Something wrong with my CPU speed

MAlandM · 28 Oct 2013 at 14:31

So recently, I took all the components (including the CPU) out of my PC and put them back in because they won't working, and now my PC is quite slow. My CPU speed is normally about 1.6GHz, but it sometimes momentarily jumps up to 3.6-3.8GHz (which is what it is supposed to be all the time, really).

What I've tried doing is resetting my CPU to its default speeds (I had overclocked it before), but now its pretty much the same.

I've also downloaded a programme called OCCT and it says that my CPU is negatively overclocked (the % overclock is below 0%).

I have an i5 3570k CPU. The stock speed should be 3.4GHz, but the most it ever goes up to is about 2.2GHz and it says 100% CPU usage.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

Smoogels · 28 Oct 2013 at 14:36

It may be throttling to keep the tempetures down. Have you checked them in software such as HWmonitor?

Make · 28 Oct 2013 at 14:40

Reset CMOS. Bios probably majorly screw'd for one reason or another.

Take out the battery for 30min, or even replace it. Put it back. Boot PC, run stresstest and check max. frequency and temps in CPU-Z / Hwmonitor.

MAlandM · 28 Oct 2013 at 14:48

Smoogels said:
It may be throttling to keep the tempetures down. Have you checked them in software such as HWmonitor?

Hmm, I'll try that. And what do I do if it is throttling to keep the temperatures down?

Make said:
Reset CMOS. Bios probably majorly screw'd for one reason or another.

Take out the battery for 30min, or even replace it. Put it back. Boot PC, run stresstest and check max. frequency and temps in CPU-Z / Hwmonitor.

How do I reset the CMOS?

Also, when I last checked the CPU temperature it said 96 degrees :O thats really bad right?

DJ_Bucho · 28 Oct 2013 at 15:10

Tell me you actually cleaned off and replaced the thermal compound between the CPU and heatsink, and didn't just stick it back together with the same stuff that was on there when you took it apart...

MAlandM · 28 Oct 2013 at 15:15

DJ_Bucho said:
Tell me you actually cleaned off and replaced the thermal compound between the CPU and heatsink, and didn't just stick it back together with the same stuff that was on there when you took it apart...

err... no... lol. Was I supposed to?? It was the first ever PC I built

So am I supposed to buy a new thermal compound and clean off the old one? Cos I think this might be the problem :O

DJ_Bucho · 28 Oct 2013 at 15:23

Yes your surpose to fully clean the top of the CPU and the underside of the heatsink, and then apply some new thermal compound (only a tiny amount, about the size of a single grain of rice) to the very centre of the cpu and then remount the heatsink.
New thermal compound is only a few quid, but I'd definitely recommend trying that first of all. There's plenty of guides to doing this is your stuck, a quick search on youtube will bring up lots of tutorials for you

MAlandM · 28 Oct 2013 at 15:28

DJ_Bucho said:
Yes your surpose to fully clean the top of the CPU and the underside of the heatsink, and then apply some new thermal compound (only a tiny amount, about the size of a single grain of rice) to the very centre of the cpu and then remount the heatsink.
New thermal compound is only a few quid, but I'd definitely recommend trying that first of all. There's plenty of guides to doing this is your stuck, a quick search on youtube will bring up lots of tutorials for you

hmm, will this solve the problem I have with the CPU speed? I think its possible that it will reduce the temperature and that will stop the throttling, right? is that possible?

Smoogels · 28 Oct 2013 at 15:36

MAlandM said:
hmm, will this solve the problem I have with the CPU speed? I think its possible that it will reduce the temperature and that will stop the throttling, right? is that possible?

Probably, if it was fine before you rebuilt it

Flying_Hellfish · 28 Oct 2013 at 15:36

Yes, 96oC is beyond the throttle barrier. There's obviously something awry here. Even with the thermal compound in place from previous application, it shouldn't really be hitting that temperature though.

Is the fan on the CPU heatsink running freely?

I'd check that in the meantime whilst you wait for your thermal paste to arrive

MAlandM · 28 Oct 2013 at 16:20

Flying_Hellfish said:
Yes, 96oC is beyond the throttle barrier. There's obviously something awry here. Even with the thermal compound in place from previous application, it shouldn't really be hitting that temperature though.

Is the fan on the CPU heatsink running freely?

I'd check that in the meantime whilst you wait for your thermal paste to arrive

yeah, the fan is fine

I'll go outside later today to PC World to get a thermal paste and apply it then. Hopefully it'll work! I love you guys! thanks for all the help

David Bisset · 28 Oct 2013 at 16:54

if its from a previous application it'll not have seated well when you put the heatsink back on and will have gaps causing the temperature to be way too high, I'd not assume there were any further problems until this is sorted tbh.

MAlandM · 28 Oct 2013 at 17:13

Is an MX-2 Thermal Compound good for my i5 3570k CPU?

MAlandM · 28 Oct 2013 at 23:39

Ok, so I replaced the thermal paste, and when I turn the PC on, it's fine for the first 2 minutes or so at which it can perform up to 3.8GHz, but then it suddenly drops to about 800MHz and stays there, and then the PC turns off?

what should I do now? I'll try downloading the HWmonitor tomorrow

PCZ · 28 Oct 2013 at 23:52

You haven't mounted the heatsink properly.
What heatsink do you have ?

If it is the stock one then most likely you haven't got all four pegs engaged properly.

Your problem is far worse than a bad application/re use of TIM.

MAlandM · 29 Oct 2013 at 09:14

PCZ said:
You haven't mounted the heatsink properly.
What heatsink do you have ?

If it is the stock one then most likely you haven't got all four pegs engaged properly.

Your problem is far worse than a bad application/re use of TIM.

Yeah the heat sink was a little loose, but I didn't think that would affect anything. I'll try fixing it thanks

schumi84 · 29 Oct 2013 at 09:44

There should be no movement in the heatsink at all when fitted 100% correctly, this is where your problem lies as the CPU needs full contact with the heatsink to dissipate the heat away and thus cool the CPU.

Thankfully, new CPUs (for the last 10 or so years at least) have internal throttling, as you have experienced and so there shouldn't be any long term damage

Hope the re-seat goes ok and just remember that everyone here is happy to help, we all have to start somewhere

MAlandM · 29 Oct 2013 at 09:50

schumi84 said:
There should be no movement in the heatsink at all when fitted 100% correctly, this is where your problem lies as the CPU needs full contact with the heatsink to dissipate the heat away and thus cool the CPU.

Thankfully, new CPUs (for the last 10 or so years at least) have internal throttling, as you have experienced and so there shouldn't be any long term damage

Hope the re-seat goes ok and just remember that everyone here is happy to help, we all have to start somewhere

Alright, I've reseated it so that it doesn't move at all now, and I've turned on my PC. The initial temperatures are around 35 degrees on average, and the CPU is around 3700MHz. I'm gonna try running a game now whilst listening to an album (arctic monkeys for those who are wondering

), which is where my pc failed me before.

wish me luck!

MAlandM · 29 Oct 2013 at 09:58

alright everything's working perfectly now!!! thanks so much everyone

and the maximum temperature's only 46 degrees while I was playing :O that's quite good isnt it?

Uther · 29 Oct 2013 at 10:33

Yep! Sounds like its on properly now!