FX-53 Sudden Slowdown!!! (and very cool!) help >.<;

SelRahc

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Messages
389
Ok here is the problem.....

So I got boared and decided to test out this Abit AV8 I had sitting on the side here. I like the MB :) I have been running smooth as silk on the board using the FX-53 939 processor for a few days. I had benched and was playing many games with absolutely no problem. The stock speed 3dmark03 score was over 12k. No overclocking has taken place on this system yet. Bios is Patched to the latest... 1.2 or 1.3 i forget.

System Specs: Abit AV8 w/ 3rd eye, FX-53(939), Crucial Ballistic PC-4000 1gb (512x2) running dual channel, ATI x800xtpe(real).

Anyway, I reboot the other day and all of a sudden... the processor seems slow. It's like the processor is being throttled back... SETI packets take forever.. prime torture test (even small fft) is very slow... games are much much slower >.<; My 3dMark score dropped to 7K... almost 6K difference! The CPU only test is VERY VERY slow. Sometimes hitting 0-1 fps! Why would my processor have slowed down so much?????

Here is what I have done, as well as the settings:
  1. Checked to insure CPU Temp Throttle is off... It is disabled, and was not on.
  2. AMD Cool and Quiet is Disabled, so no idle throttle (don't think this would matter either way)
  3. CUP Settings: 2400MHZ as reported by Bios, Windows and CPU-Z (which is what it should be). Core voltage @ 1.5v. Multiplier is x12 which is what it was as I remembered... Nothing changed here.
  4. Timings: 200/66/33 Looks correct to me. Memory is working great in Dual Channel Mode at 2,3,3,8. Looks ok?
  5. Repatched bios just to make sure it worked ok. Running latest bios.
  6. Did a completely clean format: Loaded Windows w/ SP1a, DX9a, Catalist NoCC 4.9 and 3dMark03... score is still super low. Loaded prime, same thing... taking forever in torture mode with small fft. No errors though.
  7. Ran MemTest86 on the memory for over 12 hours.... no errors in memory.
  8. Took everything out of the system before reformat. Running bare min right now.
  9. Voltages are showing a stable 12v rail at 11.96, well within the 3% variance limmit.

Anyways.. I'm running out of reasons the system would be running slower now. I don't see a reason for it.... can anyone point me in the right direction? Is there something on the MB I missed?

I had guru loaded, but never used it to OC. The 3rd eye clock also reports the CPU at 2400mhz on the nose. CPU idle temp is VERY VERY low.... 18-19c. I would think that is wrong, but the HSF is absolutely cool to the touch. No heat whatsoever. Thats slightly below ambiant right now. Prime Torture test puts the cpu at 36c at stress... slightly warm hsf. This is STOCK cooling mind you. This is the lowest I have seen it.... man... that just doesnt seem right... It's not throttled at all AND Cool and quiet is disabled! CPU Fan RPM is at 2220.

What is going on here????? >.<
 
Charles, open the task manager and check which process is eating all your resources. It is most likely some virus or malware. Run the obvious programs to remove it.
 
Nothing. System Idle owns 99% of the processor. I even reformatted because I wanted to make sure. Only loaded windows (with sp1a cd), dx9, and the ATI drivers. Clean as could be. I ran a virus test just to make sure.

That was one of the FIRST things I checked ;)
 
Hmm I think I have a problem. When I resize the Task Manager window as I am showing the processes, the TASKMGR thread jumps way off the scale... I can get it to 15% is I drag the window around, and up to 48% (EDIT: Make that 100%) by just resizing it...... I know thats not normal haha.... that cant be good >.<;
 
Thats normal. Windows uses CPU cycles to draw the desktop GUI.

Try reinstalling you video card drivers, maybe Windows snuck its default ones in there somewhere.
 
Silverghost said:
Thats normal. Windows uses CPU cycles to draw the desktop GUI.

Try reinstalling you video card drivers, maybe Windows snuck its default ones in there somewhere.

