Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

[haversham]

i just built this PC and win8 is taking an extremely long time to boot up. it gets stuck at the windows splash screen (see pic) for slightly over 40 seconds each time (i timed it). i've fully updated windows (see pic) along with drivers for all hardware.

i recently built a win8 PC with an intel core i5-3570K +crucial M4 128GB SSD+ ASRock Pro3 + 8GB 1600MHz RAM. that PC flies through the windows splash screen and barely displays it so i'm curious why this one lags so much (especially since it has faster components).

i read this thread about boot trace on another forum. the summary xml file is available below. i think i've isolated the cause and it appears to be the SATA AHCI drivers (it takes 40 seconds for the drivers to load and that's about how log i the win splash screen lags).

-phase endTime="41937" startTime="10" name="bootStart" duration="41927" -- pnpObject type="Device" endTime="40516" startTime="377" name="PCI\VEN_8086+DEV_1E02+SUBSYS_1E021849+REV_04\3+11583659+0+FA" duration="40139" friendlyName="" description="Standard SATA AHCI Controller" prePendTime="40139" activity="Enum"/--

i tested with other versions and combos of drivers and the results are below. i tried to uninstall the ASRock SATA drivers and only use one of the Intel drivers, but got a BSOD upon restarting.

• ASRock SATA drivers v1.3.8 = 40 seconds lag
• ASRock SATA drivers v1.3.8 + Intel RST drivers v11.7.0.1013 = ~2 minute lag
• ASRock SATA drivers v1.3.8 + Intel RST drivers v11.6.0.1030 = >2 minute lag

not sure what to try now. i know booting up shouldn't be taking this long.


summary boot xml


System Specs:
Win 8 Pro with Media Center
Intel Core i7-2700K CPU
Samsung 30nm DDR3 1600 RAM 16GB
ASROCK Extreme4 Z77 Motherboard
ATI Radeon HD4650
Samsung 840 Pro 128GB SSD (OS)
WDC WD30EZRX (media HHD)
WDC WD20EARS (media HHD)

[parsec]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

Given what I have seen posted here, the ASMedia SATA driver is having problems with Windows 8. Your Pro 3 PC only has the Intel SATA chipset, so it works fine, and you installed Windows in AHCI mode on that PC.

It sounds like you installed your OS on the Extreme 4 on the ASMedia SATA chipset (much slower than the Intel BTW), and just changing to the Intel SATA chipset without installing its driver in AHCI mode (due to registry) is causing the BSOD.

Google on how to change to AHCI mode with the registry update, and use the Intel SATA ports until ASMedia gets their act together with their driver and Windows 8.

[haversham]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

Given what I have seen posted here, the ASMedia SATA driver is having problems with Windows 8. Your Pro 3 PC only has the Intel SATA chipset, so it works fine, and you installed Windows in AHCI mode on that PC.

It sounds like you installed your OS on the Extreme 4 on the ASMedia SATA chipset (much slower than the Intel BTW), and just changing to the Intel SATA chipset without installing its driver in AHCI mode (due to registry) is causing the BSOD.

Google on how to change to AHCI mode with the registry update, and use the Intel SATA ports until ASMedia gets their act together with their driver and Windows 8.

on the pro3, i'm pretty sure i had to go back into UEFI and change SATA mode to AHCI after installing win8. and i didn't have any of this slow booting at all.


i don't know if i installed win8 in IDE of AHCI mode for the extreme4.

i went into the registry to enable AHCI after win8 installation. i used this guide. made no change in boot delay

the SSD has always been connected to SATA3_0, one of the SATA 3.0 ports controlled by the intel chipset. nothing's ever been connected to any of the ports controlled by the ASMedia chipset.

i understand now that i need drivers for both the ASMedia and Intel chipsets. what i don't understand is why it takes so long for the intel SATA drivers to load on this system?

[- wardog -]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

Why is it I don't see your Samsung SSD listed/enumerated in that XML file? Both WDC's appear there as expected.

Why does the XML list your controller as "friendlyName="" description="Standard SATA AHCI Controller""? I'm strictly AMD here, but that sure looks like it's using the in the box MS AHCI driver to have a friendly name as that. Don't Intel controllers have a much more definitive name in Device Manager when installed properly.

And I see you have the XFast Ram Drive installed. By chance you didn't enable Save and Restore(or whatever it's called) at boot did you? That could acct for time as it copies the saved "file' on HDD back into ram.

What's your boot order in the BIOS look like?

