Another FX 8320 stuck at 1.4Ghz

[Jediknite1101]

So I have been reading up on a few threads this issue and the link provided is the closest thread I've found. But the suggested solution doesn't seem to solve my problem.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2920474/amd-8350-stuck-4ghz-clock-speed.html

Ladies and Gentlement, I am officially a retard lol. I found a little switch on the motherboard called slow mode, flipped it and it is fine now lol. So, if someone has a similar problem, ask them if they have it on. I now have my cpu at a stead 30 degrees idle with a 4.8 ghz oc 😀.

I pretty much have the same system. It with a GTX 970. My CPU was not overclocked b/c I had issues with a stable 4.4G OC (which it might have been a slow_mode switch issue thinking about it). But I give up on OCing and have been running at default settings for a good 5 months. After a reboot over the weekend I noticed but a drop in gaming framerates but about 25 - 30 fps. After doing everything I could with the GPU, while checking temps I saw my cpu was only pulling .92v at 1.4ghz under load.

CPU is reading 24.8 C at the chip and 27 C at board under load. Toggling that slow switch, I was at least able through the bios to force near stock voltages at around 1.38v but each core is chilling at 1.4Ghz.

I'm not a huge fan of msi, this is my third MSI component and my second MSI 970 Gaming mobo for this same system.

Should I get yet another replacement or trying to convince my wife I need to drop another $150+ for 990-990fx mobo?

 

[bignastyid]

Have you tried resetting bios defaults using the motherboards jumper? It's possible the VRMs are having problems, when vrms overload or overheat it will throttle the cpu to 1.4Ghz.

 

[Jediknite1101]

Have you tried resetting bios defaults using the motherboards jumper? It's possible the VRMs are having problems, when vrms overload or overheat it will throttle the cpu to 1.4Ghz.

Yeah, via removing the battery and the jumper. The board stays cool. I don't monitor temps obsessively but highest any one probe on the board has gotten during intense 4/5hr gaming sessions I can recall has only been about 64C

 

[bignastyid]

Have you tried resetting bios defaults using the motherboards jumper? It's possible the VRMs are having problems, when vrms overload or overheat it will throttle the cpu to 1.4Ghz.

Yeah, via removing the battery and the jumper. The board stays cool. I don't monitor temps obsessively but highest any one probe on the board has gotten during intense 4/5hr gaming sessions I can recall has only been about 64C

There usually is no temp probe for the VRMs, the motherboard temp you are seeing is for the chipset.

 

[bignastyid]

What happens of you manually set the ratio/multiplier?

 

[Jediknite1101]

I've tried manually set the clock, multiplier, voltage, and ratio to what it should be at stock and still under a prime 95 load all cores are sitting at 1.3ghz, 0.95V and 10°C.

I did do some combination of toggling the Slow-mode Switch and popping out the c-mos battery and things went back to normal for about 5 days (normal being base clock and voltages back to stock with default mobo values). I boot up the machine this past Friday for some Overwatch and my voltages are wack again.

One odd thing that I noticed, in Windows safe-mode cpu-z and task manager report a 3.4ghz clock. On a normal boot they both report 1.3

 

[bignastyid]

Sounds like there may be some overclocking software installed thats changing the cpu settings. This would explain why safe mode is fine as the OC program wont be loaded in safe mode.

 

[Jediknite1101]

Yeah, but it's pretty much a fresh install of Windows 10. I originally thought my frame drop issue was gpu Bitcoin mining malware. As a last resort, I reformatted and upgraded to win10. When I noticed the same frame drop issue with the fresh install, that's when I started to explore other options and then found the low cup voltage.

 

[bignastyid]

When you installed drivers did you install AMD overdrive? It can modify the cpu clock.

 

[Jediknite1101]

No, only software close is GPU Tweak or CPU-Z.... Nothing to actaully modify the cpu.

 

[bignastyid]

Check you power settings. Right click the start button and choose power options, click change plan setting for the plan you are on, click change advanced power settings, expand Processor power management, expand maximum processor state and make sure it's at 100%.

 

[Jediknite1101]

Its already set at 100%.

One thing I am noticing is that the NB is significantly hotter than most of the other major components on the board. Nearly everything else is cool to the touch, (CPU Block/pump, RAM, GPU, VRM heatsink).

I believe it was a review on the board somewhere that mentioned they had a similar issue with board overheating due to the fact with a closed loop cooler doesn't pass air directly over the NB heatsinks that well. I wonder if that could be my issue here. I do have one 240mm intake at the front(max rpm), 2x140mm's on intake at the top pushing through the cpu radiator(dynamic rpm based on CPU temp) and just one 140mm exhaust at the rear(max). I hadn't had a issue with air flow or temps for the time I had board (just over a year) so I would like to think that wouldn't be the issue.

It might be best to fort out the money and get a 990FX mobo anyway.

 

[Jediknite1101]

So, I sent the MSI mobo in for a replacement. After having so many issues a second time with this board, I bought an Asus Aura. The UEFI is a bit different, but all my issues seem to be resolved with this new board. I will more than likely sale or give away the MSI board when I get it back.

 

[bignastyid]

Glad to hear it got sorted.