System startup time

[Rado D]

Hi everyone!I hope you will be able to give me some advice,as my issue is very annoying.
First,let my clarify,that my system is 100% healthy,everything is runnig like magic,Im constantly monitoring system health,to be able to run at optimal performance.My HDD health status is also excellent.
But lets get back to my question.
I have a strange issue happening uppon starting up my computer.(this is only happening when turning the PC on,not when restarting).
It takes ridiculously long from post screen to the point,when you see the sign windows starting with the 4 colour balls coming from the backround.to be precise I see the black screen with the Windows is starting up sign,but it takes just above 2 minutes until the 4 colour balls start rolling out.during this time I can see that the HDD led on my case is hanging lit constantly and it is released exactly when the 4 colour balls are rolling out and I can hear the HDD processing.after this everything is lightening fast(just check my specs)..What Im concerned about is,what the heck is going on during that 2 minutes,when my HDD hangs??how can I eliminate this time?

[dark2099]

if you havent already, check the boot order of your HDDs, if your OS drive isn't first, your system might be going through each other drive before getting to your OS drive, and since I saw you have an external, that could add a bit more time due to the slower read and access times, only down side to that is you will need to have your win 7 dvd handy to fix the bootmgr since switching boot orders makes that not work right in win 7 (or at least has always done that for me)

[BarbaricSoul]

Did this issue just all of a sudden start happening, or has then been a progessively getting worse problem?

[Mike0409]

Any USB item's plugged in, check those 1 by 1.

I had an issue with my iPod during POST, it would just hang the system for 2-3 min. Soon as I unplugged it, system would start up.

As BarbaricSoul stated + 1

[BarbaricSoul]

Originally Posted by dark2099

if you havent already, check the boot order of your HDDs, if your OS drive isn't first, your system might be going through each other drive before getting to your OS drive, and since I saw you have an external, that could add a bit more time due to the slower read and access times, only down side to that is you will need to have your win 7 dvd handy to fix the bootmgr since switching boot orders makes that not work right in win 7 (or at least has always done that for me)

Actually I just went though something like that. Somehow my external(with no OS on it) got switched as my primary drive and my computer was trying to boot with that, in which case I would get a "no OS error". I set my SSD as my boot drive in bios, and everything has been working fine since then(no reformat/reinstall needed).

[Rado D]

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

Did this issue just all of a sudden start happening, or has then been a progessively getting worse problem?

Its happening always and from beggining,it was even happening before I've upgraded my system to better CPU and MOBO..but I refuse to think that it could be my WD Velociraptor,as it really is an excellent drive with superb speeds and cooling.

Originally Posted by Mike0409

Any USB item's plugged in, check those 1 by 1.

I had an issue with my iPod during POST, it would just hang the system for 2-3 min. Soon as I unplugged it, system would start up.

As BarbaricSoul stated + 1

Thats not a bad idea..but I only have connected via USB the printer,which is turned off anyway and then is my Deathadder mouse,G15 keyboard and my Creative webcam.thats it.but will try what you've suggested.

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

Actually I just went though something like that. Somehow my external(with no OS on it) got switched as my primary drive and my computer was trying to boot with that, in which case I would get a "no OS error". I set my SSD as my boot drive in bios, and everything has been working fine since then(no reformat/reinstall needed).

I never had external hdd connected unless I use it.

[NdMk2o1o]

In your bios enable ahci(make sure you have the driver installed in windows 1st), enable quick boot, set OS hdd to boot 1st with no other devices, turn off usb storage, disable all unused devices in bios (ide, sound, serial port, floppy etc) that you don't use and see how you get on. With these settings my PC boots to a useable desktop in about 20secs

See if any of that helps.

[BarbaricSoul]

have you checked your hard drive boot priority like already suggested?

[Rado D]

Originally Posted by dark2099

fix the bootmgr

sorry how you do this?

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

have you checked your hard drive boot priority like already suggested?

