ga z170x gaming3-eu slow boot

[refosk]

Components:
M.2 sm951 AHCI 256gb,
32gb corsair CMK32GX4M4A2400C14,
gigabyte gtx960
win7 64bit

So the boot is very slow even without app center, it takes longer that with my old I7-870 based pc. If I install gigabyte app center the boot takes almost 2 minutes. What could be the problem?

[autotech]

Is  your M2  on the QVL?

[refosk]

On QVL is 128gb and 512gb version but I have 256gb:  sm951 MZ-HPV2560

[refosk]

I fond on some Asus forum this statement: However, there is a setting there called DRCT direct key. This was enabled by default. I've just switched it to disabled. And my POST has gone to 6 seconds from 20 sec
I checked my bios and did not find DRCT option. Is there something similar in Gigabyte bios?

[shadowsports]

Maybe I'm wrong....  But I believe the DRCT Direct Key is proprietary to Asus.  It allows the system to POST straight into BIOS on restart.  I saw nothing that indicates it is able to decrease boot time in any way.   What gives you this impression? 

[refosk]

Like I said, I can't figure out why the boot is so slow?

[Wattsee]

I had real problems with my 950 pro 500gd on Gaming 7.  My boot times where like a minute.  I solved by using rufus to prepare a GPT based UEFI Windows 10 install make sure sure the BIOS is set for UEFI boot and no legacy support and do the install.  My boot times are now few seconds and enjoying 2600 reads and 1600 writes.  Enjoy.

[Wattsee]

Gigabyte technical support about as useful as a chocolate teapot on helping me solve.

[refosk]

I had real problems with my 950 pro 500gd on Gaming 7.  My boot times where like a minute.  I solved by using rufus to prepare a GPT based UEFI Windows 10 install make sure sure the BIOS is set for UEFI boot and no legacy support and do the install.  My boot times are now few seconds and enjoying 2600 reads and 1600 writes.  Enjoy.

Yea, but I have Windows 7 installed at MBR partition. It seems to me like a driver (W7) missing for sm951.

[shadowsports]

I had real problems with my 950 pro 500gd on Gaming 7.  My boot times where like a minute.  I solved by using rufus to prepare a GPT based UEFI Windows 10 install make sure sure the BIOS is set for UEFI boot and no legacy support and do the install.  My boot times are now few seconds and enjoying 2600 reads and 1600 writes.  Enjoy.

Yea, but I have Windows 7 installed at MBR partition. It seems to me like a driver (W7) missing for sm951.

Refosk,
This should help you:

The key for you is ensuring uefi boot is enabled in BIOS and ensuring you select the boot device preceded by "uefi:DVD WIN7xxx" during install.

Since your drive is <2.2TB you can format as MBR, or use GPT if you wish.  If you want to use GPT the example below (for 3TB) HDD shows you how to use the Diskpart command during windows setup, otherwise proceed normally with MBR.  If you don't select UEFI during boot, you won't see the m.2.  I just went through this on a friends x99 board. If you use W8 or 10, the storage controller is detected natively, if 7 you may need to specify a driver.  Good Luck  

Intel SATA Preinstall driver
 (For AHCI / RAID Mode) Select W7x64
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5617&kw=ga-z170x-gaming%203-eu#dl   

http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/252871-windows-7-install-seagate-barracuda-3tb-hdd-how-i-finaly-did.html

[dmdilks]

Couple of things here is how do you have you SSD setup AHCI? Go back into the bios to see if you can boot from UEFI DVD. If you can install windows that way.  It should fix your slow boot problem.

Boot Option Priorities
Specifies the overall boot order from the available devices. Removable storage devices that support GPT format will be prefixed with "UEFI:" string on the boot device list. To boot from an operating system that supports GPT partitioning, select the device prefixed with "UEFI:" string.

Or if you want to install an operating system that supports GPT partitioning such as Windows 7 64-bit, select the optical drive that contains the Windows 7 64-bit installation disk and is prefixed with "UEFI:" string.

[refosk]

Shadowsports,

I installed windows 7 from UEFI prefix DVD drive but windows installation create two partitions not four.

[dmdilks]

Shadowsports,

I installed windows 7 from UEFI prefix DVD drive but windows installation create two partitions not four.

When you get to point where they ask do you want to do upgrade or custom. Pick custom then on the next screen it will show what drive you want to install them on. You have to delete all the partitions. Once you have one partition then go and install. Plus have only that drive connected too.

The two partition are C drive and the other is the system boot manager. The only reason I say only that drive. Windows will always put the system boot manager on another drive.

If you ever want to take that drive out. When you go to boot it will not because it will be looking for the boot manager.

 

[refosk]

dmdilks,

I did exactly as you suggest.

[shadowsports]

dmdilks,

I did exactly as you suggest.

You were provided accurate information.

Windows installation:

If windows is installed on a system with more than one disk, and the destination disk is unformatted, windows setup will install the System Reserved partition on the second drive.  To avoid this, you can either temporarily disconnect the second drive, or format the destination prior to running windows set up. 

You can move the boot manager to your current boot drive if you wish.