Question PC has slowed down in all actions - CPU the reason?

[BigHigh]

Hello all,

My computer has slowed down tremendously over the past couple of years. The computer is almost unusable. Loading up webpages, using Excel, light gaming, any home office work, and surfing the web, watching YouTube, is extremely sluggish.

Additionally, internet speed tests do not yield the same results as my laptop, my desktop reports lower speeds (both hardwired to the router).

I am curious to know if the CPU may be the culprit. Has it become less efficient? I am considering purchasing a new i5-7500 CPU as a replacement.

Thank you for your help.

PC Specs
i7-6700k (never overclocked)
GTX 770 2GB
1tb Samsung 970 NVME SSD
MSI z170a Gaming M3
32gb DDR 4 3200mghz
750w EVGA PSU

 

[punkncat]

Just as a shot in the dark suggestion.

Get a USB and download the newest version of W10 that you are using (assumably).

Get a USB and go to the motherboard manufacturer's site and load all the appropriate drivers and utilities you use from them.

Get an empty SSD at least large enough to load OS and perhaps a benchmark/game or two of your choosing. Remove current OS drive, disconnect any auxiliary drives.

Perform a clean install from that USB on your empty drive and see how the system does. This is all suggested in the consideration that your temps are in control and the system is regularly cleaned out for dust and proper cooling considerations as well as background operation management.

 

[BigHigh]

Just as a shot in the dark suggestion.

Get a USB and download the newest version of W10 that you are using (assumably)

Get an empty SSD at least large enough to load OS and perhaps a benchmark/game or two of your choosing.

Get a USB and go to the motherboard manufacturer's site and load all the appropriate drivers and utilities you use from them.

Perform a clean install from that USB on your empty drive and see how the system does. This is all suggested in the consideration that your temps are in control and the system is regularly cleaned out for dust and proper cooling considerations as well as background operation management.

Thank you for your reply punkncat. I have done a fresh install of w10 (along with all MB drivers) a couple of times to try and remedy the situation. After a fresh install, the PC does run a bit better however, it soon goes back to the same state. CPU, MB, and GPU temps are all well controlled and the PC is cleaned out regularly.

 

[madaraosenpai]

After a fresh install, the PC does run a bit better however, it soon goes back to the same state. CPU, MB, and GPU temps are all well controlled and the PC is cleaned out regularly.

Does this happen after updating for the first time?

 

[BigHigh]

Does this happen after updating for the first time?

As soon as I get into Windows, I typically let the PC download the latest updates (after I have installed MB drivers). The PC works decently for a couple of days and then slows down. I should also mention it seems the CPU GHz in the task manager always shows the processor speed at around 0.83 or so. I tried to lock the speed at 4ghz, but this did not help.

 

[punkncat]

Have you reset CMOS, booted to check operation on the clean install, then re-entered BIOS to set the proper XMP profile (if such exists) to see if the CPU scales properly? Repasted CPU?

 

[BigHigh]

Have you reset CMOS, booted to check operation on the clean install, then re-entered BIOS to set the proper XMP profile (if such exists) to see if the CPU scales properly? Repasted CPU?

I have not reset the CMOS (to do so I believe there is a button on the back of my MB, is this done when the PC is shut down?)

Booted to check operation on the clean install? please clarify

I have reentered bios to enable XMP, but the computer fails to boot when this option is selected and my RAM which is capable of 3200mhz is set to 2333mhz.

I have repasted the CPU, temperatures are within normal limits.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[punkncat]

Yes, when the system is powered off you should be able to hit and hold that reset button or there may be a set of pins or a jumper to short inside, remove the CMOS battery....

Boot after that reset and just make sure the system comes up. Restart and enter BIOS and try to use your proper XMP settings. If they will not take consider downloading CPU-Z and use the SPD tab to see the RAM reported JEDEC and XMP settings. It may be that you have to set those timings manually and check to see if the system boots, then move up one till it won't and go back to the previous setting.

 

[BigHigh]

Yes, when the system is powered off you should be able to hit and hold that reset button or there may be a set of pins or a jumper to short inside, remove the CMOS battery....