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7999443_n.jpg

yes,my 1st boot drive is WD Velociraptor

[BarbaricSoul]

Originally Posted by Rado D

sorry how you do this?

go into your bios and look for a catagory named something like hard drive boot priority and set your raptor drive as the primary drive

[Rado D]

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

go into your bios and look for a catagory named something like hard drive boot priority and set your raptor drive as the primary drive

aaah,you mean that?I've been doing that for 12 years

[BarbaricSoul]

I'm at a lost then. My next line of thought was maybe you have the raptor drive hooked up to one of the slower SATA ports, but your boards slower ports are as fast as my boards faster sata ports, and I'm fully booted into windows from start up in less than a minute, even without the SSD.

[Rado D]

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

I'm at a lost then. My next line of thought was maybe you have the raptor drive hooked up to one of the slower SATA ports, but your boards slower ports are as fast as my boards faster sata ports, and I'm fully booted into windows from start up in less than a minute, even without the SSD.

yeah,something is definitely not right..but what??

EDIT: Oh and the Boot racer utility shows my total boot time as 41 seconds..

[BarbaricSoul]

hey, I know how to fix this for you. Trade me computers. You'll have the boot time you want then.






I know I know, no chance, but worth a try.

[BarbaricSoul]

have you done a reformat since this problem started?

[Rado D]

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

hey, I know how to fix this for you. Trade me computers. You'll have the boot time you want then.






I know I know, no chance, but worth a try.

Haha good try but you are right,no chance

As I said,once Im in windows my computer is super fast,super stable and super healthy

thats why Im handling this issue just out of curiosity.ofcourse,I'd be happy if I could solve it.

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

have you done a reformat since this problem started?

sure I did.

[BarbaricSoul]

Originally Posted by BarbaricSoul

have you done a reformat since this problem started?

????

[BarbaricSoul]

well at this point, if it was my computer, I'd go into the bios and start trying to adjust any setting having to do with your boot priority and SATA port speeds. Only thing I can think of is you have something set wrong in the bios.

[Mike0409]

Originally Posted by Rado D

Thats not a bad idea..but I only have connected via USB the printer,which is turned off anyway and then is my Deathadder mouse,G15 keyboard and my Creative webcam.thats it.but will try what you've suggested.

Those could still cause an issue, check em' see what happens. Just disconnect 1 at a time.

You said you had this issue from your last build as well? What was changed from build 1 to build 2, and what carried over? Maybe look at some items that were carried over that could be faulty, cables, peripherals, anything.

[NdMk2o1o]

Run a SMART check on the vraptor. Something is amiss somewhere, I would also try installing Windows on your WD 500gb drive and see if it is the same on that.

[Rado D]

Originally Posted by Mike0409

Those could still cause an issue, check em' see what happens. Just disconnect 1 at a time.

You said you had this issue from your last build as well? What was changed from build 1 to build 2, and what carried over? Maybe look at some items that were carried over that could be faulty, cables, peripherals, anything.

since I didnt have the same mouse and keyboard with the previous build(I changed the cpu and MOBO)and it was happening I assume none of them are causing it..also as I've mentioned before,could be my primary HD,but honestly there is nothing wrong with it..I exclude the cables,cos I've used new ones from the Rampage bundle.

[theoneandonlymrk]

I may be stateing something stupidly obv but have you left a scratched or poor reading cd dvd in your drive because i had same issue just lately twice ,once was a usb stick even tho not in any way boot enabled then the other day my crisis disc left in was causing long boots again not in any way due to boot oreder i allways had have 1st disk ssd boot

also a bad sata dvd drive could cause it try unplugging it totally

[Rado D]

OK,so what can you read from this guys?

[Mike0409]

Originally Posted by Rado D

OK,so what can you read from this guys?

That Reallocated Sector Count is high man...

[Rado D]

Originally Posted by Mike0409

That Reallocated Sector Count is high man...

So how comes that the utility indicates it as OK.?

anyways,have to go to workn now,thanks for all your input so far guys,I'll try most of the things you've suggested when Im back from work.