BIOS Slow on Z170 OC Formula

Souths1der wrote: I am new to ASRock.  Just got the Z170 OC Formula earlier this week and had the opportunity to start setting it up yesterday.  Here is longish take on what happened, with my issue at the end: Took a while to get the 3 x M.2 setup in a bootable RAID0, but after that all installs went well.  Problems started when I went to turn on fast boot after getting the OS and all my programs installed.  Fast Boot would not work, it would seem to post BIOS fine, but not load Windows.  I figured no biggie, normal boot was pretty damn fast anyway, so I backed out the change in the bios, well that didn't help, it still showed that same behavior.  After a Windows rollback and recreating the secure boot keys, I got windows back.  Then I went to turn on the XMP via BIOS.  After selecting the profile, I did a save and reboot.  Only it didn't reboot it started to post, then reset and started to post again, then posted but sat at a black screen.  I hit the reset button.  I thought I'd check that I did the right thing with the XMP setting, so I hit the DEL key, but I heard no beep and it didn't go right into the BIOS as it had always done.  I hit it a few more times, nothing.  I sat there staring at the screen thinking it was locked up for maybe 45 seconds, then I heard the beep and it went into the BIOS.  I checked the settings and I have not set any delay.  I was pretty sure that wasn't the case because of the fact that it doesn't seem to process my DELETE keystroke for 45 seconds.  I tried clearing the CMOS, flashing to version 2.5 , flashing back to 2.6.  Nothing helps.  I flick the switch top use the second BIOS, and everything is fine.  I've gone through the settings and everything is the same. This is not normal, has anybody else had this issue with the BIOS lagging (that's the only way I can think to describe it)?  If so, is their a fix?  I'm fine with that second BIOS, but I'm mildly worried that there may be something wrong with the board overall.

To be clear, the "BIOS lagging" issue, means there seems to be a delay between POST completing and the UEFI/BIOS UI being displayed, is that correct?

There is a lot going on in your description, and I mainly have questions and some explanation at this point. I see potentially two things that might be the cause, but I'm not sure which one is the problem.

Your three M.2 SSDs in RAID 0, they are which M.2 SSDs?

Did you configure any UEFI settings to allow booting an OS from your RAID 0 volume of M.2 SSDs? Besides using RAID mode.

What OS are you using? If Windows, what version?

You said you "turn(ed) on fast boot". Fast Boot has two options besides Disable, Fast and Ultra Fast. It seems you were using Ultra Fast, is that correct?

You mention the secure boot keys. So Secure Boot is enabled?

Any time you Save and Exit the UEFI/BIOS, even if no change was done, the board will run POST again. It may be an abbreviated POST compared to a cold boot, starting the PC after a shutdown, but POST is never completely skipped if you Save and Exit the UEFI.

The only UEFI option that could cause a delay between POST and entering the UEFI UI, is Boot Manager, in the Tools section of the UEFI. Boot Manager is enabled by default.

The behavior you saw, where you had a black screen with no response, and then you heard the POST beep and were in the UEFI UI is the Boot Failure Guard feature at work. Or it seems to be, given your description.

If one or more UEFI settings cause a failure to POST or BOOT, and IMO it was really a failure to POST, the UEFI resets those settings and puts you into the UEFI UI for another try. That feature is enabled by default.

The memory options the XMP profile sets for most DDR4 memory simply does not work on Z170 boards. Memory manufactures want to sell their DDR4 memory for use with X99 and Intel 100 series chipset boards, like the Z170. Those two platforms differ two much to share the same XMP profile settings. This is something we've learned "along the way" with our Z170 boards. Set your highest memory speed settings manually, or use the DRAM Tweaker option in the DRAM Configuration screen. You'll also need to adjust the VCCSA (System Agent) and VCCIO voltages, normally increasing both.

What memory are you using, full model name and speed please.

I can only guess at this point, since I don't have all the information I need.

My main feeling is the memory problem I described above, and the Boot Failure Guard option reacting to a POST failure of the memory test.

The other possibility is a UEFI booting compatibility problem with your video source. I don't want to get into an explanation of that, but the failure to boot IF you used Ultra Fast boot, and your mention of using Secure Boot (whose side effect is enabling UEFI booting), hint at this, plus the use of M.2 SSDs. Again, the Boot Failure Guard option would cause the behavior you described, and are asking about.

What video source are you using? A video card (what model) or Intel integrated graphics?

I can only guess at this point, since I don't have all the information I need, but it

I should also mention that when I'm just booting and not trying the enter BIOS:

I'm still getting familiar with the board and BIOS, never had an ASRock MB before so this is new.  Always had either ASUS or MSI.  I had no idea I could flash from B>A, I'll have to check on how to do that and get back to you.