Boot after that reset and just make sure the system comes up. Restart and enter BIOS and try to use your proper XMP settings. If they will not take consider downloading CPU-Z and use the SPD tab to see the RAM reported JEDEC and XMP settings. It may be that you have to set those timings manually and check to see if the system boots, then move up one till it won't and go back to the previous setting.

Thank you. I will try this and get back asap.

 

[NedSmelly]

A screenshot of the Windows Task Manager 'Processes' window, sorted by CPU column, will be helpful. A hwinfo64 monitoring screenshot would also be helpful.

 

[35below0]

My first suspicion is malware. Clean instals and periodic updates may help but wont stop the problem.

Another suspect is the drive. The 970 is a good drive but even good drives degrade and die.

If the CPU was the culprit, i don't think you'd ever see any improvement after reinstalling windows.

So,
- try malwarebytes software. Scan the PC. Try other anti malware software too.
- try CrystalDiskMark software. Scan the SSD for signs of failure
- try disabling the Samsung 970 drive. Use another drive to install OS (and as many programs and games as you normally would). See if performance degrades same as with original drive

Also, take the screenshot of Task Manager processes like NedSmelly suggested

 

[BigHigh]

A screenshot of the Windows Task Manager 'Processes' window, sorted by CPU column, will be helpful. A hwinfo64 monitoring screenshot would also be helpful.

I have provided pictures of hwinfo64 and task manager. Thank you for your help.

https://imgur.com/a/Tuq4fjr

View: https://imgur.com/a/Tuq4fjr

 

[BigHigh]

Yes, when the system is powered off you should be able to hit and hold that reset button or there may be a set of pins or a jumper to short inside, remove the CMOS battery....

Boot after that reset and just make sure the system comes up. Restart and enter BIOS and try to use your proper XMP settings. If they will not take consider downloading CPU-Z and use the SPD tab to see the RAM reported JEDEC and XMP settings. It may be that you have to set those timings manually and check to see if the system boots, then move up one till it won't and go back to the previous setting.

I have cleared CMOS, I then updated BIOS to the latest version and enabled XMP. I was able to load it into Windows normally. The PC feels a bit more responsive. But still not as "snappy" as it was.

 

[BigHigh]

My first suspicion is malware. Clean instals and periodic updates may help but wont stop the problem.

Another suspect is the drive. The 970 is a good drive but even good drives degrade and die.

If the CPU was the culprit, i don't think you'd ever see any improvement after reinstalling windows.

So,
- try malwarebytes software. Scan the PC. Try other anti malware software too.
- try CrystalDiskMark software. Scan the SSD for signs of failure
- try disabling the Samsung 970 drive. Use another drive to install OS (and as many programs and games as you normally would). See if performance degrades same as with original drive

Also, take the screenshot of Task Manager processes like NedSmelly suggested

Hello,

I used Samsung Magician software to assess disk health. It says the drive is in good condition. Temperature is 40C. I also ran a performance test. Results were Sequential read: 2187 MB/s, Sequential write: 2MB/s, Random read: 57861 IOPS, Random write: 488 IOPS.

No malware was found.

Thank you.

 

[uWebb429]

@BigHigh

Run ThrottleStop 9.6

https://www.techpowerup.com/download/techpowerup-throttlestop/

Open the Limit Reasons window to check for reasons for throttling. If you see BD PROCHOT in red, clear the BD PROCHOT box on the main screen of ThrottleStop. This is the most common reason why an Intel CPU will get stuck at its minimum speed. It has nothing to do with a virus or malware.

It is usually caused by a defective or dirty sensor on your motherboard that is shorting out because of dust accumulation. It has been a problem for many, many different MSI motherboards for 10+ years. Check your motherboard manual for the LN2 switch. That is typically what fails.

Post some ThrottleStop screenshots if you need help with this problem. Include the main window, the FIVR and TPL windows.

 

[BigHigh]

@BigHigh

Run ThrottleStop 9.6

https://www.techpowerup.com/download/techpowerup-throttlestop/

Open the Limit Reasons window to check for reasons for throttling. If you see BD PROCHOT in red, clear the BD PROCHOT box on the main screen of ThrottleStop. This is the most common reason why an Intel CPU will get stuck at its minimum speed. It has nothing to do with a virus or malware.

