[SOLVED] Power Limit Exceeded - But how?

[katulen]

Hello.

I recently ran into some instability issues with my overclock and system in general.
I wanted to start from scratch, so I decided to update my BIOS before, since there was 4 newer versions for my board.

I succesfully updated BIOS, and wanted to run some Cinebench R15 tests with only XMP enabled, to see if everything was fine.

I noticed the first couple of runs, was just fine - running at 4.6GHz on all cores as it should. But after 2-3 runs, I suddenly noticed my core clock throttling down to 4.2/4.3GHz.

I noticed in HWinfo that it says "Power Limit Exceeded" for all 8 cores was "Yes".

https://gyazo.com/060f6aaf5deb2fa2517b9c919f76e685

I know that I can probably change Long and Short duration power limits in the bios. But my CPU is supposed to run 4.6GHz on all cores as default - i.e. Turbo Boost right?

My system is running only with XMP enabled - everything else is default/stock on a completely fresh BIOS.
How come this is happening ?

(My system specs is in the buttom)

Best regards

 

[Diddly]

Post your voltages and any other settings that your trying out.

 

[digitalgriffin]

We need full system specs. Motherboard, cpu and base voltage at the very least.

Xmp is memory profile. It has zilch to do with your cpu unless you over volt/over clock tye memory controller. That however rarely if ever over heats the cpu.

What you are likely seeing if heat soak and thermal paste drying out. Its also possible you over did load line calibration.

 

[katulen]

Post your voltages and any other settings that your trying out.

I am running everything on default, except XMP enabled.
But HWinfo is reporting:

Minimum: 0.897v
Maximum: 1.323v
Average: 1.279v

When its under load and staying on 4.6GHz vcore is around 1.245-1.270v.
However, when it starts throttling the voltage jumps all over the place.

We need full system specs. Motherboard, cpu and base voltage at the very least.

Xmp is memory profile. It has zilch to do with your cpu unless you over volt/over clock tye memory controller. That however rarely if ever over heats the cpu.

What you are likely seeing if heat soak and thermal paste drying out. Its also possible you over did load line calibration.

As said, my system specs is in the buttom of my posts. However I post it here for the ease.

i7-9700k
Asus Rog Strix Z390-F
NZXT Kraken X72,
Asus Rog Strix RTX2070
Corsair Vengeance RGB 3000MHz @ 16GB (2x8)
Corsair RM750x
NZXT H700i Window Black

Also, as said, I am running everything on default/stock/auto. Only thing I touched after update, was enabling XMP. Didnt touch LLC.

My temperatures are fine. 60-65 when running Cinebench. Problem is Power Limit is throttling.

EDIT:
I just played a game for 30mins time, and I noticed my core clock was staying nicely at 4.6GHz at all times. But when running Cinebench R15 for a few times, it start hitting power limit.

What is the difference between a game and cinebench ? Is it the current going through the CPU being different from those 2 or ?

 

[MadsModsat]

i7-9700k
Asus Rog Strix Z390-F

... Problem is Power Limit is throttling.

Unlike most other motherboard manufacturers, certain ASUS motherboards enforce the stock Intel CPU TDP very strictly, resulting in power throttling - even with adequate power and quality hardware.

I've mostly seen it in connection with a 9900K as the CPU and with all settings at Auto or Default. But you could be running into the same issue with your 9700K

My own 9900K power throttles hard to follow the Intel CPU TDP with the BIOS settings on "Optimzed Defaults" on my ASUS Maximus XI Hero, unless I change a few settings.

My PSU has sufficient power, so that is not the reason for the power throttling, and I don't overclock.

I know we have different mothrboards, but you could try to see if you can locate the settings below in your BIOS, I think they should be available on your motherboard as well, although I haven't confirmed it.

Try this in BIOS, this works for me :

XMP : Profile II

("Profile I" is fine too, but "Profile II" loads the RAM manufacturers settings, while "Profile "I are ASUS's own settings. Profile I results in slightly reduced perfornce for my specific setup)

(when asked if you want to allow ASUS to adjust certain settings or stick to Intel defaults, choose the option to allow ASUS optimzed settings, don't select enforce all limits)


Extreme Tweaker Menu :
*ASUS Multicore Enhancement = Auto - Lets BIOS Optimize

(this doesn't change any multipliers, there's a third setting to set all multipliers to 49, so you are not going to be overclcoking with the setting mentioned above.

*SVID Behaviour = Auto

External Digi+ Power Control :
*CPU Current Capability = 140%

These settings should remove the power throttling completely and I have no issues related to these settings.

They do not overclock anything (except applying XMP settings for RAM), but it allows your system to draw the power required for continous full performance with no throttling to stay at the TDP.

Temperatures and multipliers remain the same for me, voltages don't change either.

EDIT :

I just noticed, that you are in fact overclcocking, I'm sorry I missed that detail.

