CPU permanently goes from 3.8ghz to 2.3ghz after playing a bit of Overwatch (no other games)

[Just Another Guy]

Since I updated to the fall update of Windows 10, after playing a bit of Overwatch (no other game seems to cause it), there's a chance mid match the audio will start stuttering. I've found the CPU clock speed actually drops down to about 2.3ghz from it's normal 3.8ghz, and even a restart won't fix it, the PC has got to be shut down first (not reloading the hardware on restart kinda takes away the entire point of a restart imo).

I've been using the same CPU settings for like 6-7 years, Overwatch doesn't make it run any hotter than anything else, and as it won't go back to normal, I thought it'd be unlikely it'd be thermal throttling. My main question is does anyone have any idea why it's happening now? I've also recently got a new USB powered mic, but it only happens every now and then so kinda hard to test if that's causing a power issue (but if that's the case why would it be permenant), but it could also be just down to something new in the update, or windows generally reaching the end of it's life where it needs a reinstall.

I found a temporary fix today and made a batch file, but it doesn't stop it from initially happening:

powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_PROCESSOR IDLEDISABLE 1
powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_PROCESSOR IDLEDISABLE 0
powercfg /S SCHEME_CURRENT

Some specs if it's useful:

CPU: i7 930 (2.8ghz OC to 3.8ghz)
Motherboard: P6X58D-E
GPU: GTX 980TI
PSU: Corsair TX650

 

[boju]

Try this, https://www.reddit.com/r/Overwatch/comments/6sdn4s/if_you_play_overwatch_on_windows_10_consider/

 

[Just Another Guy]

Try this, https://www.reddit.com/r/Overwatch/comments/6sdn4s/if_you_play_overwatch_on_windows_10_consider/

Thanks, just done that so will see if it makes any difference over the next few days Technically the performance is fine up until the CPU underclock though, so if it happens again I'll try unplugging the mic while playing.

 

[Just Another Guy]

Took a while to happen again, but unfortunately that didn't fix it. Also those powercfg commands I posted didn't work that time either, although restarting actually did for once.

 

[boju]

What are your 930 overclock settings in the bios? Ill cross reference mine.

 

[Just Another Guy]

What are your 930 overclock settings in the bios? Ill cross reference mine.

Thanks, though it shouldn't be the bios as I've more or less had the same settings for 6 years, and as I mentioned the only two triggers have been playing Overwatch combined with the Windows 10 Fall update. I can't take any fresh pictures as I'd need to plug in a different keyboard, but these are photos from the settings in 2014 which I took in case I'd need to put them in again. The difference now being BCLK freq is 190 and DRAM freq is down to about 1160 (lowering the clock speed put it to a number it didn't like so I had to drop it down a notch).

I admit I'm definitely in need of an upgrade, but at the current point it's still fully stable other than this particular bug

 

[boju]

Ok, you have Speedstep enabled which would cause something like that as software can manipulate your frequency. Try disable it and see if things improve.

The board is in my sig, i had to update the bios to get 21 multiplier. Someone told me ages ago Nehalem architecture likes odd multipliers so i just stuck with it.

I'm running 1.5v 4GBx 3 memory, i see you're running at 1.66v. Though it's been running like this for so long yeah? I guess theres no problem between now until you upgrade eventually.

Hows your temps with Vcore 1.32v and HT on?

Here are my settings anyway if you'd like to try it.

4GHz

XMP

CPU Ratio: 21
BCLK FREQ: 191
PCIE FREQ: 100
DRAM FREQ: 1149
UCLK FREQ: 2298
QPI LINK: AUTO

______


CPU VOLTAGE: 1.27
CPU PLL: 1.88
QPI/DRAM 1.27
C1E SUPPORT: ENABLED
HT: DISABLED
A20M: DISABLED
INTEL CSTATE: DISABLED

 

[Just Another Guy]

I've had speedstep disabled for as long as I can remember haha, the idea is nice but single core apps run too slow with it. Most of the other settings came from the shop I got it at. I just applied some of your BIOS settings and it so far appears to be stable with prime95, not tested in games yet though so I may still yet get a blue screen. The new map on Overwatch is actually horrible for underclocking my CPU so I'll give it a try on that in a bit.

As to temps, they're not perfect, but it's a price I'm willing to pay for the extra 50% speed lol. Idle is roughly 60-70c and full load is 90-95c, though the fans are currently on low (sound like a jet engine on high but the option is there). After 5 mins the heat generating preset of prime95 started thermal throttling after it hit 97c, but it happily went back to full the second I quit

 

[boju]

Well vcore and ht does heat more. Ht is hardly any benefit at all not in this generation.

 

[Just Another Guy]

I didn't actually notice speedstep was enabled in those photos but I've had it disabled for years aha. Anyway, still early days with the new settings, but I made it through a match of OW without a blue screen or the underclock so it's looking decent so far. I may even push for a ratio of 22 or 23 just to see if it can breach the 150% base speed mark

I think I'd notice a difference without HT but it's not really worth testing, if I'm not careful I can fairly easily hit 100% usage these days even with just gaming and a browser open, so potentially liming the amount of multiprocessing it can do won't help 😛

 

[boju]

Fair enough. So what settings have you done differently?

Hope your temps are lower coz those temps do scare me, its a wonder how it ever lasted this long ;P

 

[Just Another Guy]

Eh, it's been hitting upper 90s since 2011 under full load so it'll cope haha, I remember on one particularly hot week in 2012 I had to disable 3/4 cores while rendering something to keep it under 100c (obviously upgraded the case and cooling since then) 😛

New settings are here anyway, I edited a few voltages to match yours but left a lot on auto: https://imgur.com/a/7WXfM

 

[boju]

Drop the vcore voltage to 1.27v even with ht on.

What ram and cpu cooler you got?

 

[boju]

You had qpi/dram on auto before. The voltage setting between the qpi/ dram and vcore should be no more than .05 difference. So bring vcore down closer to 1.27v. since lowering the ram frequency you should be able to run less vcore voltage

 

[Just Another Guy]

I tried lowering it to 1.27 then upped it to 1.3 but I still got a blue screen with both. I put the QPI thing back to auto anyway instead of raising it up (don't wanna push it so far without really knowing what it does). Unfortunately while the 1.325v seems to be stable, the overwatch issue still exists lol.

The ram is 24gb of corsair xms3 (3x8), and the cooler is the h80, so it's pretty much the basic watercooling.

 

[boju]

Interesting 8gb sticks work, I wasn't sure and thought 4gb was max per dimm so thanks for that.

Why Overwatch is lowering your clocks im not sure. It shouldn't. I beleive there's a software glitch somewhere.

Im stumped lol so good luck in finding the cause.