BIOS pauses...

g3sundheit · Jan 15, 2008

I have a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R (F11 BIOS) and if the computer has been on for a long time (I mean like hours not months) and I reboot it gets as far as stating the bios version or the memory test then pauses for about 10-20 minutes before finally deciding to continue to boot up. Obvoiusly this is a huge PITA when trying to overclock. Can anyone help?

Thanks.

g3sundheit · Jan 15, 2008

This has been bugging me for months, here's my other hardware:

E4300 @ stock currently
2x 1GB Crucial Ballistix 1000MHz
EVGA 8800 GTS 640
Corsair HX520

Please help.

Albuquerque · Jan 15, 2008

Minutes? Did you really mean to type 10-20 minutes? Or were you exaggerating just a little?

My best guess is boot order, specifically somehow your network (LAN) boot rom is enabled and somehow in the boot order before your hard drive. I can't imagine anything else causing a drastic delay in boot time.

Try this: At your next power-on, hit the F12 key during the bootup POST screen. It should ask you which device you wish to boot with, so select your harddrive. If that bypasses the HUGE wait that you normally have, then it's indeed a boot order thing.

If that doesn't bypass it... Well... I guess one other thing you could try, although I don't remember where the setting is, but go looking for a Memory Test option that has settings like Quick and Full. Make sure that's on Quick

g3sundheit · Jan 15, 2008

I just checked in the bios and the boot order is hardrive first and the first hardrive is the only one I have. I couldn't find the setting for memory test but I doubt that's the problem as it flies right through that when it decides to boot up in a normal amount of time. The funny thing is that it only decides to take a long time (and yes I mean minutes... if it were seconds I wouldn't complain

) after the computer's been on for a few hours.

Dice · Jan 15, 2008

10-20 minutes is an awful long time, I agree.

Have you checked to make sure that it is not trying to find a drive that is not present? Try setting the IDE devices to "None" where there is no drive attached, and disabling any IDE controllers that you do not use. Know that BIOS will list "None" if you set it to "Auto" and no drive is present. I have seen BIOSes that will hang for a long time trying to detect a drive even if there is no drive attached.

RJARRRPCGP · Jan 15, 2008

g3sundheit said:
I have a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R (F11 BIOS) and if the computer has been on for a long time (I mean like hours not months) and I reboot it gets as far as stating the bios version or the memory test then pauses for about 10-20 minutes before finally deciding to continue to boot up. Obvoiusly this is a huge PITA when trying to overclock. Can anyone help?

Thanks.

Now that sounds just like when you're using the wrong jumper setting for HDDs.

A BIOS hang followed by it finally moving on sounds like that.

Or it's the dreaded LAN boot ROM-related hang.

g3sundheit · Jan 15, 2008

Ok I went into the bios and set all the IDE devices to None where necessary. I don't know if that fixed it thought because like I said it only happens sometimes.

The worst part about the long wait is that keyboard support hasn't been loaded before it decides to pause so if I want to go into the bios I have to sit and wait there until it finishes whatever it's doing and decides to finish booting up. I can't just press delete and walk away to come back later.

g3sundheit · Jan 15, 2008

RJARRRPCGP said:
Now that sounds just like when you're using the wrong jumper setting for HDDs.

A BIOS hang followed by it finally moving on sounds like that.

Or it's the dreaded LAN boot ROM-related hang.

What exactly would be the correct jumper setting? I only have one hard drive.

Dice · Jan 15, 2008

g3sundheit said:
What exactly would be the correct jumper setting? I only have one hard drive.

Where are my manners?

:welcome:

g3sundheit :welcome:

The best settings would be these:

The single HDD~ Have it on the Primary Controller / Jumper set to Master
Optical Drive~ Have it on Secondary Controller / Jumper set to Master

Note: You will want both drives plugged into the end plug of the ribbon cable.

Also... You mentioned that you have no keyboard support during the hang. This could be a clue! Try swapping the keyboard with a known good keyboard, and set the BIOS to Report all Errors if it has that setting. If not, at least set it to report keyboard errors.

RJARRRPCGP · Jan 15, 2008

g3sundheit said:
What exactly would be the correct jumper setting? I only have one hard drive.

I dunno about that with one HDD. But if there's any jumper, then if it's set to slave when it's supposed to be the master, the BIOS usually hangs.

This is more common with Western Digital HDDs, because they're isn't just a setting for each HDD, there's also a setting for when it's the only one.

With a Western Digital, if there's another HDD on the same ATA channel, you're also required to change the jumper on the primary!

g3sundheit · Jan 15, 2008

My HDD is SATA, does that change anything?

Will try the keyboard swap as soon as I can get my hands on one.

Dice · Jan 15, 2008

g3sundheit said:
My HDD is SATA, does that change anything?

Will try the keyboard swap as soon as I can get my hands on one.

Yes. The SATA controller runs it's own BIOS, and does so after the PC has completed its POST.

In this case, you would set your Optical drive as Primary Master (if the Optical drive is PATA). If they are both SATA, you would disable the IDE controllers in BIOS.

g3sundheit · Jan 15, 2008

There doesn't appear to be a jumper on my HDD, is that bad? And yes it is a Western Digital.

RJARRRPCGP · Jan 15, 2008

g3sundheit said:
My HDD is SATA, does that change anything?

Will try the keyboard swap as soon as I can get my hands on one.

I heard that they're less likely to have jumpers.

But don't many people still use PATA?

Maverick0984 · Jan 15, 2008

RJARRRPCGP said:
I heard that they're less likely to have jumpers.

But don't many people still use PATA?

I doubt PATA is still used much at all. Only in older PC's or people that want to keep reusing all drives.

BIOS pauses...

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