The primary setting to kill power thottling is this one :

External Digi+ Power Control :
*CPU Current Capability = 140%

 

[katulen]

Unlike most other motherboard manufacturers, certain ASUS motherboards enforce the stock Intel CPU TDP very strictly, resulting in power throttling - even with adequate power and quality hardware.

I've mostly seen it in connection with a 9900K as the CPU and with all settings at Auto or Default. But you could be running into the same issue with your 9700K

My own 9900K power throttles hard to follow the Intel CPU TDP with the BIOS settings on "Optimzed Defaults" on my ASUS Maximus XI Hero, unless I change a few settings.

My PSU has sufficient power, so that is not the reason for the power throttling, and I don't overclock.

I know we have different mothrboards, but you could try to see if you can locate the settings below in your BIOS, I think they should be available on your motherboard as well, although I haven't confirmed it.

Try this in BIOS, this works for me :

XMP : Profile II

("Profile I" is fine too, but "Profile II" loads the RAM manufacturers settings, while "Profile "I are ASUS's own settings. Profile I results in slightly reduced perfornce for my specific setup)

(when asked if you want to allow ASUS to adjust certain settings or stick to Intel defaults, choose the option to allow ASUS optimzed settings, don't select enforce all limits)


Extreme Tweaker Menu :
*ASUS Multicore Enhancement = Auto - Lets BIOS Optimize

(this doesn't change any multipliers, there's a third setting to set all multipliers to 49, so you are not going to be overclcoking with the setting mentioned above.

*SVID Behaviour = Auto

External Digi+ Power Control :
*CPU Current Capability = 140%

These settings should remove the power throttling completely and I have no issues related to these settings.

They do not overclock anything (except applying XMP settings for RAM), but it allows your system to draw the power required for continous full performance with no throttling to stay at the TDP.

Temperatures and multipliers remain the same for me, voltages don't change either.

So i changed to what you suggested.
XMP to XMP II.
ASUS MCE was already on Auto.
SVID was already on Auto.
CPU Current Capability to 140%.

First Cinebench was running fine. No throttling.
But already at 2nd run it start throtting due to power limit.

I really dont get it :S

 

[MadsModsat]

So i changed to what you suggested.
XMP to XMP II.
ASUS MCE was already on Auto.
SVID was already on Auto.
CPU Current Capability to 140%.

First Cinebench was running fine. No throttling.
But already at 2nd run it start throtting due to power limit.

I really dont get it :S

I'm sorry to hear. To me it sounded like the TDP being enforced, but you may have a different issue.

I'll look through my settings again, to see if I missed something, but I think I remembered everything.

Apart from this, I don't have any ideas to what could be holding your CPU back, but I'll see if I can come up with something, you never know, sometimes it is just one little detail making things difficult.

 

[katulen]

I'm sorry to hear. To me it sounded like the TDP being enforced, but you may have a different issue.

I'll look through my settings again, to see if I missed something, but I think I remembered everything.

Apart from this, I don't have any ideas to what could be holding your CPU back, but I'll see if I can come up with something, you never know, usually it is just one little detail making things difficult.

Okay much appreciated.

Btw. that prompt that should come up when changing to XMP, asking if ASUS can change certain settings or stick to Intels defaults - That didnt pop up. I know which promt youre talking about, cause i remember it popped up the very first time i OC'd my system 10 months ago, but this time it didnt, hmm.

But how come I can play a game for 1 hour and core clock stays at 4.6GHz the entire time, but when running CBR15, after 2nd run it starts hitting power limit? What is the difference? Is it a matter of current depending on what load the CPU is on or?

 

[MadsModsat]

Okay much appreciated.

But how come I can play a game for 1 hour and core clock stays at 4.6GHz the entire time, but when running CBR15, after 2nd run it starts hitting power limit? What is the difference? Is it a matter of current depending on what load the CPU is on or?

Since it throttles after being under high stress for a while, and you are overclocking, and using an AiO, did you consider if the VRMs are running hot, causing throttling of the CPU to keep the VRM temperatures down?

Games would be requiring less CPU power than your stresstesting, which could help explain the problem being present only while stresstesting - where the VRMs would be under maximum stress as well

 

[katulen]

Since it throttles after being under high stress for a while, and you are overclocking, and using an AiO, did you consider if the VRMs are running hot, causing throttling of the CPU to keep the VRM temperatures down?

Games would be requiring less CPU power than your stresstesting, which could help explain the problem being present only while stresstesting

I have not considered that no. How can I tell the VRM temps? What am I looking for in HWinfo ?

I seem to have fixed it.
I changed long and short duration power limits to 4095 (max) and ran 10x CBR15 tests with no throttle at all.
But, I really thought my system should and would be able to run at 4.6GHz on heavy load without throttling with default BIOS settings.

I am pretty sure it was able to do so 10 months ago, before I started my first OC on this CPU.