It is usually caused by a defective or dirty sensor on your motherboard that is shorting out because of dust accumulation. It has been a problem for many, many different MSI motherboards for 10+ years. Check your motherboard manual for the LN2 switch. That is typically what fails.

Post some ThrottleStop screenshots if you need help with this problem. Include the main window, the FIVR and TPL windows.

Thank you, I will try this and get back to you.

 

[BigHigh]

@BigHigh

Run ThrottleStop 9.6

https://www.techpowerup.com/download/techpowerup-throttlestop/

Open the Limit Reasons window to check for reasons for throttling. If you see BD PROCHOT in red, clear the BD PROCHOT box on the main screen of ThrottleStop. This is the most common reason why an Intel CPU will get stuck at its minimum speed. It has nothing to do with a virus or malware.

It is usually caused by a defective or dirty sensor on your motherboard that is shorting out because of dust accumulation. It has been a problem for many, many different MSI motherboards for 10+ years. Check your motherboard manual for the LN2 switch. That is typically what fails.

Post some ThrottleStop screenshots if you need help with this problem. Include the main window, the FIVR and TPL windows.

This is what I see when throttlestop is running.

https://imgur.com/a/MkT0xL7

View: https://imgur.com/a/MkT0xL7

 

[NedSmelly]

I have provided pictures of hwinfo64 and task manager. Thank you for your help.

https://imgur.com/a/Tuq4fjr

View: https://imgur.com/a/Tuq4fjr

Click on the ‘Processes’ tab in Task Manager - that will show you what’s running in the background. Hwinfo ‘live monitoring’ mode (rather than summary mode, which is what you captured), also tells you live CPU usage stats per thread which is also helpful in diagnosis (Including temps and load).

Looks like BD PROCHOT is being flagged in Throttlestop. @uWebb429 is probably on the right track, with your hwinfo reporting 800MHz per core. But seeing if it goes above 800MHz under load will help with diagnosis.

 

[uWebb429]

This is what I see when throttlestop is running.

As suspected. It is a BD PROCHOT throttling problem. This is very common on MSI motherboards. Did you try using my solution?

clear the BD PROCHOT box on the main screen of ThrottleStop.

seeing if it goes above 800MHz under load will help with diagnosis.

With BD PROCHOT glowing red, not a chance it will ever go above 800 MHz whether idle or loaded. This is the reason why his computer has felt sluggish for so long.

 

[BigHigh]

@uWebb429 I cleared the BR PROCHOT by deselecting it from the performance tab on the main screen and clicking save. The PC is now very snappy!

Additionally, my MB does have an LN2 switch as per my MB manual, do I clean this area?

What should I do in the long term to fix this issue? Also, the BD PROCHOT is now in yellow when I click limits.

Thank you for everyones help so far!!

https://imgur.com/a/5KsPvfP

View: https://imgur.com/a/5KsPvfP

 

[uWebb429]

The PC is now very snappy!

Good to hear. Your CPU is running more than five times faster. It is easy to notice the difference when you go from 800 MHz to 4200 MHz.

my MB does have an LN2 switch

That is usually the source of BD PROCHOT throttling problems on many different MSI motherboards. You would think that after 10 years that MSI would have come up with a proper fix for this issue but they never did.

If you want you can buy a can of electrical contact cleaner that you can spray into the switch to try to get the dust out of it. You can also cycle the switch on and off 101 times. Sometimes that is enough to clean out the dirt that is causing that switch to short out. When that cheap switch fails or shorts out, it sends a signal to the CPU via the BD PROCHOT signal path. This tells the CPU to run at its minimum speed, 800 MHz. Using ThrottleStop to clear the BD PROCHOT box tells the CPU to ignore these false throttling messages which allows the CPU to run at its full rated speed. The CPU will still be able to slow down (thermal throttle) to protect against any damage. BD PROCHOT throttling and thermal throttling due to heat are two different things.

What should I do in the long term to fix this issue?

If cleaning the LN2 switch does not fix this problem then you will need to continue using ThrottleStop. A free fix is better than having to replace your motherboard with another MSI motherboard that at some point, will likely have the exact same problem.

