P5B Cold Boot Problems

[Mike89]

I built a new computer at work (all new parts). 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. Everything running at stock.

Computer runs great. Ran Othos for quite awhile with no errors of any kind. Ran Super P11 with very fast results. I do have a problem though that I can't figure out.

When the computer sets off overnight (with power still connected) 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.

[Leeghoofd]

Did you update to the a latter Bios to fully support the E6850 ? Although it's weird that after a reset it all works fine...

[Nosfer@tu]

try with more Vcore

Keep increasing until it goes away.
OR lower fsb

[Mike89]

I'm not at work right now (where computer is) so I can't see which BIOS it is. I just bought the motherboard so I'm sure the BIOS revision is high enough. I can see the correct cpu in BIOS. Everything is running stock (I never overclock my work computer as I do my home computer), FSB at 333 and Ram also at 333 (1/1). The ram is running well below it's capability (rated at 400) and I have the timings set manually to the Corsair stats (5-5-5-18) with ram voltage at 1.9 volts. I originally had the cpu voltage set to auto. Asus Probe showed the voltage at something like 1.45. This seemed a bit high to me (especially since the retail box says maximum voltage not to exceed 1.35 volts) so I manually set it to 1.3 volts. The issue I'm speaking of happens with either "auto" or 1.3 volts. I sure wouldn't think I need more than 1.45 volts on a stock cpu. Hell, my home system (see sig) is overclocked to a higher speed than this one and it's still at 1.3 volts.

I'm not exactly sure what the computer is doing when the lights are going across the bar. First it posts, which I assume is the BIOS checking everything out. Then it goes to the lights going across the bar. Then it goes to log in and Welcome screen. I assumed during the Welcome Screen is when Windows was loading the OS.

I don't know what the difference is on what the computer is doing on a restart vs a cold boot.

I also notice that on a cold boot, if I go immediately into the BIOS to change anything or not, and then exit BIOS, the computer starts with no problems. It almost seems like the computer is not on long enough during the cold boot to do everything it's supposed to do. Seems that little extra time either from going into the BIOS or restarting provides the right time it needs or something. I'm just speculating on this trying to come up with something my mind can make sense of.

Before I posted here I have spent a couple of days reading from searching on cold boot issues (there is a ton of them). I've not seen the exact issue I'm having (but a lot of variations of it) and no solutions I can grab hold of. This one's got me stymied.

[Leeghoofd]

Well 1.3 set in bios could mean the CPU only get's 1.25 in reality... which might be too low... Try Nosferatu's tip and set eg 1.35 and that might give 1.3 in reality... and don't exclude the Antec PSU... I have had pretty annoying issues with them (though the 850 watter is quite good)...

[Mike89]

I also noticed that if before starting the computer in the morning, if I turn the power switch on the power supply from on to off and then back on again, the computer starts Windows normally without me having to hit the reset button.

This is the weirdest dam computer problem I've ever faced and I'll be damned if I know what the hell is causing this anomaly.

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.

[Buckster]

did you ever get to the bottom of this problem ?

mine has just started doing it after I updated the bios - P5B Deluxe - went from 1236 to 1238

basically if I turn on PC in the morning, every time it boots fine, but stops part way into the moving Windows 7 lights .... - locks up same place everytime

if I press reset - it will always 100% boot fully into windows on this 2nd boot ....