Windows 11 Rare Boot or Post issue

What about Armoury Crate? It isn't an essential driver like chipset, I/O and such. I really only is used for the fan curve profiles and RGB. There are alternative for both that I have used without issue.

Shad said:

Thanks for the tutorials.

Just for clarification. You want to clean install Windows 11 as per your links after the Window 10 testing? You said "upgrade to Windows 11" before so I assumed you were talking about the upgrade version in Window update.

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Yes it's an upgrade (not a clean install}




The clean install can also be done if you notice a significant change in BIOS boot time after the upgrade.

No drivers or software are installed for Windows 10 clean install, upgrade to Windows 11 and / or Windows 11 clean install

The task manager BIOS boot time can be checked before and after installing Armory crate for another comparison.

Once I could log into windows I disabled Windows Update then restarted twice in case any updates were running. I restarted 3 times as 3 tests for each version of Windows. Clean Win 10, Clean Win 11 and Win 11 with Asus drivers. I installed the chipset, I/O, Intel ME, Intel Sata, Realtek audio and LAN drivers. I started the process by following the guide so I didn't use the Windows 11 upgrade. I downloaded the creation media installing it on an USB drive.

Did you want me to do the process over but this time run the Win 11 upgrade?

The last bios time is the same for the 3 tests for the same version of Windows so I posted only the 3.

From left to right. Windows 10 clean install, Windows 11 clean install, Windows 11 Asus drivers.

There is sufficient data.

The BIOS boot time was cut in 1/2 by the steps earlier in the thread (post #10).

The image can be restored as the 12 seconds matches the clean install.

After installing Armoury Crate with Playground and Assist addons which contains a lot of extra features. I only use the fan control and rgb control but Asus doesnt let people select addons like that. I restarted once after all the updates and request restarts by the installers were complete. I did the same 3 restart tests. All times were the same across the 3 tests.

Is it fine if I do not restore the image as per the backup tutorial? I had a fresh install last week so didn't lose much. Most of my games were on a separate drive. Steam can do a repair/verify so no need to download anything beside WoW, ICue and update windows.

Is it fine if I update Windows via Windows update, install a few games, Razer (Synapse 3) and Corsair software (Icue)?

Sorry to answer your question in Post #14.

I have never paid attention to that specific timer in Task Manager before. Windows booting with this system has always been dependant on the bios settings for Fast-boot enable/disable. Fast-boot enable always loads the system faster. Maybe the delay timer for the splash screen I set from 5 to 1 as well.

I cant really give you any details based on memory of previous installs before this issue started.

The best BIOS boot time seen in this thread was 12 seconds.

It's your preference whether to use the latest installation or restore an image.

I have seen black squares on my display... clean installed Nvidia 572.70 drivers problem gone.

Bios boot time 11.0 sec

Anything else I should run to fix the OS not booting at times?

The "In Search of Incredible" screen on ASUS devices is a common issue that users encounter when their computer or laptop fails to boot past this initial splash screen. This screen typically appears during the boot process and is associated with the ASUS motherboard or firmware.

Usually the updating the Bios should help as you have done. But there may be other hardware that may be failing.

Spunk said:

The "In Search of Incredible" screen on ASUS devices is a common issue that users encounter when their computer or laptop fails to boot past this initial splash screen. This screen typically appears during the boot process and is associated with the ASUS motherboard or firmware.

Usually the updating the Bios should help as you have done. But there may be other hardware that may be failing.

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The freeze/lockup or whatever it is happen on the second splash screen without the motto. I will restart to grab some pictures/video with my mobile so you can see what I see with the two different options for the splash screens.

Apologies I had the sequence wrong. The motto splash screen is the 2nd not the 1st. The system was freezing powering on after a nightly shutdown on the 2nd screen. The screen with the moving loading circle in both videos. Again this freeze was rare maybe once every 2 weeks. The freeze seems to only happed powering up after a shutdown the night before. Windows Fast-start under Power Plan options was off at the time. Currently after the reinstall I did following suggestions here I have left it on.

Asus splash screens off BootNonAsus.mp4

Asus splash screens on. BootAsus.mp4

I did have a problem with corrupt boot sector partition... "Settings > System > Advanced Storage settings > Disks & Volumes > Check EFI
My EFI was flagged as damaged. This would stop my system from booting... occasionally.
The EFI contains 2 copies for booting to Windows. So if one is bad..... Microsoft documentation indicates this would be automatically corrected on system scan? So I had to format the EFI partition, then rebuild the boot settings, now it boots cleanly all the time now a bit of a faff but glad I bit the bullet now.

I also had a bad graphics card that would boot to a black screen... (but not always) EVGA exchanged it for a new one problem solved.
Motherboard Bios would stop at the VGA light in boot sequence. I could boot into onboard Intel graphics ok.

My boot delay is at 3 secs, splash screen on.

