I built a new PC with a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, MSI PRO B650-S WiFi motherboard, Gigabyte Radeon RX 9070 XT, 32GB of Corsair Vengeance RGB memory, and a 1TB WD Black SN850X Gen4 NVMe SSD. Initially, one of the RAM sticks appeared faulty, but I have since received a replacement pair. The system works normally once it finally starts, including during several-hour gaming sessions, but it sits on a black screen for more than 10 minutes before booting. There are no motherboard diagnostic lights showing during the delay. Could this be memory training or a BIOS setting, and what should I check?
3 Answers
This sounds like DDR5 memory training, especially after changing the RAM. Check the BIOS for Memory Context Restore and enable it after confirming the memory is stable. If you are using EXPO, make sure the settings are actually stable; unstable memory settings can cause repeated training attempts. A normal training delay might take a little longer on the first boot, but 10 minutes on every startup is excessive.
Reset the BIOS to its factory defaults and test the system before changing anything else. Since this is a fresh build, clearing CMOS or loading optimized defaults is relatively easy and can reveal whether an overclocking or memory configuration is causing the delay. If the problem remains at default settings, update the motherboard BIOS and reseat the RAM.
The SSD, case, and power supply are unlikely to explain a black screen that lasts this long before startup. Focus first on the motherboard firmware, RAM seating, and memory training. Try each memory stick individually in the recommended slot, then test the replacement pair with EXPO disabled. If one configuration boots normally, you may have a memory compatibility or stability issue.
Even with memory training, several minutes every time is not normal. Try booting with EXPO disabled first, then update the BIOS and test again.