Question my i7 9700k is getting 100% cpu usage and freezes computer or drops fps in games

[cycle motion]

ive built my computer like a year ago and it was good at first every game was running pretty normal and noticed minecraft took 80% minimum cpu usage and i know minecraft is mainly just cpu based but it was a bit extreme and i overtime things just got worse..... csgo would drop average frames and so would rainbow but also my cpu usage increased by a lot. For example.... rainbow would be stuck an a minumum of 60% cpu usage and opther things like google chrome would randomly spike up and come at 40% and it would max out my cpu causes my game to fluster down to like 50 fps and just jump up and down for a couple seconds until my cpu stabilizes. also in csgo but its in every game and even when i have just chrome open itll randomly go to 60% and somthing else would bump up to 40% like discord and then they will both go back to normal and recently my pc will randomly freeze completely for 5 seconds and will be back to normal and also games dont feel as smooth like hz wise my monitor supports 144 and it doesnt really feel smooth like it use to also in my task manger anyhting at the top of the list will have "very high" power usage like somtimes it would say discord would have very high cpu usage and things below it would idle at high or medium. Here are my specs: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/k4ysHh . Please help this has been going on for a month know and idk how to fix it
_
i had made another post and i did everything they told me to do even completely re installing windows and i have the same problem and everyhting just uses high cpu usage and very high power usage

 

[cycle motion]

I see that you have high cpu usage... but does the OS recognize all 8 cores/threads of the 9700K?
If for whatever reason some of the threads are disabled...

Temps are good? I ask, because I didn't see any confirmation on that.

thats on my i5 and its using all cores and still having high cpu usage

 

[CompuTronix]

<MODERATOR REFRESH>

 

[Phaaze88]

ok lemme try that
and also heres my usage when i play cod

Was this Task Manager when you had the 9700K installed? This looks odd, because you have a 2x 8GB kit, but the combined total usage of the 13 visible processes only adds up to just over 4GB - that's not 60% of 16GB, even if we were to add like another 2GB reserved for the OS...


This looks to be one of those cases where half the ram gets hardware reserved.
Check in MSCONFIG to see if Windows is limiting your max DRAM

Go to START , type in MSCONFIG in the search box, hit enter, then in the MSCONFIG window, click BOOT then ADVANCED OPTIONS and make sure the Maximum Memory box is unchecked.

If OK there, then make sure you have the latest BIOS, if not update it, if you do have it, do a hard reset (CMOS reset) and install the sticks in slots 2 & 4, and try it out.
If that doesn't work, then check the motherboard socket for bent or broken pins(might need a magnifying glass).

Run the following, so we can be sure nothing else snuck it's way into your PC: https://www.malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner/

 

[cycle motion]

Was this Task Manager when you had the 9700K installed? This looks odd, because you have a 2x 8GB kit, but the combined total usage of the 13 visible processes only adds up to just over 4GB - that's not 60% of 16GB, even if we were to add like another 2GB reserved for the OS...


This looks to be one of those cases where half the ram gets hardware reserved.
Check in MSCONFIG to see if Windows is limiting your max DRAM

Go to START , type in MSCONFIG in the search box, hit enter, then in the MSCONFIG window, click BOOT then ADVANCED OPTIONS and make sure the Maximum Memory box is unchecked.

If OK there, then make sure you have the latest BIOS, if not update it, if you do have it, do a hard reset (CMOS reset) and install the sticks in slots 2 & 4, and try it out.
If that doesn't work, then check the motherboard socket for bent or broken pins(might need a magnifying glass).

Run the following, so we can be sure nothing else snuck it's way into your PC: https://www.malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner/

Ya that was with my 9700k
And ok ok sweet lemme try these steps tomorrow morning

 

[cycle motion]

Was this Task Manager when you had the 9700K installed? This looks odd, because you have a 2x 8GB kit, but the combined total usage of the 13 visible processes only adds up to just over 4GB - that's not 60% of 16GB, even if we were to add like another 2GB reserved for the OS...


