Question Multiple issues with windows or hardware. How can I troubleshoot them?

[TheGrylix]

So I built a new pc. It boots and everything. But there is a series of bugs I feel are somehow caused by the same issue.

Firstly after boot the windows explorer freezes for a minute and either crashes or resumes to work, but it always freezes after startup. This happens 90% of the time I start the pc.

Also the system feels sluggish during use. Sometimes right click won‘t react or programs like word take ages to start. There seems to be no pattern to reproduce this behavior. This happens daily.

Another issue is, that sometimes the clockspeeds of the cpu drops to somewhere between 0.5 to 2.5ghz and stays there, no matter if the pc idles or is beeing used. This is fixed by restarting. This occurs almost every day. In general the cpu won‘t boost to its advertised 4.4ghz and only reaches 4.3ghz.

Sometimes the system freezes completly, becomes responsive for 5secs and freezes again until I restart the pc. I can‘t find a pattern to reproduce this either. Also during this time there are no spikes in usage while observing the ressource monitor. This error occurs not as often as the others. Sometimes once a week Sometimes once every day.

Another issue is, that when I‘m using a program e.g. photoshop and click on ‘save as‘ and then select the ‚desktop‘ tab, the program freezes for minutes. This happens everytime and with all programs. Selecting a different tab like ‚this pc‘ works fine.

The last issues are the long start and shutdown times. Booting takes 25-30secs, which is pretts long for an all ssd system. Also when pressing the shutdown button it takes about a minute to take me to the shutdown screen and at least another minute until the fans stop.

To fix this I tried several solutions. Firstly the usual stuff windows support recommends. This includes /scannow and dism. I also fresh installed windows on two different ssds. I even changed my storage drive to an ssd. This means the storage is completely new. I updated windows, the bios, the chipset drivers and all general drivers. I changed the motherboard from msi to gigabyte to see if it‘s connected to their bios. I disabled the quick access and fast boot. I also tried to clean boot. The gpu was also switched. I also tried an amd gpu. Their drivers were properly deinstalled in safe mode with driver remover. Ram was tested with and without xmp.
Two of my friends built systems with almost the same components, with no issues and it‘s frustrating to see how my pc should behave. I also didn‘t overclock any parts. In general almost every setting was left on default.
To me it seems like there are so many issues, that it would be to much of a coincidence if they all had their unique cause.
My pc: 3600x, x570 aorus elite, 2x8gb gskill 3200mhz cl15, kfa2 2070 super, WD sn750 500gb, Samsung 860 qvo 2tb, xfx pro 850w, cooler master hyper 212

I‘ve never been this exhausted by a pc build. If you ever find this pc at the bottom of a lake, take this as my testimony. Any ideas how I can fix these issues?

 

[Colif]

So its not motherboard since you swapped maker and it was still the same?
Not gpu since you swapped in another type

Tried testing the ssd? - https://support.wdc.com/downloads.aspx?p=3&lang=en

what power plan are you running?

See if this thread helps with the CPU speed - https://community.amd.com/thread/248838

it is likely they all tied together. The CPU speed thing could do it.

 

[TheGrylix]

So its not motherboard since you swapped maker and it was still the same?
Not gpu since you swapped in another type

Tried testing the ssd? - https://support.wdc.com/downloads.aspx?p=3&lang=en

what power plan are you running?

See if this thread helps with the CPU speed - https://community.amd.com/thread/248838

it is likely they all tied together. The CPU speed thing could do it.

I ran the tool, but there are no errors. I don´t think it´s the ssd since I swapped both my old drives for new ones, but the issues remained the same.
Currently I´m running the ryzen high perfomance power plan. Switching to balanced and back solves the problem with the clockspeeds only temporarily.

 

[Colif]

It has to be the CPU itself, if all these different people with different motherboards all get the slow speed thing, its either the CPU or chipset.

I think I move thread into hardware as this isn't windows. i flag down attention of the mods who know about ryzen, maybe they can help.

I am not sure about the start/shutdown thing but rest could all be same problem.

ever tried booting a Ubuntu live usb and just see if it has any problems, as if its hardware, it will do it on both systems.

 

[Darkbreeze]

This is the fourth thread this week I've seen where users with either a 3700x or higher have had highly unusual problems on an X570 Aorus Elite. I'm beginning to believe that this particular board has problems, either that, or there are problems with QA on the higher cored Ryzen models. If you have not already, and if possible, I'd try this CPU in another motherboard. If it works properly, then replace your motherboard by RMA or refund, if not, then generate an RMA for your CPU with AMD.

