Cold Boot Problems

[Guest]

Just build my first computer from parts. Great experience mostly, but I'm having a minor, but annoying problem. Computer specs at end.

The computer has to have its CMOS reset before every cold boot. If it isn't reset, the power comes on, the DVD drive keeps trying to spin up with no disk inserted, and I never see a monitor output.

If the CMOS is reset, it POSTs fine, prompts me for the system time, and otherwise behaves normally. Restarting (warm reboot) the computer works just fine, but even with no other changes to the bios, it will not cold boot.

For what its worth, I'm also experiencing 1-2 minute boot times on a system I hoped I designed for 15-30 sec boot times. Not sure if this problem is related.

System:

Windows XP SP3 Professional

New parts:
Intel Core i3-540 Clarkdale 3.06GHz 4MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core
EVGA 123-CD-E635-KR LGA 1156 Intel H55 ATX Intel Motherboard
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V
A-DATA 500 Series AS592S-32GM-C 2.5" 32GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive
ZOTAC ZT-20404-20L GeForce GT 240 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16
Crucial Ballistix 2GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) x 2

Used parts:
DVD-RW
A 5 port USB 2.0 PCI card

 

[Alvin Smith]

Plug your boot SSD into SATA PORT ZERO and select as drive zero boot in bios.

Input your manufacturer's exact CAS timings (published, not sensed) and up your ram voltage by 3 hundredths ...

Make certain thatt the IGP is not selected and do not share any system ram with it.

SAVE these settings on/before exiting the bios.

If all of that does not fix ... pull all cards except the primary GPU and try (all) again.

Try pulling the USB card and the second GPU out. ... update bios ... call EVGA.

= AL =

 

[Alvin Smith]

PS: ALSO ... Please list ALL of your drives (hdd & optical) ...

I am particularly interested to know if you have a WD GREEN HDD OR ANY PATA Drives (INCL OPTICAL).

= Alvin =

 

[Guest]

Thanks for helping out. I tried everything you said, but it didn't work. I don't have any other ram to test it with, so I can't take it out.

I do have a WD Green through a USB connection, but my problem occurs even if I go through the entire reboot cmos -> reconfigure bios -> boot windows -> cold boot cycle without it plugged in.

My DVD-RW is a PATA connection. I don't have anything else but the solid state and the DVD.

 

[Alvin Smith]

Well ... pull the data ribbon off the dvd drive and boot a few times ...

... could be a flakey bios/mobo ... you will HAVE to do a breadboard build, to prove/isolate the fault.

This chklist will provide a methodical roadmap, to gain progress and not just "bounce" around the problem.

To "reseat" means to "pull ALL the way out" and ONLY then, to re-insert FULLY.

You CAN work/TS with only ONE stick of RAM (and rotate those sticks) ... (READ!).

REMEMBER! ... You can't just skim the chklist and say "did this .. did that" ... You MUST perform or absolutely verify each step, or it is useless. DO NOT assume that you are too smart to have mis-placed a mobo standoff, for instance ... ASSUME that you are exactly that inept ... or ... may never solve.

We are here to consult and to clarify ... talk to us ... strip it all the way down ... OUT of the case ... NO mobo cables (wires) AT ALL ... just PSU/mobo/spkr/one-stick-ram. ... build/swap/rotate/test/log .. REPEAT with next component.

It hurts ... but, with such issues, even the PSU (marginal or dirty power) can be the prob ... bad bios .. bad stick of ram .. bad ram slot .. squirelly anything.

Here's the DOC ... it is HIGHLY EVOLVED (many revs) ... does work (*IF*).

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-boot-video-problems

= Let Us Know =

 

[pjmelect]

The obvious cause of this problem which I am sure that you have checked is that of a faulty CMOS battery. If this is not the cause of your problem then the motherboard is probably faulty although a faulty power supply could cause this problem.

 

[Alvin Smith]

IF IT IS A BAD CMOS BATT THEN THE DIAGNOSTIC LEDs SHOULD INDICATE THIS FACT, DURING POST, BY DISPLAYING THE CODE >>> " 04"

WHAT CODE(S) DOES YOUR DIAG LED SHOW DURING POST ??

http://www.evga.com/support/manuals/files/123-CD-E635.pdf


Appendix A. POST Codes for the EVGA
H55 Motherboard
This section provides the AMI POST Codes (Table 6) for the EVGA H55 Motherboard during system boot up.
The POST Codes are displayed on the Debug LED readout located directly onboard the motherboard. This Debug LED will also display current CPU temperatures after the system has fully booted into the Operating System.
Table 6. AMI POST Code Code Description
03
Initialize BIOS.
04
Check Battery Power and CMOS
05
Initialize interrupt controlling hardware/vector table
06
Initialize system timer
07
Fixes CPU POST interface calling pointer
08
Primary initialization of CPU
C0
Secondary initialization of CPU
C1
Set up boot strap processor information
C2
Set up boot strap processor for POST
C5
Enumerate and set up application processors
C6
Re-enable cache for boot strap processor
C7
Early CPU initialization exit
0A
Initialize keyboard controller
0B
Detect Mouse