This looks to be one of those cases where half the ram gets hardware reserved.
Check in MSCONFIG to see if Windows is limiting your max DRAM

Go to START , type in MSCONFIG in the search box, hit enter, then in the MSCONFIG window, click BOOT then ADVANCED OPTIONS and make sure the Maximum Memory box is unchecked.

If OK there, then make sure you have the latest BIOS, if not update it, if you do have it, do a hard reset (CMOS reset) and install the sticks in slots 2 & 4, and try it out.
If that doesn't work, then check the motherboard socket for bent or broken pins(might need a magnifying glass).

Run the following, so we can be sure nothing else snuck it's way into your PC: https://www.malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner/

i updated my bios and went o the settings you told me to go to and it was unchecked already and scanned my pc with the program you told me to use and it still seems that my ram bottle necking when it shouldn't. and all i had open was a stream on twitch

 

[falcon291]

aslo have my ram thats running some rgb and this takes up quite a bit of cpu usage

It is Asus Aora's, unfortunately a very unstable software, fails very much. Earlier versions are even worse. I recently uninstalled it and upgraded the Armory Crate and it seems the controls are better in it.

 

[Phaaze88]

It is Asus Aora's, unfortunately a very unstable software, fails very much. Earlier versions are even worse. I recently uninstalled it and upgraded the Armory Crate and it seems the controls are better in it.

The OP already uninstalled it - no change.


Other 3rd party software you installed?
-keyboard?
-mouse?
-software for any other devices not listed in your partpicker list?
-3rd party antivirus/antimalware programs?

If that checks out, then I would suspect your ram. The free version of Memtest86 can be used to test the ram: https://www.memtest86.com/

 

[cycle motion]

ok guys to update i tried what y'all said and nothing has been working i kinda put it off but i need to fix it cause its very frustrating lol. its gotta be something wrong cause my memory is at a constant 30% when i open up just one program and the only thing i have open is the tab for this lol and nothing else is running on my computer

-
forgot to mention that i tried throwing in 2 more 16gb ram sticks and my computer wouldent even boot up

 

[cycle motion]

The OP already uninstalled it - no change.


Other 3rd party software you installed?
-keyboard?
-mouse?
-software for any other devices not listed in your partpicker list?
-3rd party antivirus/antimalware programs?

If that checks out, then I would suspect your ram. The free version of Memtest86 can be used to test the ram: https://www.memtest86.com/

nope no razer synapse at all and i just have regular windows defender and when i would factory reset my pc it was the same deal

 

[Phaaze88]

Just a recap:
-Windows has been reinstalled
-mobo bios and drivers up to date
-3rd party software has been ruled out
-no temp issues
-you're not stacking antivirus/antimalware programs
-no viruses/malware appear to be present
-no bent/broken pins in the mobo socket
-not running any overclocks


I can't see it NOT being a hardware issue at this point. I'm thinking it's either the ram, or the motherboard itself.
1)The ram is easy to check for - have you tried Memtest86 yet? Grab the free version from here: https://www.memtest86.com/
As for testing the motherboard, that's going to be a little tricky, unless someone else can pitch in with some tips on it.

2)https://www.userbenchmark.com/
Go there, and link your results, like this, for example: https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/17688023

3)Grab a box fan, pedestal fan, or the like - remove the case's side panel, and have the fan blow air directly into the case.
Now, go play your games and see if you notice those same drops and freezes.
The purpose of this test is to rule out VRM thermal throttling. While your cpu and gpu temps are currently fine, the VRMs may not be.
The reason I bring this up is because it's one of the cons of using AIOs and CLCs: reduced VRM cooling - though this shouldn't be an issue on a high end Asus motherboard, so this test may be entirely unwarranted... but I've got no other ideas after this.