50%+ cpu usage from resizing a window? hmm.... That sucks. Oh and I stand corrected. I can get the CPU usage well over 90% just resizing a window. hehe

Even if that is normal, something has definately slowed down... my p4 2.4 can crunch seti faster than this amd now >.<. The AMD use to blow it away /cry

Used Driver Cleaner to remove the driver and reinstalled it. Running Catalist 04.9. No change. I'll try downloading an older version and see what happens.....
 
SelRahc said:
Used Driver Cleaner to remove the driver and reinstalled it. Running Catalist 04.9. No change. I'll try downloading an older version and see what happens.....
maybe you should jsut uninstall the drivers with the windows uninstall tool..
do you restart the computer before you reinstall them?
 
Tried it both ways. Uninstall, reboot & reinstall. And tried Driver cleaner. Runs like total crap until the drivers are reloaded. There is no default driver on windows that loaded before the actual card drivers were put on there.
 
Just out of curiosity (SP?) have you reseated the memory, CPU, and other hardware. Also, what is your power supply voltages at.

Just a couple of things to check for.

Hope this helps!!!!
 
I never got tired to tell people checked your PSU. Especially with highend system. I fried 3psus before settled w/ ENERMAX 660W. For regular specs it is overkill(PSU specs is f/ server/dual procs.system), but it is really stable for heavy overclocking.
 
Well, I did a few more tests to see if I could solve the problem. Here is what I did:

  • Swapped Video Cards: I uninstalled and loaded a GeForce 6800U OC. The scores are thousands less then they should be, pulling in 6000 on 3dmark where it should be 10-12000.
  • Swapped Memory: One more time with identical memory from the other system. No change. Memory tests good on the other system as well.
  • Swapped Motherboards: Nice thing about having so many parts... helps alot with testing. Again with another new Abit AV8 3rd eye. No change. >.<;
  • Updated Bios: Latest version. No change.

I'm at a loss :( CPU is still sitting at 18c on the new mb as well. HSF is nice and cool with almost no heat whatsoever. I would put the CPU in my wifes system, but she threatened me.... so it's probably a bad idea. hehe.

The only thing I can't test is my PSU. MB shows the rails as stable... but I don't know how accurate those readings are. I don't have a multimeter. I could always use another PSU... maybe I should pick up a PCP&C 510..... hmm.
 
hmmmm if u send it to me i could fix it for ya, but i might have to format ur hd lol
 
run wcpuid to see what it is running at, and compare that with the bios. (sorry if this has been said, i skimmed :p)
 
I took the cover off and was listening to the insides..... is the FX-53 suppose to "whine" when stressed? Even at 2 feet away you can clearly hear a whining ay time the cpu is doing something. It's rather loud. My wifes CPU does not make this sound.

EDIT: My wife can hear it from her desk 6 feet away. I must be deaf..... damn you navy...

Start up 3dMark03, and as its loading the test, it whines... and durring the test at some scenes.. it whines.

At first I thought it may be the fan. I locked the CPU fan speed in at 2400rpm and repeated the test to insure it wasnt the fan making the whining sound. I don't think its the fan.... I think its the cpu singing to me. Even if i speed up and slow down the cpu fan speeds there is little to no noise from the fan, other than the air moving.

Should I be liking that song?
 
i know this is probly dumb and time consuming, but have u switched the CPU from the other into the one with the problems?

if that doesn't do it, RMA it (sucks though)
 
Hmm, mine doesn't take up CPU to resize windows at all. Maybe it's because I'm using nview?
 
SelRahc said:
I took the cover off and was listening to the insides..... is the FX-53 suppose to "whine" when stressed? Even at 2 feet away you can clearly hear a whining ay time the cpu is doing something. It's rather loud. My wifes CPU does not make this sound.

EDIT: My wife can hear it from her desk 6 feet away. I must be deaf..... damn you navy...

Start up 3dMark03, and as its loading the test, it whines... and durring the test at some scenes.. it whines.

At first I thought it may be the fan. I locked the CPU fan speed in at 2400rpm and repeated the test to insure it wasnt the fan making the whining sound. I don't think its the fan.... I think its the cpu singing to me. Even if i speed up and slow down the cpu fan speeds there is little to no noise from the fan, other than the air moving.

