[SOLVED] CPU stuck at 1.6 GHz

[asaprafy]

I am relatively new to PC gaming so I bought a prebuilt tower hoping to upgrade it down the road.

Mobo: MSI 970 Gaming
CPU: FX 8350 4GHz
GPU: GTX 780 4Gb
Memory: 16GB
PSU: 600w thermaltake
Storage: 125 PNY SSD. 500Gb HD

Since first turning it on it seems like my CPU is being throttled and seems to remain around 1.6 GHz. No matter if it's idle or running a game it does not go any higher, and the effects are felt in-game.

I've researched this issue extensively, on this forum and others and this is what I've tried so far:

• Changing the power option to best performance and then ultimate performance.
• Changing the settings in the power plan under power management to have a min and max of 100%.
  • Changed under that same option the cooling to "passive."
• Ran Registry Editor and created a new "PowerThrottleOff" option (which was the closest to a fix as when it was enabled the CPU would sometimes actually go up 3 or 4, but it would ultimately overheat and then I'd have to change back).
• Flashed BIOS. Updated BIOS to the latest from MSI.
• Checked to make sure all the connections are good on the motherboard.
  • From what I can tell from the manual as I have never built a PC before.
• Took the CMOS battery out and put back in.
• Used MSI's built-in Genie overclocking feature, which all it did was go up to 1.39 GHz and make the fans really loud.

Every once in a while something I've messed with will push it to normal speeds but then it'll either overheat or go back to 1.6GHz.

I'm at my wit's end I don't know what else to try anymore besides maybe getting a new mobo or CPU. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

https://imgur.com/xxC1ywH

View: https://imgur.com/xxC1ywH

https://imgur.com/RSynKpm

View: https://imgur.com/RSynKpm

https://imgur.com/Hfc0aaF

View: https://imgur.com/Hfc0aaF

 

[k1114]

I don't see temps anywhere and you say when you do get it to normal speeds that it overheats so I'm thinking a cooler mounting issue. But in all honestly I would tell you to return it if you could. There's no sense in buying an 8 year old pc and trying to game on it unless it's lower end games. There's no sense in throwing money at it trying to fix it either. There's also no upgrading it unless your idea of upgrading is buying a whole new pc. It's been at the end of it's upgrade life for years. Plus FX was terrible when it first came out and is still terrible.

 

[mamasan2000]

Prebuilds are notorious for having proprietary crap, like PSUs that have weird formats, barely enough power to run the system etc.

If you want to upgrade, start with a standard case, add a standard PSU etc. There is a reason enthusiasts don't get prebuilts. Easier and cheaper to start from scratch than trying to shoehorn everything into a prebuilt.

There is something in the works on the PSU side now, Intel is hoping to scrap the 3.3v and 5.v rails on PSUs i think. But generally, a PSU can last 10 years if it is powerful enough. I replaced my case from year 2000 in 2015/2016. GPUs have gotten so large, wouldn't fit in old case and CPU coolers so tall.
PSU got replaced at the same time, that was from 2005 I think.

I had an FX-8350, I'm glad I don't anymore. Ryzen is so much better, even the first gen 1700 I have.

 

[sizzling]

Your motherboard has a slow mode switch, it’s to help with overclocking. See page EN-22 of the English manual. Check that slow mode is not switched on.