Also, the BD PROCHOT is now in yellow when I click limits.

Yellow is OK. That just shows there is a record stored in the CPU that confirms that BD PROCHOT throttling was happening. This flag can be triggered as soon as you press the power button. You only have to watch out for red boxes. A red BD PROCHOT box in Limit Reasons indicates that throttling is in progress. You should not be seeing that anymore when the BD PROCHOT box is clear.

If you want a little more performance you can check the Overclock box in the FIVR window. Try setting the four turbo ratios to 43 or 44 or 45. Press OK and then open the TPL window, check the Speed Shift box and set Speed Shift Max to the same value that you set the turbo ratios to. Press OK and go do some testing to make sure your computer is stable. The 6700K is an unlocked CPU so it should be able to handle a mild overclock like this without any problems.

Edit - Did a faster CPU increase your internet download speeds? Just curious.

 

[BigHigh]

Good to hear. Your CPU is running more than five times faster. It is easy to notice the difference when you go from 800 MHz to 4200 MHz.


That is usually the source of BD PROCHOT throttling problems on many different MSI motherboards. You would think that after 10 years that MSI would have come up with a proper fix for this issue but they never did.

If you want you can buy a can of electrical contact cleaner that you can spray into the switch to try to get the dust out of it. You can also cycle the switch on and off 101 times. Sometimes that is enough to clean out the dirt that is causing that switch to short out. When that cheap switch fails or shorts out, it sends a signal to the CPU via the BD PROCHOT signal path. This tells the CPU to run at its minimum speed, 800 MHz. Using ThrottleStop to clear the BD PROCHOT box tells the CPU to ignore these false throttling messages which allows the CPU to run at its full rated speed. The CPU will still be able to slow down (thermal throttle) to protect against any damage. BD PROCHOT throttling and thermal throttling due to heat are two different things.


If cleaning the LN2 switch does not fix this problem then you will need to continue using ThrottleStop. A free fix is better than having to replace your motherboard with another MSI motherboard that at some point, will likely have the exact same problem.


Yellow is OK. That just shows there is a record stored in the CPU that confirms that BD PROCHOT throttling was happening. This flag can be triggered as soon as you press the power button. You only have to watch out for red boxes. A red BD PROCHOT box in Limit Reasons indicates that throttling is in progress. You should not be seeing that anymore when the BD PROCHOT box is clear.

If you want a little more performance you can check the Overclock box in the FIVR window. Try setting the four turbo ratios to 43 or 44 or 45. Press OK and then open the TPL window, check the Speed Shift box and set Speed Shift Max to the same value that you set the turbo ratios to. Press OK and go do some testing to make sure your computer is stable. The 6700K is an unlocked CPU so it should be able to handle a mild overclock like this without any problems.

Edit - Did a faster CPU increase your internet download speeds? Just curious.

@uWebb429 Thank you for your help and suggestions.

I will try cleaning out the switch and update the forum once I have the results.

The one thing I am concerned about is the main screen of throttlestop, top right corner where it lists the CPU voltage. I am assuming VID is CPU voltage, I see this value nearing 1.4 V at idle. Is this safe, do I need to underclock?

As for the internet speed, yes this fix has helped tremendously. I am now getting my ISPs full speed, before this, I was getting a quarter of the speed.

Also, I have checked CPU temps, MB temps, and GPU temps, all are within normal limits at idle.

 

[uWebb429]

@BigHigh
VID voltage is what the CPU is requesting based on the voltage table that Intel programmed into the CPU. It is usually not the same as actual voltage going to the CPU. The default VID is guaranteed to be perfectly safe.

You could undervolt your CPU and risk stability. Your temperatures are great so there is no reason to do that.

 

[BigHigh]

@BigHigh
VID voltage is what the CPU is requesting based on the voltage table that Intel programmed into the CPU. It is usually not the same as actual voltage going to the CPU. The default VID is guaranteed to be perfectly safe.

You could undervolt your CPU and risk stability. Your temperatures are great so there is no reason to do that.

Thank you for all of your help!

I would like to thank everyone who has helped to rectify this issue, the issue has been resolved!