Ultra Fast boot + disabled CSM Asrock Z68 Extreme 3 Gen 3 L2.31A

[Arjen421]

Dear tweakers,

I have just updated my bios to version L2.31A to use the ultra fast boot funtion. Its all working well however, as soon i enable fast or ultra fast boot, the csm option is gone. This means i can still not boot fast. Is this supposed to work like that or is it a bug?

My system is configured correctly as far as I know:

Installed windows 8 in uefi mode
My boot disk is converted to GPT
When testing fast boot im using my onboard grahics (intel HD 3000)

If someone knows a solution, please let me know.

Thx,
Arjen

[parsec]

I'm not sure I understand how the CSM option is stopping you from the faster start/boot that true UEFI booting provides. What do you have CSM set to, enabled or disabled?

Yes, it is normal for the CSM option to not appear when Fast boot is set to Fast or Ultra Fast.

The CSM, or Compatibility Support Module, is used so a UEFI type BIOS can be used or run as a standard BIOS does. When CSM is enabled, a PC is not UEFI booting, it is BIOS booting. In order to UEFI boot with Windows 8, CSM must be disabled. That is why when Fast boot is set to Ultra Fast, the CSM option is removed, since Ultra Fast boot will not work if CSM is enabled.

If you have CSM enabled when using Windows 8, you are not UEFI booting.

[Arjen421]

Thx for clearing that up. The reason why I asked this is because on ultra fast boot my pc isnt booting any faster than normal. The bios screen just comes up as normal and stays there for about 4 seconds before booting windows (I can not get in the bios then, so ultra fast boot is truly on). I thought this was because i could not disable csm, but if you say csm is off anyway with fastboot then i guess fast boot just isnt working as i expected.

Thx for the reply

[parsec]

It sounds like something is not right, but if CSM is enabled, you will not get the true fast booting. That is why you see the normal BIOS screens when set to Ultra Fast.

Try this, set Fast boot to disabled. Then set CSM to disabled. Restart the PC and boot to Windows. Then restart and go into the UEFI. Now set Fast boot to Ultra Fast, and restart.

Question, what is the name of the disk in the boot order set to? Of course it is your OS SSD, but what is the name of the device you have set to first in the boot order?

[Arjen421]

Thx i will try that. Sadly I can not test it atm, because im with my parents for the weekend.

The boot order is either set to my ssd or windows boot loader, im not sure about that. Which one should I use?

Regards,
Arjen

[parsec]

For UEFI booting, Windows Boot Loader is the correct choice. I was surprised to see that the first time I installed Windows 8 for UEFI booting, but that is what it is called.

[Arjen421]

I finally got to test it. So i set boot option #1 to windows bootloader and tried everything else you said, but it just doesnt work. I guess Asrock does not want me to use the combination of a disabled csm + ultra fast boot.

Thx anyway.

[parsec]

If you have truly installed Windows 8 in UEFI mode, with CSM disabled (required for a UEFI boot), even with Ultra Fast boot NOT set, the PC should still start/boot very quickly. The difference between Fast boot Disabled, and Ultra Fast selected, is very small if you are UEFI booting.

What exactly is not working?

[Arjen421]

I just filmed it with my phone. Sorry for the very bad quality.

This is when i boot with both fastboot and csm disabled:
Csm and fast boot both disabled - YouTube

And this is with Csm disabled -> reboot -> Fast boot: Ultra fast
Fastboot: ultra fast, csm Disappeared but disabled before I set Fastboot - YouTube

This is a screenshot taken when fastboot was on ultra fast.


The booting just doesn't go fast.

But please dont put too much time in this. Its not of life saving importance;)

[parsec]

I don't understand why you are worried that the CSM option is gone when Ultra Fast is selected. If you have it set to disabled, then it is disabled, even though the option is not shown.

Your OS drive is the 830, correct? Do you have any other drives on that PC?