Windows 8.1 problems

[abbnic]

Anyone has experience with installing clean copy of Windows 8.1 on a new rig?

I just wasted a whole day trying to figure out why my OS installation kept coming to an 'unexpected error' which prevents me from entering windows. Turns out its a wireless lan card incompatibility with win 8.1. I had to remove the card, install the drivers then reinstall the card again.

Can anyone share any traps of installing of drivers?
So far have installed for gigabyte R929OC and SSD drivers. Am hesitant about installing all the drivers for MSI b85m-g43 since some seemed to be redundant.
Also, how do i turn on MSI b85m-g43's fast boot feature? Everytime i try, it booted to a script and i dont know what to do ... lol.

The samsung SSD program has some sort of optimisation for the SSD
The MB has that fast boot feature
The intel chipset has drivers for that matter too
Do all these conflict each other? What's really needed? Install all?
Although the bootup is already fast, would be good to know there the end is hahaha, appreciate if anyone can advise.

Lastly, for those DIY and letting the shop build the rig for you, its best you keep an eye on what they doing. Out of 6 sata ports, 4 sata3 and 2 sata2, the shop that helped me put together, conveniently used the sata2 ports for my hdd and ssd and sata3 for my dvdrom. At least connect my ssd to the sata3 lah, so many ports

 

[royfrosty]

Is either you install everything from the CD, then uses the MSI Live Update to help you install all the latest patch.

Or you download the latest drivers directly from the website.

If you dont know what you are doing and do not know what to install. Please use the CD to install and use MSI Live Update option.

As for Fast Boot, Once you enable it it will bypass UEFI Bios option and gives you a few scripts. Reducing POST timing and load time.

If you might need to go into UEFI Bios for troubleshooting in future you will need to go into main desktop and from there launch the UEFI Bios from MSI that came with it.

 

[abbnic]

Is either you install everything from the CD, then uses the MSI Live Update to help you install all the latest patch.

Or you download the latest drivers directly from the website.

If you dont know what you are doing and do not know what to install. Please use the CD to install and use MSI Live Update option.

As for Fast Boot, Once you enable it it will bypass UEFI Bios option and gives you a few scripts. Reducing POST timing and load time.

If you might need to go into UEFI Bios for troubleshooting in future you will need to go into main desktop and from there launch the UEFI Bios from MSI that came with it.

The thing is if I enable windows 8/8.1 fast boot or msi fast boot, I will end up in the EFI shell with the prompt saying press ESC in x seconds to skip startup.nsh, any other key to continue. Either way I will end up at the prompt. Entering EXIT brings me back to UEFI Bios where I can switch it off and resume my normal boot.

What am i doing wrongly?

 

[royfrosty]

Swap out the sata ports for your ssd and try.

 

[jtjt00]

Could be due to windows update patch kb2930275 issue.

 

[Piezoq]

Windows hardware hell.

Comes with the territory. Just look at the sheer number of hardware Windows has to support out of the box. Bound to have incompatibility, especially when one includes the peripherals that plug into PCI-E, USB, SATA and what-not.

 

[hlots123]

Turns out its a wireless lan card incompatibility with win 8.1. I had to remove the card, install the drivers then reinstall the card again.

i thot this normal for wireless pci cards, i.e. instructions to install drivers 1st then it will tell u to power down & insert card...

Also, how do i turn on MSI b85m-g43's fast boot feature? Everytime i try, it booted to a script and i dont know what to do ... lol.

not installed or used win8 before. but iirc, need to install win8 in uefi mode, gpu needs to be GOP enabled (uefi-firmware).
e.g. see if this thread helps clarify, Can you make your GPU compatible with Windows 8 "fast boot"? - AnandTech Forums

 

[abbnic]

i thot this normal for wireless pci cards, i.e. instructions to install drivers 1st then it will tell u to power down & insert card...

not installed or used win8 before. but iirc, need to install win8 in uefi mode, gpu needs to be GOP enabled (uefi-firmware).
e.g. see if this thread helps clarify, Can you make your GPU compatible with Windows 8 "fast boot"? - AnandTech Forums

Have to excuse me, my 1st time diy, there were no instructions anywhere on the wifi pci card lol, had to fiddle a bit and search several forums to find the problem... lol

The extra few seconds saved on boot jus not worth it.

The metro ui needs a bit of getting used to, otherwise its great.

 

[Rogue]

There's 2 types of fast boot. Ultrafast and fast... Ultrafast requires windows 8 OS and it had to be installed in UEFI mode( Bios disable CSM before beginning install) and the graphic card must have an UEFI bios.

If you run the command msinfo32.exe, under BIOS Mode it will show UEFI instead of Legacy.

When you enable the ultrafast in bios if your bios mode is legacy, it will not boot up properly...

FYI, my UEFI windows 8.1(installed on a ssd) boot up in under 5 seconds from shutdown while restart boot is almost immediate.

 

[abbnic]

There's 2 types of fast boot. Ultrafast and fast... Ultrafast requires windows 8 OS and it had to be installed in UEFI mode( Bios disable CSM before beginning install) and the graphic card must have an UEFI bios.

If you run the command msinfo32.exe, under BIOS Mode it will show UEFI instead of Legacy.

When you enable the ultrafast in bios if your bios mode is legacy, it will not boot up properly...

FYI, my UEFI windows 8.1(installed on a ssd) boot up in under 5 seconds from shutdown while restart boot is almost immediate.

Although tempted, but I shall resist the urge to reinstall win8 in UEFI. Plus, the hassle to flash my vbios to get it to work.

Funny that when I enable 'fast boot', my bios time is 9.9secs vs 7.3secs if I disable it. I suppose 7.3secs + the windows loadtime ~ over 10plus secs is good for me.... until I find the time for reinstalling everything...

 

[Pokémon]

i thot this normal for wireless pci cards, i.e. instructions to install drivers 1st then it will tell u to power down & insert card...[/url]

I remember seeing this before, but don't any of you find it a stupid way of installation?

This instruction shouldn't even have existed for PCI devices. At least USB can still be done without hassle.

 

[hlots123]

I remember seeing this before, but don't any of you find it a stupid way of installation?

This instruction shouldn't even have existed for PCI devices. At least USB can still be done without hassle.

another 1 similar pattern is usb printer install. even when uninstalling usb printer sw, may ask for u to connect the usb printer...

dunno abt win8/8.1 tho.

 

[abbnic]

I dont know if this is the right place to post.

I am experiencing black screens randomly and tried to uninstall what I thought was the cause, some windows updates, as well as disable some intel drivers which suddenly started appearing in my startup list. Use for awhile and then the black screens came back. This time there was no signal to the dual dvi port right from the start when i on the pc.

I know the PC is working as i can start the PC and detect that it connected to the home network, could also put it to sleep using the keyboard.

It could be the Catalyst 14.4 which I recently updated a few days ago?

How do i resolve my issue? There are so many black screen problems online but nothing I tried so far works.

Am using Gigabyte R9 29OC with Qnix and do not have a spare screen.

I might consider borrowing a spare screen and see if i can do a clean install if I cant roll back the drivers to 14.3

Anyone encountered similar problems?