Also, I am abit confused why this prompt wasnt showing upon changing to XMP profile. I didnt get the option to stick to Intels default or go along with ASUS defaults. Any clue why?

 

[MadsModsat]

But, I really thought my system should and would be able to run at 4.6GHz without throttling with default BIOS settings.

IF the power limit is actually the problem :

I had an MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Pro Carbon and my 9900K. All the rest of my hardware was the same. All default settings in BIOS, never ran into power throttling

Changed my motherboard only, to the ASUS I have now - default settings resulted in massive power throttling.

The reason being mentioned on the ASUS forums, and elsewhere online, is that ASUS does not allow excessive powerdraw other than Intels 95W TDP, while most other manufacturers do not enforce the same TDP as strictly on default settings (probably because the TDP is considered as a limitation to performance).

It is not really the hardware, it is the BIOS settings following Intel specs, but Intel specs will throttle because they are insufficient to allow continous boost performance in some scenarios.

ASUS follow the rules carefully, other manufacturers slightly bend the rules to prevent power throtlling for no real reason, other than Intels advertised TDP

With the power draw limit raised in BIOS (the 140% setting allowing this), my CPU draws around 130w at times, well above the Intel offcial defaults.

One explanation could be purely related to legal responsibility. If you took the advertised TDP and chose a PSU based on that information, and the PSU would be stressed beyond its capabilities, because noone told you that the power draw limits weren't what you expected - you could in theory point the finger to the manufacturer and blame them.

If you have to manually allow increased maximum power limits, only yourself can be blamed if things go wrong.

This is purely speculation on my part, it is not factual, it was just to try and make a point.

Don't focus on the fact the setting is called "Default" - the default setting can be different from other manufacturers, and supposedly ASUS Default is a limiting factor with regards to performance, because of the CPUs actual requirements.

Manually changing BIOS settings isn't a negative thing, defaults are not always better than manual settings. So don't be disappointed in that respect

As you know, XMP isn't set by default either, for example - so there's not much difference, I'd say

It would be worse if the setting wasn't available to be changed manually - that would be a problem in my mind

This is not something any official person has confirmed to me in person, it is purely something which seems to be the general belief and accepted explanation on ASUS's forums, and some other forums online.

I may very well be wrong, I don't know these things for a fact. But these ideas discussed online does make sense to me personally and the hardware I own and the personal experience with that hardware.

I'm not sure I explained myself particularly well, if it doesn't make sense at all, I can see why. But I did try

 

[katulen]

IF the power limit is actually the problem :

I had an MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Pro Carbon and my 9900K. All the rest of my hardware was the same. All default settings in BIOS, never ran into power throttling

Changed my motherboard only, to the ASUS I have now - default settings resulted in massive power throttling.

The reason being mentioned on the ASUS forums, and elsewhere online, is that ASUS does not allow excessive powerdraw other than Intels 95W TDP, while most other manufacturers do not enforce the same TDP as strictly on default settings (probably because the TDP is considered as a limitation to performance).

It is not really the hardware, it is the BIOS settings following Intel specs, but Intel specs will throttle because they are insufficient to allow continous boost performance in some scenarios.

ASUS follow the rules carefully, other manufacturers slightly bend the rules to prevent power throtlling for no real reason, other than Intels advertised TDP

With the power draw limit raised in BIOS (the 140% setting allowing this), my CPU draws around 130w at times, well above the Intel offcial defaults.

One explanation could be purely related to legal responsibility. If you took the advertised TDP and chose a PSU based on that information, and the PSU would be stressed beyond its capabilities, because noone told you that the power draw limits weren't what you expected - you could in theory point the finger to the manufacturer and blame them.

If you have to manually allow increased maximum power limits, only yourself can be blamed if things go wrong.

This is purely speculation on my part, it is not factual, it was just to try and make a point.

Don't focus on the fact the setting is called "Default" - the default setting can be different from other manufacturers, and supposedly ASUS Default is a limiting factor with regards to performance, because of the CPUs actual requirements.

Manually changing BIOS settings isn't a negative thing, defaults are not always better than manual settings. So don't be disappointed in that respect

As you know, XMP isn't set by default either, for example - so there's not much difference, I'd say

It would be worse if the setting wasn't available to be changed manually - that would be a problem in my mind

This is not something any official person has confirmed to me in person, it is purely something which seems to be the general belief and accepted explanation on ASUS's forums, and some other forums online.

I may very well be wrong, I don't know these things for a fact. But these ideas discussed online does make sense to me personally and the hardware I own and the personal experience with that hardware.

I'm not sure I explained myself particularly well, if it doesn't make sense at all, I can see why. But I did try

Yeah i understand what youre saying. And make sense.

I think why I found it so wrong, was because back 10 months ago, I didnt do anything within BIOS, and it ran 4.6GHz under heavy load no problem.

Anyhow, seem to solved it by changing long & short duration power limit to max.

Thanks for the help.