Should I be liking that song?

How can it whine? Even if the chip did makes any sound, how can you hear it at over 2GHz??
 
Thats not a dumb idea.... I'm going to talk to my wife again about trying it. Her system is running with no problems and she kinda didn't want me doing that heh...... >.<;

I'll just wait till she's asleep hehe... :D
 
Silverghost said:
I didn't know CPU could make a whinging sound...

Perhaps thats not the best term to describe it. It sounds like the high-pitched "hum" of electricity. Not like the fan's noise.... kinda different. Though I guess it COULD be coming from the cpu fan even if i had it locked at 1 speed. Only way I could tell for sure is to remove that fan.

EDIT: Ok so I unscrewed the fan form the cpu heatsink, turned on the crossflow fan to get air running through the cpu and ran the tests again. The noise is coming from the CPU, not the fan. Its like an electrical hum that changes pitch.... noticably loud. >.<
 
Are CPU-Z and what not reporting regular cache numbers? Maybe the core is damaged running full speed, just Celery performance.

Just an idea.

Vette
 
SelRahc said:
Perhaps thats not the best term to describe it. It sounds like the high-pitched "hum" of electricity. Not like the fan's noise.... kinda different. Though I guess it COULD be coming from the cpu fan even if i had it locked at 1 speed. Only way I could tell for sure is to remove that fan.

EDIT: Ok so I unscrewed the fan form the cpu heatsink, turned on the crossflow fan to get air running through the cpu and ran the tests again. The noise is coming from the CPU, not the fan. Its like an electrical hum that changes pitch.... noticably loud. >.<

the sound is most likely some sot of anomoly(sp?). what we need to know is what its actual clockspeed is and or the amount of cache that is being reported.
 
It would be virtually impossible for a CPU to make noise since it has no moving parts. The sound you are hearing is more likely the motherboard. While it doesn't have any moving parts, it does have parts that can and do move with electricity running through them. If the mobo is messed up, that would explain lousy performance. It would also explain the temps not reading right. It's impossible to have your CPU temp lower than ambient on air cooling.
 
SmokeRngs said:
It would be virtually impossible for a CPU to make noise since it has no moving parts. The sound you are hearing is more likely the motherboard. While it doesn't have any moving parts, it does have parts that can and do move with electricity running through them. If the mobo is messed up, that would explain lousy performance. It would also explain the temps not reading right. It's impossible to have your CPU temp lower than ambient on air cooling.
You don't need moving parts to make noise...
Electricity traveling through a circuit alone makes noise.
It is highly possible that your CPU is making the noise. From the looks of it, all things point to a faulty CPU. You can't expect every chip to come flawless out of the factory.
 
krizzle said:
You don't need moving parts to make noise...
Electricity traveling through a circuit alone makes noise.
It is highly possible that your CPU is making the noise. From the looks of it, all things point to a faulty CPU. You can't expect every chip to come flawless out of the factory.

i dunno... i expect stuff i buy to work. the lottery being an exception.

perhaps im nuts? :D (sarcasim)
 
krizzle said:
You don't need moving parts to make noise...
Electricity traveling through a circuit alone makes noise.
Yeah thats what I was thinking. My bro has an old tv that emits such a high pitched sound it can make dogs howl lol
 
did you check your mobo for bad capacitors? domed on top instead of flat, or leaking brownish crud? just a thought, i know caps can make a whining noise.

----Dave
 
Three things I've encountered when troubleshooting slow PC’s:

1. Virus or spyware
2. Bad PSU, ether dieing or low voltages
3. Dieing HD
4. Sometimes all the above
 
Original poster:

CPU-Z - Go get it and see what it says.
google is your friend. it's free.

This is the third suggestion.
Telling us about some noise is useless unless you get some numbers in here to tell us what's going on. Voltages, CPU-Z information. Otherwise, you're wasting our time.
 