[haversham]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

Why is it I don't see your Samsung SSD listed/enumerated in that XML file? Both WDC's appear there as expected.

i have no idea. it's plugged into the SATA3_0 port controlled by the Z77 chipset

Why does the XML list your controller as "friendlyName="" description="Standard SATA AHCI Controller""? I'm strictly AMD here, but that sure looks like it's using the in the box MS AHCI driver to have a friendly name as that. Don't Intel controllers have a much more definitive name in Device Manager when installed properly.

yes, the Intel SATA AHCI drivers are listed if they're install. but if you you look at my OP, the fastest boot time i can get is by using only the ASRock ASMedia SATA drivers

And I see you have the XFast Ram Drive installed. By chance you didn't enable Save and Restore(or whatever it's called) at boot did you? That could acct for time as it copies the saved "file' on HDD back into ram.

i think that's part of the UEFI. i am not using the XFast RAM drive

What's your boot order in the BIOS look like?

the Samsung SSD is the only boot drive. i disabled the other HDDs in the boot order. i also tried the Samsung SSD first with the other 2 HDDs following. this made no difference in boot time/delay

[- wardog -]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

yes, the Intel SATA AHCI drivers are listed if they're install. but if you you look at my OP, the fastest boot time i can get is by using only the ASRock ASMedia SATA drivers

Yet if I read your posts here correctly, you're not using the ASMedia SATA port(s) for your boot SSD so I'm confused when you say you get faster boot times when using the ASMedia drivers. Makes no sense.
Are you sure you've connected the SSD on SATA3(_0 or _1) and not SATA3(_A0 or _A1(_A# being ASMedia!))

I smell a fresh Win8 install wafting by ........ Done the right way, sans registry hack

Without your WDC's connected to the controllers(just to get them out of the way for now), how fast is your boot w/SSD, on SATA3_0 using the Intel AHCI driver not MS?

[- wardog -]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

Too, please check that the BIOS still reflects AHCI, not IDE.

[haversham]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

Yet if I read your posts here correctly, you're not using the ASMedia SATA port(s) for your boot SSD so I'm confused when you say you get faster boot times when using the ASMedia drivers. Makes no sense.

yeah, i have no idea.

Are you sure you've connected the SSD on SATA3(_0 or _1) and not SATA3(_A0 or _A1(_A# being ASMedia!))

i'm sure (see pic). i checked 3 times. the black SATA3 cable goes to the SSD. could they have labeled the mobo wrong?

I smell a fresh Win8 install wafting by ........ Done the right way, sans registry hack

i'm at my wits end. i may have to go ahead and reinstall windows. can you give me instructions on how to do this properly? i've got the intel SATA drivers on a USB ready to load during install. is that all i have to worry about?

Without your WDC's connected to the controllers(just to get them out of the way for now), how fast is your boot w/SSD, on SATA3_0 using the Intel AHCI driver not MS?

i tried disconnecting the WDC HDDs. makes no difference. the boot hangs up at the windows logo.

i also tried enabling ULTRA FAST boot in UEFI. it immediately displays the windows logo screen and just gets stuck there. i guess it's just a windows 8 problem.

[haversham]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

Too, please check that the BIOS still reflects AHCI, not IDE.

yes, it's AHCI. i believe it's always been AHCI since i installed the OS.

weird thing is that when i built the PC with the i5-3570K + Pro3 mobo, i had it set to IDE at the beginning. i went back into UEFI to change to AHCI after installing the OS and some drivers. i experience NO slow boot.

but with this build, i remember the very first time booting into windows was slow (the WDC HHDs were disconnected during installation).

[- wardog -]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

can you give me instructions on how to do this properly?

I won't be monkeying with Win8, but I assume it's the same as Win7. Set the BIOS to AHCI, and when prompted during the OS install early on for 3rd party drivers point to the flash drive.

Do you have an extra sata cable that you can run separately to the SSD to eliminate/test possible interference from the other tightly bundled power cables as your problem?

[haversham]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

I won't be monkeying with Win8, but I assume it's the same as Win7. Set the BIOS to AHCI, and when prompted during the OS install early on for 3rd party drivers point to the flash drive.

Do you have an extra sata cable that you can run separately to the SSD to eliminate/test possible interference from the other tightly bundled power cables as your problem?

just tried it with a different SATA3 cable. no change.

[parsec]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

One thing you seem to be confused about is the ASMedia and Intel drivers. Your board has two SATA controllers, the Intel and the add on ASMedia. Each has their own driver, Intel IRST for the Intel chipset, and the ASMedia AHCI driver for the ASMedia chipset. Those drivers cannot be used on the other controllers, they simply will not install. The only way you even booted using the ASMedia driver is if you had your OS drive connected to the top two SATA ports (ASMedia controller ports), that are empty in your picture. DO NOT use them for installing or booting your OS!!

Try disabling the ASMedia controller in the Storage Configuration screen in the UEFI, that might be causing the slowdown. Do not turn on Fast or Ultra Fast boot until things are stable. Actually, if you did enable Ultra Fast boot with Windows 8, you will NOT be able to get back into the UEFI, without clearing the CMOS, or installing a utility program that will allow you to do so.

