There used to be a time when your storage drive determined how fast your system could boot, but with how fast modern SSDs have become, that’s hardly a variable to consider. In fact, there are other factors that take up boot time: your motherboard has to initialize all of your PC’s components, which can take a few seconds.

There are some BIOS-level checks that can add unnecessary time to your boot process. Most people use Fast Boot to speed up startup, but I don’t recommend it since it mostly skips most initial POST checks. Still, some startup routines become redundant and are mostly safe to skip.

Your PC trains its RAM every time you start, and this process can take nearly half of your system’s launch duration. For AM5 users, checking just a single BIOS setting on your PC can make it reuse previous training data, cutting your boot time in half.

Why Fast Boot isn’t the speed fix you think it is

Those seconds you save come with their own set of problems

Most BIOS settings don’t really show the whole picture, and it’s better to understand them before blindly turning them on. One specific toggle, Fast Boot, seems pretty apparent: it will make your start-up time faster (depending on the intensity, either Enable or Ultra Fast Boot), but there’s more nuance to it.

The initial BIOS access menu completely disappears or appears for a very brief time with Fast Boot on. Moreover, it also skips parts of the POST process, like checks for USB, expansion cards, and other hardware components. After hardware changes, some devices may not be recognized, in which case a CMOS reset or a complete boot cycle becomes necessary.

What’s really eating your boot time (and how MCR fixes it)

MCR loads your last training data instead

DDR5 RAM is super complex, and with increasing frequency ranges and voltages, instability is a huge concern. This is why, with every boot, your PC trains your memory to calibrate properly with your CPU’s IMC to achieve the best voltage and frequency for stability. This process accounts for most of your startup duration, usually taking around 10–45 seconds.

That said, your PC doesn’t need to retrain your memory every time because the process becomes superfluous when the memory configuration remains the same.

Fortunately, you can skip this mandatory test and, in doing so, trim your time to boot significantly. The feature is called MCR (Memory Context Restore), and it loads your stored memory settings instead of having to train your memory every time you load up your system.

Enabling MCR can result in a near-instantaneous startup. Here’s how to enable the feature:

1. Enter BIOS via Delete/F2.
2. Open Advanced/EZ Mode depending on your motherboard.
3. Go to Advanced/CBS/DRAM Settings (once again, varies by motherboard).
4. Find MCR and enable the option.

When MCR works against you

There are situations when you don’t have to turn on the setting

There are some downsides to using MCR, but only for certain PC users — as long as your memory configuration and options remain the same, it won’t have a negative impact. However, after changing memory hardware or settings, your PC may use stale data, which won’t be suitable for newer configurations, causing BSODs or failing to start at all.

For overclocked RAM, MCR can also make diagnostics difficult since it skips the training processes. Generally, I don’t recommend enabling MCR for RAM with frequencies above 6,000MHz because that’s an unstable range; at higher frequencies, finding the perfect sync between the RAM and the CPU at higher frequencies becomes difficult.

Other than that, I recommend doing a complete boot cycle every time you update the BIOS, change RAM/CPU, or change overclocking profiles, because then your PC will need to retrain your memory to adapt to the new environment.

What MCR saved on my PC

Enabling MCR won’t have any impact on your performance, positive or negative. It just removes the unnecessary memory training process every time and, in doing so, trims the time it takes to launch. I use my PC at least 15 hours a day in intermissions, and shutting down wasn’t an option for me — I used to hibernate my PC, which brought its own set of problems, all because I dreaded the power-on times due to my short attention span. By enabling MCR, I’ve slashed my PC’s boot time by 25 seconds from 50 seconds, which is why I’m not so annoyed that I have to shut down and restart my PC.

Brand

Corsair

Size

16GB

Technology

DDR5

Speed

5200MHz

Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 32GB (2x16GB) delivers high-speed 6000MHz performance with CL36 latency, optimized for Intel XMP 3.0 systems. Featuring dynamic RGB lighting and sleek heat spreaders, it enhances both aesthetics and efficiency. Designed for stability at 1.35V, it’s ideal for gaming, multitasking, and demanding PC workloads.