 

[cycle motion]

https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/22376892#MEMORY_KIT
i ran the memtest and the test was running for like 4 hours it never finished

 

[Phaaze88]

https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/22376892#MEMORY_KIT
i ran the memtest and the test was running for like 4 hours it never finished

Sorry, it does take some time; you might wanna sleep on it...
By 'it never finished', did it hang, or did you run out of patience?

The benchmark results look good... but what's SanDisk Gaming Xbox 360 8GB?
There are Xbox games on it?

 

[cycle motion]

Sorry, it does take some time; you might wanna sleep on it...
By 'it never finished', did it hang, or did you run out of patience?

The benchmark results look good... but what's SanDisk Gaming Xbox 360 8GB?
There are Xbox games on it?

lol i ran out of patience ill run it tonight but nah lol its just an xbox usb thats what the remtest was on

 

[cycle motion]

i changed ram sticks and im still getting 30% cpu usage when im just having chrome and discord open

 

[Phaaze88]

lol i ran out of patience ill run it tonight but nah lol its just an xbox usb thats what the remtest was on

AH - gotcha.
That just leaves the Memtest results and the open side panel method.

 

[cycle motion]

AH - gotcha.
That just leaves the Memtest results and the open side panel method.

So I just got my ram working so I have 32gbs now and it’s a lot better but I don’t think it’s where it should be

 

[Phaaze88]

That's good news.
Are you able to do the open side panel test I mentioned earlier?

 

[cycle motion]

That's good news.
Are you able to do the open side panel test I mentioned earlier?

ya i tired it and it was kinda the same thing but now that i have 32g of ram its seems a bit better but it still gets to high cpu usage

 

[Phaaze88]

So it's not the VRMs either.

I am out of ideas at this point. Your hardware appears to be fine, and the system free of malicious programs... but SOMETHING is hogging cpu resources, which narrows it down to software, and since you've reinstalled Windows on your system drive multiple times, I think the suspect is on the HDD. [Reinstalling Windows only clears the main drive, it doesn't touch the other drives.]

Hopefully someone else can pitch in.

 

[boju]

Don't know if it's been asked yet but have you tried a different browser? Uninstall chrome?

Could be a combo between chrome and discord and built-in settings to do with these programs and streaming.

 

[cycle motion]

So it's not the VRMs either.

I am out of ideas at this point. Your hardware appears to be fine, and the system free of malicious programs... but SOMETHING is hogging cpu resources, which narrows it down to software, and since you've reinstalled Windows on your system drive multiple times, I think the suspect is on the HDD. [Reinstalling Windows only clears the main drive, it doesn't touch the other drives.]

Hopefully someone else can pitch in.

Ok I’ll try that today

 

[cycle motion]

Don't know if it's been asked yet but have you tried a different browser? Uninstall chrome?

Could be a combo between chrome and discord and built-in settings to do with these programs and streaming.

I’ve tried different ones but I’ll uninstall it too

 

[cycle motion]

so i have all these files in my program data file and so i deiced to look it up and see what they are and try to figure out why they're there in the first place and this is what i got and i think this could be my problem

 

[cycle motion]

also to add another thing. I have almost around 100 processes going on like groove music an cortona even though i dont have her enabled and i dont have any of these apps on startup and they're at 0% but shouldn't be running and besides that its like a whole bunch of random apps that is on the task manager in the background

 

[Judespace]

also to add another thing. I have almost around 100 processes going on like groove music an cortona even though i dont have her enabled and i dont have any of these apps on startup and they're at 0% but shouldn't be running and besides that its like a whole bunch of random apps that is on the task manager in the background

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/a10gxz/8700k_better_than_9700k_at_multitasking/

found this reddit thread where people are having similar (look a bit lower down, they start talking about microstuttering and frame drops in games near the end) Part of the issue is that the 9700k seems to be a bit worse in multitasking because it has 4 fewer threads than the 8700k which would lead to more cpu usage when there are fewer resources to spread across the cpu.
Security patches may be playing a part here but I highly doubt that it would handicap your cpu. (Although it seems that the timeframe where you started taking performance hits is a bit similar to when more microcode patches came out)