CPU in a decreased performance loop, once every 30-40 seconds

[d@wn]

I get low fps (3 to 5 from let's say 100), but also about the same time, almost like a PC freeze once in a while. Typically about once in a minute although I don't notice it at all when not gaming/less CPU related tasks. This started recently, maybe after a Windows update or something else. SSDs (both NVMe's and ordinary SSDs) look fine (no errors from 99 to 100 percent life), Device Manager doesn't report errors, CPU doesn't throttle or overheat according to HWInfo (CPU package temperature never exceeds 78 or less under nearly 100% load).

I've run sfc which didn't find errors, updated graphic drivers, no change. Power plan is Balanced, low 5% to 100%, active cooling, very well ventilated case.

CPU is Intel 6850K overclocked long time ago to 4.4GHz all core sync'd, adaptive voltage at a maximum of 1.30 Vcore. 32GB DDR4 RAM (x2 sticks) with manually adjusted main timings, rock stable. 7900XTX GPU (undervolted and overclocked GPU and VRAM). Again all stable, no blue screen errors, exceptions etc.

Unless someone comes up with anything else I believe it is either something with the BIOS/motherboard or an update. The hardware looks fine and has been so for years. Still plannig on using this system as secondary so will be grateful for any suggestions. Online forums report similar problems temporarily solved by updating power plan to Performance though I don't want to do that on a permanent basis, also unsure still what may be causing this. Many thanks.

 

[Marcus L]

What games? That CPU will bottleneck your 7900xtx and even more so in CPU intensive games, you mention close to 100% useage in games, that will cause you FPS drops when some cores are fully utilised for sure, you should be looking at your cores utilisation when the freezes happens, theres no reason not to run high performance plan on a desktop, balanced or low power is only really needed for laptops IMO, so set to high, turn off pcie link state power management, see what's happening in hwinfo sensors when the FPS drops happen

 

[d@wn]

Both Windows games (they all exhibit the same drops so this is global) and emulators, for example Xenia, but it is the same in RPCS3. Just ran Cinebench different versions, including 2024. When running the benchmarks Task Manager displays CPU ulilization at 100% (all cores maxed along), i.e. no drop for the entire test (all versions). I see nothing wrong in HWInfo too. Just played MFSX, it exibits drops in FPS/micro-freezes to a few FPS for some reason, once in a while and possibly in loop intervals (can't say as depending on terrain this changes too but definitely goes down to like 2-3 which is unusual). Unsure what is causing this. Emulators are predominantly CPU-dependent, GPU seems to be stable also. I have the feeling it is software related, like OS scheduling is messing up or something else. You are right about the power management, it is about low-power devices, however by the limited searches online users mentioned (for their own case) that this CPU loop/freezes got temporarily fixed by enabling high-power plan.

Waiting for the X3D versions of the 9th Series Ryzens (January) before upgrading everything but will keep this configuration so need to find out what may be the culprit. Totally aware the GPU has no match for the CPU but bought it with the idea to offload some cost when I change everything.

P.S. Though Balanced power plan, nothing is limited in any way (USB, PCI-E, videos playback, computer or HDD never turn off, no hybrid sleep etc.). If you go Performance, CPU stays at at maximum all time (Win 10, either way, something recently made these micro-freezes to appear (all settings have been the same before that with no issues).

 

[ShrimpBrime]

For testing purposes, I'd do system defaults with a fresh OS install on a spare drive.