 

[Colif]

I changed the motherboard from msi to gigabyte to see if it‘s connected to their bios.

@Darkbreeze

looking at fact other people with same CPU and many different motherboards all get same 500 mhz bug, I think its either AMD chipset drivers themselves or the CPU.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Probably right. I haven't seen the 500mhz thing, but I have seen problems with the Aorus Elite that went away after being replaced with different board. Maybe not in this case though.

 

[TheGrylix]

This is the fourth thread this week I've seen where users with either a 3700x or higher have had highly unusual problems on an X570 Aorus Elite. I'm beginning to believe that this particular board has problems, either that, or there are problems with QA on the higher cored Ryzen models. If you have not already, and if possible, I'd try this CPU in another motherboard. If it works properly, then replace your motherboard by RMA or refund, if not, then generate an RMA for your CPU with AMD.

Problems similar to mine? The only x570 elite related threads I can find are about bios resets, ram and graphics issues. But with my luck for pc hardware there is the possibility I recieved two faulty motherboards...

 

[Darkbreeze]

No, they were not the "500mhz" issue you are having. They were other types of seemingly CPU related issues. You are 200% certain that there are no bent pins on the CPU, right?

Have you tried an OLDER BIOS version? Perhaps it is a problem with the specific BIOS release you are on. It could certainly be a chipset driver problem, but I'm not finding any common thread in that regard across communities.

 

[TheGrylix]

No, they were not the "500mhz" issue you are having. They were other types of seemingly CPU related issues. You are 200% certain that there are no bent pins on the CPU, right?

Have you tried an OLDER BIOS version? Perhaps it is a problem with the specific BIOS release you are on. It could certainly be a chipset driver problem, but I'm not finding any common thread in that regard across communities.

I‘m sure the pins are ok. Otherwise seating the cpu in the socket would have been harder. Also I think defective pins would result in more severe problems than mine. Because other than the mentioned issues I use the pc normally for work and rendering. There are never things like bluescreens etc.

I used the F4 (that it came with), F5b and now the F12f bios. Never have those problems been resolved.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I've seen, literally, maybe five hundred cases (On this forum alone) where a bent pin caused nothing more than quirky memory problems. Each pin affects something specific, but doesn't necessarily have an effect on EVERYTHING. So when it comes to that it is always something you need to consider because it is THE most common thing we see in terms of CPU related problems.

Does that mean yours is due to this, no, of course not, but don't assume it CAN'T be just because it doesn't SEEM likely. There does not have to be bluescreens or errors or failures to POST. I've seen people that were using their system for weeks or months, dealing with a nagging issue of some kind that did turn out to be due to a bent pin or two.

And if a pin gets bent or broken, it will often fit easily into the socket. There is only ONE way to know if the CPU or motherboard has a bent pin and that it to LOOK for it. Sometimes that means using magnification, depending on how good your eyes are. Much easier to spot on AMD processors than on Intel motherboards though.

Agree on the BIOS version. Three versions would be unlikely to all still have the same issue, especially when nobody else is having the problem in droves.

 

[TheGrylix]

I've seen, literally, maybe five hundred cases (On this forum alone) where a bent pin caused nothing more than quirky memory problems. Each pin affects something specific, but doesn't necessarily have an effect on EVERYTHING. So when it comes to that it is always something you need to consider because it is THE most common thing we see in terms of CPU related problems.

Does that mean yours is due to this, no, of course not, but don't assume it CAN'T be just because it doesn't SEEM likely. There does not have to be bluescreens or errors or failures to POST. I've seen people that were using their system for weeks or months, dealing with a nagging issue of some kind that did turn out to be due to a bent pin or two.

And if a pin gets bent or broken, it will often fit easily into the socket. There is only ONE way to know if the CPU or motherboard has a bent pin and that it to LOOK for it. Sometimes that means using magnification, depending on how good your eyes are. Much easier to spot on AMD processors than on Intel motherboards though.

Agree on the BIOS version. Three versions would be unlikely to all still have the same issue, especially when nobody else is having the problem in droves.

Ok, so I checked and reseated the cpu. Definitively no bent or missing pins. Except for a bios reset nothing changed.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Ok, well that's good. One less thing to worry about.

So then at this point I'd contact AMD and initiate an RMA, or see what their product support agent wants you to do. Since you've tried two boards, different BIOS versions, latest chipset drivers, and as long as the chipset fans are operating on the motherboards and no other hardware is suspect, not sure what else you could do really.

