway - https://www.tenforums.com/drivers-hardware/109201-samsung-nvme-driver-updated-2.html

for instance, the intel nvme install guide says Win 8 & 10 have native support for them, so no extra drivers needed.

Yes I have latest bios installed.

As for the latest Samsung NVMe driver, I will try. But I doubt that would be the case though. I really appreciate your help as in you went so far just to help me.

 

[drivinfast247]

I'm not sure about the drivers either. Just a suggestion.

Are you sure the BIOS is selecting the NVMe as first boot device?

 

[karenjoly]

The samsung drivers aren't necessary . Have you other drives attached ? I have seen troubling hardware slow doen the windows load time and a problematic drive can delay an installation. The time to boot ( fast, super fast, lol etc) is a matter of POST time and that's why changing it does not decrease the time to load windows. The 9900 on this system blows through POST in 1-2 sec.( Will depend on the amount of hadrware attached), Do you hear the speaker beep ? That's POST time

EDIT

I see there are other drives attached so look there for a problem .

 

[BringerOfTea]

So I took it as a challenge to increase boot time...

Easy!

 

[Azzyasi]

how many other things do you have in the PC ? mechanical hdds?, optical drives?, additional controllers, network cards?

All of those must be initialized at boot and it takes time. Especially bad drives can prolong and delay boot a considerably amount of time as it fails to properly communcate with that drive.
Also some nework cards and added controllers add to this time a lot.

On servers (where lots of controllers, and lots of hardware is present), the actual boot time is in the minutes range.

Anyway, try to disable in bios any hardware you don't use, like sata controllers that are not in use and stuff like that and see if that helps. Also disconnect all sata hdds to see if that was holding the boot seqence.

 

[broodmother]

I'm not sure about the drivers either. Just a suggestion.

Are you sure the BIOS is selecting the NVMe as first boot device?

I have installed the latest Samsung NVMe driver and the boot time remain unchanged. I roughly calculated it took about 17 seconds to load into Windows. Roughly 10 seconds stuck at the big Aorus logo.

Yes, the NVMe drive is the only drive that contains Windows. The rest are just storage, not even programs or start up items.

 

[broodmother]

how many other things do you have in the PC ? mechanical hdds?, optical drives?, additional controllers, network cards?

All of those must be initialized at boot and it takes time. Especially bad drives can prolong and delay boot a considerably amount of time as it fails to properly communcate with that drive.
Also some nework cards and added controllers add to this time a lot.

On servers (where lots of controllers, and lots of hardware is present), the actual boot time is in the minutes range.

Anyway, try to disable in bios any hardware you don't use, like sata controllers that are not in use and stuff like that and see if that helps. Also disconnect all sata hdds to see if that was holding the boot seqence.

Yes I do have like 4 HDDs connected through SATA, 1 PCIe sound card , the wireless adapter which is built into the mobo itself, no optical drives, controllers as in 1 game-pad controller only connected through front casing USB 2.0, 3 external HDDs connected through USB 3.0 at the back of the casing. I thought that all the SATA drives only load upon entering into Windows, however I will try that out. I will update accordingly.

 

[Azzyasi]

If everything is working fine once booted (do test each hdd to see it's working properly and not lagging as those can hinder boot time and operating in general), you can just put the pc to sleep and not shut down. Just click the mouse and you are back to OS in under 1 second.

 

[Colif]

PC still needs to wait for drives to reply before it can boot as one of the slow drives "could" be the boot drive, pc probably does not check that detail until after all drives reply. SO try booting with just nvme attached and see if it does make any difference...

 

[broodmother]

Hi all, sorry for the wait, been busy with life. I have done the following:

1. Unplugged all other internal drives other than windows drive in my Samsung nvme, disabled CSM, and restarted windows a few times before starting to take the boot up test via my video below. Roughly 10 seconds to get into windows.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-6ofM6NNqztYexmRAGdQmD_Iol4a2LWy/view?usp=sharing

2. Plugged in all my internal drives, disabled CSM, restarted windows a few times before taking the boot up test via my video below. Roughly 27 seconds to get into windows.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sHIkRYZ_7UllzorGS3JkC8YJ76Ydy4zI/view?usp=sharing

So, conclusion it clear. With many internal drives connected to your mobo, it will slow down your PC boot time despite disabling CSM. And the difference is substantial.

Note, all my external hard drives still remained plugged in for both tests.


Below is picture of my rig:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1u7AYfpj8Zjd-Q5wbDdVo4hUbggbBXEvY?usp=sharing

 

[Colif]

perhaps see if it is all the drives that cause the 20 second difference or just one of them. I would have had a step between 1 and all to see if it is easy to zero down to one drive in particular. Just a thought.

So instead of all, just have 1 other hdd attached , and test each to see if it is always same difference. it might be cumulative, the more hdd, the longer it takes.

what brands are the hdd?

 

[broodmother]

perhaps see if it is all the drives that cause the 20 second difference or just one of them. I would have had a step between 1 and all to see if it is easy to zero down to one drive in particular. Just a thought.

So instead of all, just have 1 other hdd attached , and test each to see if it is always same difference. it might be cumulative, the more hdd, the longer it takes.

what brands are the hdd?

HDD brands are WD x2 (pretty old, one of them dated in 2009), Samsung is also dated about that time, HP (I believe this might be Sandisk, but I couldn't remember) is also in 2009. Wow I didn't realized all my HDD were so old. Samsung and HP HDD were initially my main drive for my laptops, and I have switched them to SSD for improved performance.

Your point is valid, to test 1 HDD at a time to see which one is faulty. But my initial goal is to check why my core i9-9900k boot time so slow, so now I know it is not the problem of my settings or my new CPU or the mobo. Thus I might only proceed with your test later down the road.

Appreciate your input.