My “Johnny 5 computer”

[The Hat]

The UEFI bios is is still a BIOS it will only detect stuff hooked up directly to the MB.

That’s what make my problem so difficult to detect all along.

My server switch and sound Amp. were the two things that were always causing compatibility issues if they were not correctly initialised ?

If the on board sound and Ethernet cards was not connect live to these two devices at the time of post boot then I wouldn’t have use of either of them, so my question still is, how can the BIOS tell they are not ?, because everything is listed correctly in the Device Manager except the external peripherals..

 

[mikling]

Try changing the soundcard slot to an alternate one and see if that helps. What type of sound card are you using?

 

[stratman]

If the on board sound and Ethernet cards was not connect live to these two devices at the time of post boot then I wouldn’t have use of either of them, so my question still is, how can the BIOS tell they are not ?, because everything is listed correctly in the Device Manager except the external peripherals..

To simplify/clarify, when you power on the computer, the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) runs a POST (Power On System Test) to make sure all electrical systems of the essential hardware components (RAM, keyboard, optical drives, etc) are working. The POST is pre-BOOT operations. When the POST is successfully completed then BOOT operations begin and the Operating System is loaded.

Software needs to be loaded for the on-board sound (not a card but a chip on the motherboard???) and ethernet card. This is independent of and done after POST,and is completed during the BOOT portion. If all this communication is not completed by some time during the initialization process (BIOS instruction set of what's what and where they are at AND software drivers etc loaded during BOOT) then there will be functional issues. Unless you can loard the requisite files after BOOT.

Like you intimated before, the order of turning on various components, including peripherals, can affect the success of functional hardware.

What exactly is the pathway for your components recognized at POST and BOOT to be listed in Device Manager, or how low level it drills to get the data, is not known to me.

One other thought... EUFI's may have some variability of control over the BOOT process such as how much it looks for components at during the BOOT process. Maybe the BOOT order selected is causing a problem. Have no idea. Not enough info and would be painful to try to figure it out long distance unless all components were known and familiar to the person troubleshooting. I am thrilled you have found a workaround!!!!

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Now for some thoughts on your earlier post:

When I start-up my system from a UPS unit, I power on the motherboard and screen then from another location switch on all the other external peripherals.

My next step was to press the start button on the computer to get into Windows, and this is where I would usually discover I had a problem and would have to reboot to clear the issue, maybe up to 3 times before things were working normally.

1) Your UPS could be an issue with sagging power. It should act as a pass through but...

2) Monitors gobble up a lot of power when turned on. It used to be your first powered on the computer and then the monitor. Nowadays, the manufacturer will advise the order of power up. It might be that your either your monitor or video card needs data from the other before certain operations occur in the boot of your computer or else the monitor will resort to sleep mode, or some such thing. I am supposed to turn on my monitor after powering on the computer but if I was more than a few seconds the screen sleeps.

The point here is that the order and timing when you power up components may create disharmony. This is what you are explaining in your post.

3) Powering on both computer and monitor at the same time via an external switch like your UPS can cause power sag and boot issues. As above, order and timing of powering on components/peripherals can cause issues.

I now power on all the peripherals first then wait a couple of seconds, then power the motherboard, screen and finally press the start button

If you've already "power(ed) on" your motherboard and screen, what then is the start button doing? I think I know what you mean but potential differences in definitions can create issues of their own, especially when troubleshooting.

 

[stratman]

The main switch is the external mains power supply switch.

Sorry, I still do no know what you mean by "external mains power supply switch".

I have a surge protector power strip (on my desk underneath my monitor) that my computer, monitor, printer and docking station plug into. This power strip must be turned on for power to get to the computer and peripherals. Then I turn on the computer and monitor to boot up. Any other peripheral connected to the power strip is turned on as needed.

 

[Emulator]

Sorry, I still do no know what you mean by "external mains power supply switch".

We call our house electricity supply outlets or wall sockets the "mains", for some old fashioned reason.

I used to have a plug-in inductive surge suppression device in series with the "mains" feed, but found it caused more trouble than benefit and tended to burn out the downstream power switch.

 

[stratman]

We call our house electricity supply outlets or wall sockets the "mains"

Got it. Thanks.

Is it common to have a switch on a wall socket in your neck of the woods?

 

[The Hat]

The UEFI bios is is still a BIOS it will only detect stuff hooked up directly to the MB.

Listen guys I am on your side with this, I don’t believe it either, to me the BIOS is only suppose to check a few basic items on post boot and not before, but then what do I know..

If you've already "power(ed) on" your motherboard and screen, what then is the start button doing? I think I know what you mean but potential differences in definitions can create issues of their own, especially when troubleshooting.
If you've already "power(ed) on" your motherboard and screen, what then is the start button doing? I

When I switch on the wall socket, it connects a UPS which then powers on the computer power supply, which I always leave the switch in the on position, so the Motherboard gets some power and is then active.

The only remaining thing I have to do is to press the start button on the front of the case to activate the post boot and if the BIOS is happy with that, it proceeds to boot into Windows.

Try changing the soundcard slot to an alternate one and see if that helps. What type of sound card are you using?

Altering the location makes no difference, the Sound Card is Creative SB X-Fi and the Ethernet Cards are Intel Built into the board.

Your UPS could be an issue with sagging power. It should act as a pass through but...

The UPS is fine and supplies full power at all times, thankfully.

So far I’ve had no problems since I've altered my routine turning on the computer in the mornings, and I can't rightly say if I’ve actually fixed the problem because this UEFI BIOS thing has me completely baffled, I reckon it's quite likely to come back and bite me in the ass one of these days..

 

[The Hat]

Just an update on this computer of mine.

It has behaved impeccably since I originally started this thread, and I am now certain that it was the Bios that was causing the problem.

I have put in an extra delay of 5 seconds to the start-up of the computer on post boot and that seems to have chased all of the gremlins away, but I am still at a loss as to how this has cured the problem..

 

[stratman]

I am still at a loss as to how this has cured the problem.

It seem to be an initialization/recognition issue with your hardware if a delay cures the problem.

 

[The Hat]

It seem to be an initialization/recognition issue with your hardware if a delay cures the problem.

It would seem rather stupid to replace a perfectly good working sound card, wouldn’t it ?