Actually I believe it may be that you have damaged the CPU, but not in a way thats obvious. You may have a loose IHS (integrated heat spreader) the copper plate that covers the actual core. If the paste under it is loose or if the metal plate is loose in a spot it could make that noise due to hot/cold temps colliding. It would sound like a high pitch whine as well. I suggest you do three things:

1. First verify the actual cpu temp by taking bios HW temp readings (not in windows).
2. Got a thermal Laser probe? or a compu nurse? use it to verify temps.
3. Take the cpu out of the socket and check the IHS and the pins on the bottom. The FX53 has an organic, (green) pcb substrate. Check that the pins are good by looking across the pins from several sides. Also look at the substrate for black marks or burn marks.

I agree with others that you need to verify the CPUz cache and mem timings of the chip and see what CPUz says. If possible post screenshots (alt+prt sc) in here of the mem and main tabs.

Should all else fail I would reccommend you RMA the chip. Test the system using at least a 500W true wattage PSU.
 
Try down clocking it some and see how it performs if it does not change theresults it may not be running at the speed it said and if it improver the chip is tolals messed up
 
Thanks for all of the replies... I'll try to address them all:

CPU speed as reported by CPU-Z (which is also in the first post mind you) is 2400mhz. The cache reports as 64k L1, 1024k L2. I'm at school right now so i'll verify these numbers when i get home. The 12v rail comes in stable at just under 12v. The cpu core voltage fluxuates between 1.51 and 1.53 if i remember correctly. Again, ill double check and get the other voltages once I get home.

When I am in the bios, the CPU fan runs much faster than when it is in windows. The CPU temp is also higher, clocking in at about 30c. This is about where I would have expected it to be. The HS is noticably warmer as well. Once I enter windows, it slows down and cools off. Why it does that I do not know. I don't have a digital thermomitor to tell the actual temp though. I say its about amboant because its perfectly cool to the touch. I assume a margin of error in the reported temp since obviously it wouldn't be cooler than ambiant. ;)

I can't find my multimeter to test the 12v mb rail and other rails physically... i'll hafta look harder. Since I could use an extra PSU anyways, I may go ahead and order a PCP&C 510w psu and try it. I need a new psu for one of my spare systems so it wouldn't hurt.

I'll try dumbing down the processor when I get home as well to see what it does.... can't hurt.

As for the noise, it's coming from either the processor, underneeth the processor or immediately next to it. It sounds like its coming from underneath the CPU hs though. When I removed the hsf, I used a paper towel roll tube to help pinpoint the source of the sound. I didn't know a cpu could make a sound either, but SOMETHING is. Both MB's look within spec. When I swapped mb's I didn't notice anything abnormal worh the cpu itself... i made sure to check it. Pins look stright and level, no discoloration. I'll check again though.

I'm also going to install the OS on the second sata drive to rule out the raptor as being bad. I'll hafta try and sneak in a cpu swap tonight when the wifey isn't looking hehe. ;) (shhhhhh)
 
Honestly speaking though... I think that breaking that mirror over the head of a crossing black cat, and putting my desk under a ladder and on top of an indian burial ground is finally taking its toll on me :(

I'M DOOMED!!!!!!!!!
 
SelRahc said:
Honestly speaking though... I think that breaking that mirror over the head of a crossing black cat, and putting my desk under a ladder and on top of an indian burial ground is finally taking its toll on me :(

I'M DOOMED!!!!!!!!!


well for one thing, i doubt you will regret such a nice psu.

on the other hand... or off the top of my head ( :confused: ) hehe.. flash the bios (again) and re install the motherboard drivers (again) *shrug*
 
instead of repeating the steps you've already taken i'd go for a CPU-swap once you ruled out the raptor - but that just may be because you definitely did try everything i could possibly think of ;)

bummer, i feel your pain, man
 
coolie_d said:
did you check your mobo for bad capacitors? domed on top instead of flat, or leaking brownish crud? just a thought, i know caps can make a whining noise.

----Dave


Bingo. That whining noise IS a bad cap somewhere in your system. It is most likely on your mobo near the CPU socket. Stick your ear as close to the machine as you can and try to discern where it is coming from. Keep us updated.
 
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