For a new installation of Win 8, ONLY have your OS drive connected to the Intel SATA3_0 port, no other drives connected! Clear the CMOS before you start, essential! Set the SATA mode to AHCI on the Intel controller, there are TWO AHCI entries, one for Intel, the other for ASMedia. Disable the ASMedia until your system is stable. You can install in AHCI mode on the Intel controller without loading a driver, Win 8 has its native storahci driver, and you can load the Intel IRST driver (for AHCI or RAID) after the OS installation, no problem.

If you plan on using RAID in the future, set the SATA mode to RAID now. You do NOT need to create a RAID array now, a single drive used on an Intel SATA controller set to RAID is treated as being in AHCI mode. You can install the "F6" IRST driver during that phase of the OS installation.

[haversham]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

One thing you seem to be confused about is the ASMedia and Intel drivers. Your board has two SATA controllers, the Intel and the add on ASMedia. Each has their own driver, Intel IRST for the Intel chipset, and the ASMedia AHCI driver for the ASMedia chipset. Those drivers cannot be used on the other controllers, they simply will not install. The only way you even booted using the ASMedia driver is if you had your OS drive connected to the top two SATA ports (ASMedia controller ports), that are empty in your picture. DO NOT use them for installing or booting your OS!!

not confused about the 2 chipsets. i've never had any drive, let alone my OS SSD connect to the SATA3 ports controlled by the ASMedia chipset (did you not see the picture i posted?). the OS SSD is connected to the SATA3_0 port controlled by the intel chipset

Try disabling the ASMedia controller in the Storage Configuration screen in the UEFI, that might be causing the slowdown. Do not turn on Fast or Ultra Fast boot until things are stable. Actually, if you did enable Ultra Fast boot with Windows 8, you will NOT be able to get back into the UEFI, without clearing the CMOS, or installing a utility program that will allow you to do so.

i have disabled the ASMedia controller in UEFI. makes no difference - windows still lags at the splash screen.

i only tested ULTRA FAST to see if that would make a difference and it didn't.

For a new installation of Win 8, ONLY have your OS drive connected to the Intel SATA3_0 port, no other drives connected! Clear the CMOS before you start, essential! Set the SATA mode to AHCI on the Intel controller, there are TWO AHCI entries, one for Intel, the other for ASMedia. Disable the ASMedia until your system is stable. You can install in AHCI mode on the Intel controller without loading a driver, Win 8 has its native storahci driver, and you can load the Intel IRST driver (for AHCI or RAID) after the OS installation, no problem.

the SSD was the only drive connected when i installed win8. i did not disable the ASMedia controller during install. i'll keep this in mind if i reinstall the windows.

If you plan on using RAID in the future, set the SATA mode to RAID now. You do NOT need to create a RAID array now, a single drive used on an Intel SATA controller set to RAID is treated as being in AHCI mode. You can install the "F6" IRST driver during that phase of the OS installation.

i'll keep this in mind


not sure what else i can try. i'm pretty sure it's a windows 8 problem as i've tested just about every setting in UEFI. windows still hangs up at the splash screen

[- wardog -]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

I smell a fresh Win8 install wafting by ........ Done the right way, sans registry hack

.

[haversham]

Re: Extreme4 - fresh install of Win 8 boots VERY slow

went ahead and did another fresh install ... problem solved! i still don't know what the hell i did wrong last time, but i'll outline what i did and the changes made in case others run into the same issue.

* = changes made from previous fresh install


1. made UEFI bootable win8 USB drive* (used same USB drive as last time, but was formatted in NTFS. used instructions here)

2. put Intel SATA drivers (v11.7.0.1013) on USB drive for loading during install* (didn't do this last time)

3. disconnected all other HHDs except SSD that OS will go on & plugged in UEFI bootable USB drive

4. clear CMOS (button turns on machine automatically)* (didn't do this last time since all components were new and i didn't think i needed to)

5. went into UEFI:

-disabled ASMedia SATA controller* (left enabled last time)
-set native SATA controller to RAID* (default is AHCI so i'm now sure this was what it was set at last time)
-changed boot priority to UEFI USB drive* (USB drive was not listed as "UEFI" last time. picture)
-saved settings and rebooted

6. went through windows 8 install procedure

7. deleted partition on SSD and reformatted* (noticed windows 4 partitions, 3 were small and reserved for windows and 1 were the OS would go. only 2 partitions were created last time)

8. loaded intel SATA drivers*


windows finished installing and booted straight into the start page. last time, it stalled at the windows logo screen, even the first time it booted. now i don't even see that screen - windows boots straight into the Start page. checked the Task Manager and the Last BIOS time is consistently 4.8 - 5.0 seconds!

i've since changed the intel SATA controller to AHCI b/c it showed and extra screen during POST in RAID. i've also installed all mobo drivers and enabled the ASMedia SATA controller in UEFI. and plugged in the other HHDs. i'm happy to say there's been no slow down in boot up time.

i still don't know what i did during the last install to cause such a delay in bootup. oh well ... i'm glad things are back to normal. thanks to all who tried to help!