If you haven't already, it might be a good idea to bench it with minimal hardware as outlined here:

How To - Motherboard bench testing

Finding the problem through bench testing If you are here then it’s likely you have encountered a serious hardware issue and have been unable to resolve it using the standard no-POST troubleshooting procedures. If you have not yet attempted to resolve your issues using the no-POST...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[TheGrylix]

Ok, well that's good. One less thing to worry about.

So then at this point I'd contact AMD and initiate an RMA, or see what their product support agent wants you to do. Since you've tried two boards, different BIOS versions, latest chipset drivers, and as long as the chipset fans are operating on the motherboards and no other hardware is suspect, not sure what else you could do really.

If you haven't already, it might be a good idea to bench it with minimal hardware as outlined here:

How To - Motherboard bench testing

Finding the problem through bench testing If you are here then it’s likely you have encountered a serious hardware issue and have been unable to resolve it using the standard no-POST troubleshooting procedures. If you have not yet attempted to resolve your issues using the no-POST...

forums.tomshardware.com

Since I still have a few days left for a replacement of the motherboard, I‘ll try another one just to make sure. By then I should be pretty sure it‘s the cpu.

 

[Darkbreeze]

That sounds like a solid plan.

 

[TheGrylix]

Update: Third mainboard came and went. The Problems stayed the same.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Well, guess there's really not much of anything left than the CPU so long as you've tested this with the latest chipset drivers which were released this month. There are new BIOS versions for most boards that were recently released as well.

 

[TheGrylix]

Well, guess there's really not much of anything left than the CPU so long as you've tested this with the latest chipset drivers which were released this month. There are new BIOS versions for most boards that were recently released as well.

I ordered a new 3600x and the issues persisted (luckily, since the replacement cpu was a blank in silicon lottery lol). Maybe it´s software nontheless or I will just have to learn to live with these problems until there is a new chip worth upgrading to.

 

[Darkbreeze]

There is never a situation that calls for "just live with it". Nobody else has to "live with it". SOMETHING is causing your problems, and it's not just "that CPU".

Let's start over because often people try TOO MANY things at once and completely miss the step where the problem could have been discovered, or some minor change they make avoids the problem temporarily but then comes back.

I would HIGHLY recommend that you pull the motherboard from the case, if you haven't already, and bench test the whole works with ONLY, the motherboard, CPU, memory, CPU cooler and the drive that the OS is on.

How To - Motherboard bench testing

Finding the problem through bench testing If you are here then it’s likely you have encountered a serious hardware issue and have been unable to resolve it using the standard no-POST troubleshooting procedures. If you have not yet attempted to resolve your issues using the no-POST...

forums.tomshardware.com

If it acts the exact same, then I would recommend that you do a CLEAN install of Windows, with NO other drives attached to the motherboard. ONLY the drive you are installing Windows ON and the flash or optical drive you are installing Windows FROM.

EXACT step by step instructions on doing this THE RIGHT WAY, can be found here:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

Please note that if you want to install Windows with a LOCAL account ONLY, do not plug in your ethernet cable until AFTER the installation is complete, or if you have WiFi then click the "I do not have internet access" option at the bottom left of that screen when you come to it. Otherwise Windows will require you to setup using a Microsoft account (Which you will want to do anyhow anytime you've changed motherboards or built a new system and are wanting to migrate your Windows license to the new system which does of course require that you've previously attached your Windows license to a valid Microsoft account in YOUR name.) and will also require you to setup a pin for logging in.

That's all fine and good if you don't mind those requirements but if you prefer to not have to enter any login information when you boot or restart Windows then you will want to create a local account during installation and then leave the password field blank when prompted to enter one.

If, after installing windows, clean, you still have the same problem, then I'd begin to suspect maybe there is a problem with the drive and if you have a different drive you can install Windows on, it might be a good idea to disconnect the existing OS drive and do ANOTHER clean install on a different drive.

It should be understood that before you make any determinations one way or the other, you should, in addition to doing a clean install, also immediately visit the motherboard manufacturers website and download/install the following.

Chipset driver
LAN/Ethernet driver
Wifi driver
Graphics driver (For CPU models WITH integrated graphics)
RAID/Intel rapid storage driver (For those with HDD and Optane cache, only. Otherwise, only worry about storage controller drivers if a SATA driver is clearly offered separate from the chipset driver for your motherboard.)
Any other device specific drivers that are required such as those for laptop card readers, any mouse and keyboard specific drivers from those manufacturers (ie, Logi/Logitech) or third party add in card drivers that are required for basic functionality. Otherwise, those can be installed later once you determine that there is not longer a problem since we are trying to ONLY use minimal hardware at this time.)