Hey everyone! I'm dealing with a really frustrating boot loop problem on my Gigabyte Z690 AORUS PRO motherboard, which has been ongoing for about two months now. The system gets stuck at the Gigabyte logo and the Windows loading screen, and I can't seem to get into Windows 11 at all.
Here are the symptoms I'm facing:
- Forced reboots using the power button don't lead to Windows recovery, even if it says it's attempting to repair.
- Sometimes, I end up staring at a black screen or stuck in a boot loop for a long time.
- The BIOS loads without issues, and all hardware is detected, so no errors there.
- A temporary fix involves disconnecting the power for a while before it boots normally, which hints at a potential hardware or power issue.
These are the troubleshooting steps I've already tried:
1. Repaired the Windows UEFI boot files, but no luck.
2. Replaced my NVMe SSD with a new Samsung model and did a fresh Windows install, which only worked temporarily before the boot loop returned after a Windows update.
3. Attempted to boot with USB rescue drives, but it just goes back to the Gigabyte logo.
4. Downgraded the BIOS, but that didn't change anything. There's a new BIOS version (F30d) available, but I haven't tried that.
5. I also disabled Fast Boot without any improvement.
My hardware setup includes an i9-12900K CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM (with XMP disabled), a Zotac RTX 5080, and a recently installed NZXT 1000W Gold PSU.
I suspect it could be either faulty capacitors affecting power delivery or a firmware bug in the BIOS, but downgrading the BIOS didn't make a difference.
Oh, and just to note, I'm transitioning to a new ASUS ROG AM5 board (moving to AMD) but want to sell my current setup while it's still functioning somewhat.
I'm looking for solutions—has anyone experienced this and managed to fix it? Is there a known setting in the BIOS that might help, or should I give BIOS F30d a shot? Could this possibly be related to PSU compatibility, even though it's a good quality unit?
4 Answers
It's essential to verify that you're using UEFI and secure boot mode, not CSM or legacy mode. This setting can really affect how Windows boots, especially with newer architectures. Double-checking this might save you some headaches!
Running Memtest86 could be a good idea to validate your memory. If it passes without errors, that clears RAM issues off the table. I remember running it during similar boot problems and it helped narrow down the cause; I’d suggest giving it a go!
Definitely try out the latest BIOS version and see if that resolves the boot loop! Also, testing just one stick of RAM at a time can help rule out stability issues, especially since disabling XMP is not a good sign for your RAM. It's less likely that the PSU is the issue since the problems occur during boot when power needs are lower. If you still have a spare motherboard, swappable parts could help diagnose if yours is defective, too.
I've heard the XMP profiles on these boards can be dodgy! It's a common issue amongst Z690 and the 12900K. I've had to undervolt my RAM as well, which has been a pain. If BIOS updates don't help, you might want to switch out the RAM for a stick that's verified on the compatibility list.
Yeah, I had a similar situation. XMP profiles just caused me headaches, and in the end, manual tweaks led to better stability. If you get a moment, maybe try upping the voltage slightly!
Have you checked if TPM 2.0 is enabled in the BIOS? It's crucial for running Windows 11. Also, only have the NVMe drive connected and boot using one stick of RAM to eliminate conflicts. There’s word about a Windows 11 patch on June 10 that should help older hardware compatibility, so waiting for that might also be worth considering!
I ran MemTest a couple of times, and it showed up clean as a whistle, which is good! I'm hoping it's not the RAM, but at least now I know.