Video: Phoenix Instant Boot BIOS starts loading Windows in under a second

Phoenix is showing off a few interesting things at IDF, but the real standout is their new Instant Boot BIOS, a highly optimized UEFI implementation that can start loading an OS in just under a second. Combined with Windows 7's optimized startup procedure, that means you're looking at incredibly short boot times -- we saw a retrofitted Dell Adamo hit the Windows desktop in 20 seconds, while a Lenovo T400s with a fast SSD got there in under 10. It's pretty slick stuff, and it should be out soon -- check a video after the break.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:15PM]

Finally.. it seems we've been waiting forever for this

[MarkAnderson Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:16PM]

Or at least 40 seconds.

[PlatinumSkeet Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:17PM]

Forever?!? In the future there will be no boot times HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

=P

[saturnblackhole Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:36PM]

but how will you access the bios menu now? in the past an option appeared as the bios was starting windows.

[TheJason Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:46PM]

spam the F2 key?

[Maeztro Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:50PM]

Professor John Frink says:

"...I predict that within one-hundred years, computers will be twice as powerful, 10,000 times larger and so expensive that only the five richest kings of Europe will be able to afford one...."

He sure nailed that one!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 7:30PM]

I remember 10 years ago my high school mac computer took like 10 minutes to start up.

[doboy Posted Sep 24th 2009 7:36PM]

So does this mean we can install a new bios on our current machines...?

[simbadogg Posted Sep 24th 2009 8:49PM]

i can't wait for all computers to come configured like this, not just for my sake...but, well i have to be a greeny guy, but the environment. i mean, i know a lot of people who never turn their computers off simply because they hate boot times. Even if its a low wattage desktop, imagine how much power would be saved per hour if it was .250 KWh x 1 MILLLLLLION PEOPLE.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 10:28PM]

I assume it will have to be an apple-esque hold the keystroke down while powering up thing. Maybe hold ctrl-b while turning it on. This is only useful for desktops though ... Can never be used on a server.

[mynk Posted Sep 25th 2009 7:58PM]

i imagine somewhere around 250k kwh

[Tiptup300 Posted Sep 26th 2009 2:11AM]

Why the hell are they only putting this is laptops. That seems so freaking backwards.

[appsman Posted Sep 27th 2009 2:22AM]

Yes, FINALLY! But no one seems to mention that the biggest benefit to be gained from this is the power saved worldwide from not leaving PCs on all the time. Excruciatingly long boot times are main reason I never shut my PC off. Even sleep mode eats significant power, and doesn't come up in 10 seconds.

[DoubleD Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:12PM]

great idea.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 1:41AM]

Yeah but what does this have to do with Windows 7?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:12PM]

To make it a fair test, shouldn't the aero interface have been enabled? Most users will be using that, I'm assuming.

[OwenV Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:20PM]

What matters here is the time spent in the bios. After it hits the windows loading screen there is nothing of note here.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 27th 2009 2:51PM]

What does Windows have to do with BIOS and the time it spends booting?

What takes time is the BIOS listing up your hardware and checking it's working (something called POST).

All of this is PRIOR to Windows loading so IMHO this would benefit any OS you throw at this babies, and that's why they don't show the Aero Interface there, From the momento you see the windows logo and on, BIOS booting has already ended.

So really, people at Phoenix, how much were you paid for the Windows 7 plug?

[newreformation Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:12PM]

By the time you finish reading this sentence 7 computers will have booted up....

[marcusp90 Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:21PM]

yes if you're nine years old, and french.

[albin2189 Posted Sep 26th 2009 8:10AM]

I am french.
croissants are lovely.
you smell.

[swimatm Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:12PM]

Man I want that.

[Javindo Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:13PM]

Wow that is pretty amazing!

[Jordan Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:13PM]

I...want....now

Actually, it would be nice in my next computer, but for now Windows 7 boots up fast enough as it is

[tuaamin13 Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:14PM]

Be really quick with F12 to get into the 1 time boot menu...

[kineticarl Posted Sep 24th 2009 10:58PM]

I imagine you could hold they key down....

[Zangetsu Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:14PM]

*fap fap fap*

[tehdime Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:15PM]

Yo Windows 7, iam rly happy for you, and imma let u finish, but WINDOWS XP is the fastest Windows of ALL TIME !

[NewL Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:20PM]

That stopped being funny roughly a week ago.

Stupid memes.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:38PM]

No, it's Windows 1.0. Boots in 1.0 seconds too.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:16PM]

Dang that is fast but seems like a stripped down version of windows.

[samrum Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:18PM]

The boot speed of windows isn't the concern here, it's the boot speed of the bios. The thing that loads before windows starts loading.

[samrum Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:19PM]

Meant to be a reply to A....

[DueNorth Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:18PM]

I wonder how fast you must be to get into Safe Mode?

[PlatinumSkeet Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:21PM]

Or changing the boot sequence... What if you lose the manual and have no Internets... NOOOOO!!!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:19PM]

too bad MACs booted up that quickly from the begining...

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:23PM]

OS X takes nearly a minute to boot, used to take longer.

[Jeff Kibuule Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:24PM]

Take your Apple-loving self to TUAW.

[jon Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:26PM]

He can't, they booted him for making them look bad.

[Jacob1 Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:39PM]

Wow, I didn't know Media Access Control needed to be booted up. Good to know.

[drakino Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:39PM]

Why does a Media Access Controller (MAC) in a network card need to boot?

Oh, you were trying to say Mac, a computer made by Apple.

I do wish Apple would upgrade their EFI implementation to a UEFI version. Vista and Windows 7 have EFI boot support, but only for UEFI (EFI 2.0) and above. Would be nice to boot into Windows a bit faster.

[McKeegan Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:41PM]

@jon

How long did it take them to boot him?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 25th 2009 2:35PM]

Don't people understand? This isn't an Apple fanboy, it's a troll that posts crap to make people hate on Apple.

Jeez get a grip people

[Vance Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:20PM]

Oooo... that is quick.

Of course, I don't care how fast my desktop boots, since I just leave it on all the time. It's mobile stuff that really needs to improve.


I remember when they said Vista would boot as fast as a TV turning on. I do hope the hype around Windows 7's boot time turns out to have more truth than that. (I haven't tested it yet.)

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 7:12PM]

On the second one they had Windows 7 optimized with no aero, as you could see the start button was gray.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:38PM]

Take that, EFI!

[Jacob1 Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:47PM]

It is EFI! lol

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 25th 2009 10:56AM]

crap :p

[bolezhinkov Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:38PM]

sweet science/ this is looking good.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 24th 2009 6:43PM]

it's just like turning on a TV.