(Solved) UEFI Boot Headache on MSI Z490-A Pro Motherboard

[outofmysystem]

Built a new system based on an MSI Z940-A Pro motherboard with an i5-10600 and I'm having a nightmare getting this thing to boot correctly. My older system was on it's way out so I built the new rig and moved the disks across. The array is fine and all is working ok once it's up, but once I reboot, I'm met with a blank screen with a single underscore. The only thing that works is removing the USB key, booting into the BIOS, changing nothing, re-insert the USB and exit the BIOS. UnRAID boots correctly then.

 

Things I've tried

Used unRAID USB Creator to create a new USB drive with UEFI enabled and restored from a flash backup

Installed a 1030 GT graphics card although the intention was to use only the iGPU for Plex Quick Sync

Switched from UEFI to CSM in the BIOS

Disabled any UEFI boot devices

Enabled only UEFI boot devices

 

Has anyone seen similar behaviour? As long as I go into the BIOS first with the USB key removed, will it then boot correctly. 

Edited September 13, 2021 by outofmysystem

[-MacGyver-]

Don't have an MSI board, so apologies. But a few days ago I had seen some other forum posts about a similar issue. It seemed that the fast boot on MSI boards causes this issue.

 

Also from what I've read there can be two fast boot options. But not having an MSI I can't confirm that.

 

Another symptom is moving the USB drive to another port allows boot to succeed also.

 

Long story short, go into the bios and disable fast boot, look for two just in case (but there could only be one). Then try a few reboots to see what happens. 

 

[outofmysystem]

Thanks for the reply. I remember there's 2 fast boots, one MSI one and one it says is related to Windows 8. The last one I know is enabled so will give that a try and will swap USB ports too. 

[-MacGyver-]

To be clear it was that moving the USB allowed it to boot before fast boot was disabled. Was offering that as a symptom. If you move the USB to a different port and it boots, before updating the bios that, to me, is a good indicator of the fast boot enabled causing the issue. 🙂

[outofmysystem]

Well, I tried switching USB ports and that didn't help. I've disabled both Fast Boot options and still the same. Black screen with a single line. I can't get to the BIOS at that point by hitting the Del key. Need to remove the USB, reset and then hit Del. Reinsert the USB key once the BIOS is open, exit the BIOS and it boots from USB. Driving me potty. 

[outofmysystem]

The unRAID USB key is fine - stuck it in another machine which booted into the menu immediately. A Windows 10 Install Media USB Key works in the new machine without issue - boots up straight away. Just cannot get unRAID to boot without first going into the BIOS and then exiting. The intention was not to have a monitor attached as the server will be in the attic so this is really frustrating. 

[SimonF]

30 minutes ago, outofmysystem said:

The unRAID USB key is fine - stuck it in another machine which booted into the menu immediately. A Windows 10 Install Media USB Key works in the new machine without issue - boots up straight away. Just cannot get unRAID to boot without first going into the BIOS and then exiting. The intention was not to have a monitor attached as the server will be in the attic so this is really frustrating. 

Does the folder EFI exist or is it still -EFI if the later rename without -

[outofmysystem]

Hi. The EFI folder exists.

[SimonF]

27 minutes ago, outofmysystem said:

Hi. The EFI folder exists.

I Have a  Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. B460M-A PRO (MS-7C88) 

 

Boots UEFI

 

Boot mode is UEFI not CSM

 

MSI Fast Boot and Fast boot disabled.

 

Boot order is 1# UEFI USB

 

and I have selected the USB drive in the USB boot order.

 

Cant rember if I set any thing else special, but may be something else you need on your board.

[outofmysystem]

So this USB Key is new and was created using the unRAID USB Creator and I chose to install it with a flash backup I'd previously taken from when it was in the old machine and I took the option to enable UEFI. I've downloaded a trial version of unRAID (same version v 6.9.2) to another USB and did not take the UEFI option in the Creator. It cold boots perfectly. I don't know where this leaves me but something from the backup that's causing this boot issue? When the system's up, it all works perfectly. 

[alturismo]

when i builded the rig for my brother in law i had the same experience, was some hard time at the beginning with uefi boot

 

pulling the GPU out solved it to make adjustments in the bios etc ... but still its a black screen on boot, but meanwhile its rebooting fine, GPU passthrough working fine, all good ...

 

give it some reboots etc ... was not really to reproduce what the issue(s) been, but its working now

[outofmysystem]

So it turns out the issue isn't with the motherboard, it's with the Kingston DataTraveler 100G3 USB 3.0 stick I'd bought to replace the ageing USB 2.0 stick that was in the previous system. I'd recently gotten my registration key moved to this new one, but despite everything I've tried, it will not cold boot from it. I had a spare ADATA USB 2.0 stick laying around and restored the same backup that went on to the Kingston DataTraveler to it and it cold boots just fine. I've mailed LimeTech to see if they can move the registration key to the ADATA one as it seems to solve my cold boot problem.

[outofmysystem]

New key issue and all working fine. Avoid the Kingston DataTraveler 100G3 USB 3.0.