I turned my delay in bios down to 1 sec in the course fixing "Last Bios Time" in Task Manager - Startup App page. The higher the delay the more time is added. The Asus splash screen if enabled has a 0 seconds option which cuts "Last Bios Time" down to 11.8. I am leaving it off in case the AMI screen produces an error if my boot issue happens again.

PenPusher said:

I did have a problem with corrupt boot sector partition... "Settings > System > Advanced Storage settings > Disks & Volumes > Check EFI
My EFI was flagged as damaged. This would stop my system from booting... occasionally.
The EFI contains 2 copies for booting to Windows. So if one is bad..... Microsoft documentation indicates this would be automatically corrected on system scan? So I had to format the EFI partition, then rebuild the boot settings, now it boots cleanly all the time now a bit of a faff but glad I bit the bullet now.

I also had a bad graphics card that would boot to a black screen... (but not always) EVGA exchanged it for a new one problem solved.
Motherboard Bios would stop at the VGA light in boot sequence. I could boot into onboard Intel graphics ok.

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I found that setting in May 2024 when I was trying to fix Windows 11 having issues logging in. Some services weren't starting correctly causing login delays or failures. This was at the Windows login screen where you type in your PIN or password. At the time it showed damaged or needs repair. I forgot which it was. I reinstalled Windows 11 to fix it with deleting the partitions. That issue never returned.

When this current booting issue started in May 2025 I was on a clean install of Windows 24h2 in Nov or Oct 2024. EFI was reported as healthy. I reinstalled Windows at the end of May with Windows Update Repair, Reset this PC and then clean install. I thought maybe the Reset and Repair options could cause an issue if some settings/apps were retained so just wiped everything on the OS drive. The EFI was reported as healthy each time and currently is reported as healthy.

Whatever is causing this issue is hard to figure out especially as a simple restart (case button) lets it boot normally. I am not having any system issue outside of that. No BSODS, no freezing or crashing from the system. I have the Windows 11 and/or Nvidia alt-tab issue with one game but that is avoidable by not alt-tabbing. Some apps especially ASUS produce errors in the event viewer and the reliability report. However I checked the Armoury Forums on the Asus website to find other users reported the same issues. Everything still works correctly. Armoury Crate still loads, runs the fan curves and RGB. I had no black screen issues booting or in any games/apps. My GPU warranty ran out a week before this issue started.

I kinda wish I had more issues so I could pinpoint a cause. With boot issues it could be Windows itself, MB, CPU, Ram, GPU, PSU. Most are out of warranty so I can't just send parts in for RMAs. All my 3 year warranty ran out a week before this all started. Great timing huh?

I don't use Armoury Crate... it just gets in the way! and provides no real benefit to me.
I was lucky with the graphics card problem, started a few months after instal then gradually got worse until it would not post at all.

If there any of my bios settings I use, or like to know about . Please feel free to ask.

As per Post #2 Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection turning off on it's own. The setting is under Windows Security - Device Security - Core Isolation. I ran chkdsk C: /f /r to see if maybe my OS SSD was an issue. The scan runs outside of the OS. I guess it turns off the protection setting to run the scan. Windows doesnt produce a warning after logging back into the system nor does the Windows Security icon (blue shield) show a warning. I just test it to confirm at least that specific command turns off the setting. At least that is one problem solved.

The SSD has no reported error nor bad block by both chdsk and Samsung Magician Long Diagnostic scan.

I have a Western Digital drive. Western Digital doesnt have its own software to scan drives similar to Samsung Magician. Can anyone recommend a SSD scanner that can check for bad blocks? Something besides chhdsk.

Here is a link to the drive Amazon.ca

Here is a link to Samsung Magician if people want to know what it does Samsung Magician Software | Samsung Semiconductor USA

Most of my disk errors came from the SSD Sata cable, I found/used a different one, connection now better but lost faith in that so now only does long term file storage.

Now most of my drives are NVME M.2
WD Black SN850 1 Tb C:/boot/Windows,
WD Black SN850x 2Tb D:/Games/Pictures
Samsung 980 pro with heatsink 1Tb E:/Documents/Music/Hyper V
Seagate ST2000 2Tb F:/Stuff i've collected, program exe's etc /Windows Downloads
Samsung SSD 870 Qvo 1Tb K:/ Windows tools/Macrium Reflect Backup's (This drive is the trouble some one for generating errors)

My Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection is turned off, might be some driver floating around stopping it from working, but i'm not overly bothered about getting it fixed. Will try it to see if it works. (Now turned on ) after rebooting twice.

Vulnerable driver block list is turned off.

Shad said:

I have a Western Digital drive. Western Digital doesnt have its own software to scan drives similar to Samsung Magician. Can anyone recommend a SSD scanner that can check for bad blocks? Something besides chhdsk.

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Software that scan for bad blocks may not find them after the use of some chkdsk swiches and other drive software.
(the sequence can be important)
(And each software can have false negatives)

HD Tune (run an old version to scan the whole drive)

Macrorit


For WD drives check what is available in their downloads: