Cold Boot Problem

Mike89 · Post by **Mike89** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:25 pm

I built a computer at work. Intel 6860 (Core Duo 3 gig), Asus P5B motherboard, 2x1024 Corsair XMS PC6400, Antec 500 watt Neo, 2 WD 250 gig SATA hard drives (not in RAID, and set to run in IDE mode), Nvidia 8000 series GS video card (the cheap one with no fan on it), XP Pro. Onboard sound and Lan, and no PCI cards in computer.

Computer runs great but I do have a problem I can't figure out.

When the computer sets off overnight and I then start it up, it gets to the point where the Windows bar is showing and the lights are going across it (right before the login screen). The lights go across the bar a few times and then the light just stops inside the bar. It then just sits there, no message of any kind pops up. I then hit the restart button, and it boots up with no further issue (I do get the screen on the reboot where it says Windows did not start normally and then provides options I have to select such as normal boot, safe mode, etc.).

This happens every single time when the computer is off overnight (I've never actually timed it to see how long the computer has to be off for this issue to occur). Never had any problems when having to reboot once computer is running and never had the computer not boot up after hitting that reset button after each cold boot.

I'll be damned if I can figure this one out.

Executioner · Post by **Executioner** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:52 pm

Weak power supply? When it's turned off, is it disconnected completely from the AC outlet? Normally when it's plugged in and turned off, there is still residual power going to the power supply and motherboard, as long as you do not have something in between the AC outlet and the PC like a power director.

Mike89 · Post by **Mike89** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:00 pm

When the computer is off overnight, it's still always plugged in. I know the power is not getting interrupted cause I have computer set to boot from Space Bar. If the power was cut off during the night, the Space Bar would then not turn it on, (would have to use button).

Executioner · Post by **Executioner** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:16 pm

I still think it's a weak power supply. How old is the power supply? Have you tried swapping it out with a different one?
It also might be bad ram. You can try and run MemTest to see what turns up. Hell it could even be your HD.

Mike89 · Post by **Mike89** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:22 pm

Every part in computer is brand new. I know new parts can still be bad but I would think a problem like that would manifest itself in Windows when there would be some stress really put on them. I ran Orthos a pretty good while and no errors of any kind popped up. Ran Super Pii and it has blisteringly fast times. As I said, computer is really stable and really fast (btw, nothing is overclocked either).

Now if I could just figure out this cold boot deal, it's bugging the crap out of me. It figures I'd have some kind of problem that is probably going to take a lot of work to solve (if I ever do solve it).

Why can't I be like the average Joe and have SIMPLE problems! Meh!

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:25 pm

Could be a RAM issue believe it or not. Corsair XMS RAM is, unfortunately, very fussy. You can't use the default SPD RAM timing values on some mobos.

Maybe the info on this page will help:
http://www.houseofhelp.com/forums/showt ... xms+timing

Do a text search for "ASUS P5B" (there are several on that page for different RAM) and find the timing settings for the XMS RAM you bought.

Mike89 · Post by **Mike89** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:54 am

I have the Ram timings and voltage set manually to Corsair's specs.

Some time has passed and same issue still exists.

Summary:
Hit computer power button, computer will ALWAYS stop at some point as the light is going across the bar (with the light just stopping where ever it stopped inside the bar, and then just sitting there). No error messages. Have to hit the Reset button JUST ONCE to have a successful boot into Windows.

Hit computer power button with BIOS set not to fast boot (thinking maybe a slower boot process would fix this issue) ALWAYS results in the same ONE TIME hitting of the reset switch.

Going into BIOS when first starting computer, (whether any changes are made or not), then exiting BIOS, ALWAYS results in a successful boot into Windows without having to hit Reset switch.

Turning Power Supply switch from on to off to on again before first starting the computer, ALWAYS results in a successfull boot into Windows without having to hit reset switch.

Turning computer power button on, then immediately hitting the Reset button (I can do this before I even see anything on the screen), will ALWAYS result in a successful boot into Windows without having to hit the Reset switch.

Other than this start up issue, the computer is stable as a rock. I can run any test on it and it passes with flying colors, not one single computer crash of any kind once it boots, no heating issues, nothing.

So here I am going through this little dual button routine each morning at work of hitting power button, then immediately hitting the reset button right below it, all the while feeling like a dips_h_i_t because I can't figure out what's causing it.

Err · Post by **Err** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:31 am

Turning Power Supply switch from on to off to on again before first starting the computer, ALWAYS results in a successfull boot into Windows without having to hit reset switch.

Will the computer boot from a Windows restart? Just curious.

This is an odd issue. Are there any Bios Updates? Is there anything plugged into the USB ports? I would unplug any extermal devices and see if the problem persists.

TheSovereign · Post by **TheSovereign** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:52 am

have u tried unplugging the usb devices?

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:34 am

As Sov suggested, might be a USB device.

I would also run MEMTEST86+ all night to ensure that the RAM is stable at your settings.

USUALLY a stall in the boot process at the point you mention is caused by a driver or a faulty device that's not initializing properly. If you check the Event Log you may find an error that got logged when it froze up that might tell you what device hung.

You can also have Windows create a boot log. The last thing listed in the boot log is likely to be the problem. Press F8 during POST to bring up the Windows Boot menu and select option 2. The file BOOTLOG.TXT is created in the root folder of the C: partition.

Hope this helps...

Mike89 · Post by **Mike89** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:06 am

Will the computer boot from a Windows restart? Just curious.

Once OS is successfully loaded, any restarts from then on ALWAYS result in a successful reload with no issues (until computer is completely shut down again).

I've looked in Event Log and see nothing mentioned. I haven't tried accessing the boot log. Concerning the boot log, I have this feeling that if I go through the F8 and choosing something, the boot is going to be successful without needing the reset switch. The reason I'm saying that, is that I can go into BIOS from that first startup, immediately exit it (without making any changes) and computer will then boot up properly (without the reset deal). Dunno for sure it that's related but it seems if I do something during the boot, it will then boot properly (and if I do nothing, it won't). I'll have to try it to see the result for sure.

The only things I have hooked to USB is the mouse and printer. I have printer drivers installed (Epson C88+) and no drivers installed for the mouse (Logitech G5).

I just updated the BIOS so I'll see what happens with next cold start.

From these comments about possible reasons mentioned (and I really appreciate it guys), how would this 'hit computer power button, then immediately hitting restart" or "turning power supply from on to off to on" get around it?

TheSovereign · Post by **TheSovereign** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 2:48 pm

TheSovereign wrote:have u tried unplugging the usb devices?

have u done this?

smb · Post by **smb** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:15 am

check the voltage on the cpu ? set it to .1 over the normal voltage setting. I remember Asus having boot problems if the cpu voltage was set to auto.

Mike89 · Post by **Mike89** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:36 am

Hmm. After changing the BIOS, I had my first successful boot this morning (without the reset). I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for the next few days to see it this continues.

Key Keeper · Post by **Key Keeper** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:21 pm

Sounds like a video or chipset driver problem. Driver not loading properly when windows boots. My old asus mobo did same thing till I reinstalled the chipset drivers. Gotta be careful too since the newer drivers require the newest bios.