Windows 7: Random slow boot times after memory upgrade

Hi everyone. Here's my problem in a nutshell. I assembled a PC a year ago based around the Asus M4A87TDUSB3.0, with it was bundled a Phenon II X6 1090T and 2 x 2 GB fast DDR3. I have a 750W PSU, running a Radeon HD5570. I have a dual boot config, with Windows 7 64bit as default but also XP as other OS because there are some old games I really like that only work in XP (I tried emulation but software rendering isn't up to it). 90% of the time I'm in Windows 7. I've set up the system to that the Windows 7 partition isn't visible to XP, so that my Windows 7 restore points don't get wiped out when I boot into XP.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, system has been working well, reliable and without issues for the last 10 months. However, a couple of months ago I decided to install a second drive of the same size but faster. I migrated the entire contents from the old drive to the new faster one without problems. I then reformatted the old drive and made it a dedicated backup drive for Genie Timeline. All worked well. A couple of weeks later, I decided to upgrade the RAM from 4GB to 16GB and used Crucial's system scanner to find suitable upgrade. I took out the old modules, installed the 16GB new ones as a complete kit (with same latencies etc). First boot didn't seem to go well, system hanged before Windows Logo. I rebooted, went into BIOS and set the memory timings to Auto and set up Memory Counter to show on screen. I rebooted and it showed 16GB and it then booted into Windows normally. All fine, I did a Windows system rating and got 7.4's and 7.5's on everything apart from the HDD which comes in at 5.9

Problem is, I now randomly get slow boots. It probably happens once in about 5 times, the entire boot sequence will take around 14 minutes whereas normally things are fine after about 3 minutes. I've pared down startup programs in MSconfig to really just the stuff I need to get by, so I know it's not that. If I shut down and restart, the chances are it boots fine again. It's not Windows Updates causing this, I can see those when that happens. I've taken out the memory modules and have cleaned the contacts with Servisol, unplugged and plugged the HDD connections back in. For a few days, the problem seemed to go away but it then came back.

When it's in its slow mode, everything is a bit sluggish, it's almost like I would imagine it would be with a minimum amount of memory or if it was running some heavy process in the background. I also notice when it's like this, that rather than the drive light being solidly on when booting, it's more of a fast flicker, with periods of inactivity lasting a few seconds.

I'm not a technical expert, my guess is that it's either the hard drive or the memory. However, I'm also wondering if there is something in the BIOS that I need to do. Also, I've noticed that when shutting down, sometimes it doesn't quite feel like it's shutting down right, by this I mean that usually, in the last second before power off, the chassis fan runs to max as FanXpert hands control of the fans back to BIOS I guess. However, occasionally, it just switches off "quietly" which suggests something didn't close fully before power off, so I'm wondering if there is a Windows shutdown problem or some other program isn't being closed down right.

I realise this description isn't really a technical one but rather a behavioural one. However, if anyone can offer some advice, that would be great. I've run Windows Memory Diagnostic and that reports fine BTW. I also regularly run super anti spyware, spybot search and destroy, auslogics boostspeed, windows defrag and AVG antivirus. I've used auslogics registry defrag/optimiser too. I don't overclock this machine, I like to play safe.

Remember, this is only an intermittent problem, so most of the time this PC really is fast. However, there is a concern that this occasional slow thing could become a habit..

The first thing I would do is remove the 16GB and put the 4GB back then run for awhile and see how it performs. If no problem then the new ram is the problem.

Is it 2 8GB modules? If so, try running with one. If problem swap with the other 8GB module.

Gooday phil. Your spec indicate a 32 bit system is that correct?
To use that much ram you need to be using Windows 7/64 bit.
Your post #1.
super anti spyware, spybot search and destroy, auslogics boostspeed, windows defrag and AVG antivirus. I've used auslogics registry defrag/optimiser too. I don't overclock this machine,
Windows defrag works quiet well, no need for another difrag.
The rest of those program I recommend removing. Windows 7 doesn't want or need speed up/tune up programs. This is not XP its better.
I and many others use Windows 7 built in firewall, MSE, AND MAM.
Microsoft Security Essentials - Free Antivirus for Windows

Malwarebytes

Here is Tutorial to check out.
Optimize Windows 7

Thanks Ztrucker - the 16GB is made up of 4 x 4GB identical modules, the original ones I've since sold on. I guess I can try the process of elimination as you suggest, though it's a labourious one, as this is an intermittent problem only, showing up maybe one in 5 starts, so it could take weeks of booting to eliminate each of the 4 modules as suspects but if it comes to it, then I might have no choice. Crucial guarantee compatibilities, on the face of it, the Ballistix modules show the right spec, same latencies as the old modules. However, they don't get listed in the Asus motherboard manual as compatible though of course the manual is pretty out of date (I think it was printed in 2010) and the Asus website doesn't give any more help. Thanks for your input, I may well go down this route as one of my strategies to find out why this is happening!

Layback bear - I'm running Windows 7 64 bit. It shows full 16GB on system properties and POST shows a count of 16GB in BIOS. Windows memory diagnostic finds no problem though of course this is an intermittent problem I'm having and I've not always looked at the ram count on every single POST.

I also have malwarebytes though these additional cleanup apps are only run on demand, I've unticked all of this stuff some time back in startup programs in MSconfig, apart from AVG. Given that it's a 6 core processor, even when AVG is running a scan I barely notice it. This intermittent slowdown is something more profound I think.

Hi.
I know yours insnt a laptop, but I had some trouble with a slow boot as well, after upgrading to 8gb ram.
What I did was deleting the drivers of the devices that make use of the DRAM, in Safe mode.
Then restart, and installing the latest drivers..

(I also tried to do a BIOS update, but somehow it showed an error, so I think that it didnt get an update)

The driver thing helped for me.. maybe it will help for you! or someone else who reads this

Thanks ChibiM for your suggestion. I will give this a try sometime soon. 5 days ago I checked my BIOS and noticed the DRAM voltage was a little lower than it should have been for these modules (1.4V instead of the recommended 1.5V). I cranked it up to the right voltage and for a couple of days I got no slow boots so I cautiously hoped that this might have been the problem.

However yesterday and today on both occasions I got a slow boot again. By killing the boot process - at Windows logo stage is where it's obvious it's gone slow - by hitting the power switch (I know, that's gross) and restarting, usually it boots up fine second time round - but sometimes it needs two tries.

Intermittent problems like this are definitely the worst.

I will try your safe mode driver delete/reinstall suggestion and let you know how it goes.

Hi Phil,
You can always give it a try.
I`m really glad it helped for me, so I just wanted to share my experience.

If it works, please reply to the thread, so other people might be able to solve their slow-boot problem as well.
take care!