Finding out what program keeps changing Minimum processor state to 100%

[Cipher908]

To be brief, something, most likely a program, keeps changing the "minimum processor state" from 5% to 100% and I have no idea which one, Is there any way to find out what keeps doing it in something like event viewer or any other tool?

tried google searching but got brain dead questions/answers that were not related.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Xeon system ? which os 10-11 ?
This is a performance mode setting so I'd just switch to balanced again
Monitoring tools usually poll so much it would likely make it tougher to find anything.
But hwinfo64 can show stuff in a glance
I use the portable so there's nothing to install just run 64.exe shortcut to desktop
Check the box sensors only and start.
Opening page should show frequencies for each core current/ min/ max.

HWiNFO - Download

 

[meatwar]

To be brief, something, most likely a program

This is not valid enough info on a modern system these days, there's so much working in the background.
Being an MSI user, a few months ago back in the end of 2023 there's was an issue with the MSI SDK, eating 10 to 25% cpu to users, so the culprit was an app and usually its like so, so start by task manager and trace it back, services can be stopped, paused, delayed etc... its more likely to be an app/service than a driver or hw related, excluding a badly hurt OS integrity....

 

[Cipher908]

Hi,
Xeon system ? which os 10-11 ?
This is a performance mode setting so I'd just switch to balanced again
Monitoring tools usually poll so much it would likely make it tougher to find anything.
But hwinfo64 can show stuff in a glance
I use the portable so there's nothing to install just run 64.exe shortcut to desktop
Check the box sensors only and start.
Opening page should show frequencies for each core current/ min/ max.

HWiNFO - Download

Yeah Xeon system on Win11, normally i wouldn't be bothered about it but its a near 90w power increase when its not able to go idle

its not any monitoring tool polling that does it, I'm aware of such programs like crappy RGB software that spikes CPU usage, this is not that, I mean in the actual windows power plan the min processor state sometimes changes to 100% locking all 16 cores to 3.1GHz minimum instead of the usual 800 or parked which is why it could be a program that keeps setting power plan options themselves, task manager afaik doesn't have a way of showing what program is changing system settings, there isn't really anything installed yet aside from the usual asus intel driver stuff and steam/games

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I'm sure you have a shortcut to power options by now but here's an option to add it to your context menu and switch it easily

Add or Remove "Choose Power Plan" context menu in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to add Choose Power Plan to the desktop context menu for all users to be able to open Power Options or instantly switch between using the Power Saver, Balanced, High Performance, or Ultimate Performance plan for their account in Windows 11. A power plan is a...

www.elevenforum.com

By the way I didn't say polling is your issue I said it may cloud what is going on with the added polling the app I posted does.

I'd look for weird power plans added that you don't recognize I'm sure you've restored defaults/... already so sorry for stating things like this.
Some ssd performance apps can add a power plans to optimize the device.

BitTorrent ?

 

[Cipher908]

My apologies.

no bittorrent, qbitorrent is present but is not allowed to auto start

Yeah all plans were reset back to normal, I'm going to try deleting all the vendor stuff like alienware display command, ASUS armoury crate and icue etc

Its a pain to try finding it as I have no idea when it actually does it which is why i was hoping there was something that could record if a system setting was changed in a log or similar.

 

[oiawshboiwsahnoidaws]

Process Monitor - Sysinternals

Monitor file system, Registry, process, thread and DLL activity in real-time.

learn.microsoft.com

Could help monitor the registry and you could start programs and watch if any changes happen
Setup 2 filters, operation RegSetValue and path contains 893dee8e-2bef-41e0-89c6-b55d0929964c
edit: just to be clear you are using the balanced power plan? for high performance minimum processor state 100% is the default afaik

 

[Zach_01]

When this happens do you see any high background activity also? CPU activity?

In windows settings, first icon >> Power option (not the power plan section) there is a slider there with 3 settings. How is that configured?

 

[Cipher908]

Process Monitor - Sysinternals

Monitor file system, Registry, process, thread and DLL activity in real-time.

learn.microsoft.com

Could help monitor the registry and you could start programs and watch if any changes happen
Setup 2 filters, operation RegSetValue and path contains 893dee8e-2bef-41e0-89c6-b55d0929964c
edit: just to be clear you are using the balanced power plan? for high performance minimum processor state 100% is the default afaik
View attachment 332920

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for, I have it set up as you instructed and will follow up with what program caused the problem when it happens again, for now I'll try messing around with all the peripheral/driver software programs first.

It caught the two times I manually changed the value so its good to go, yes it is on the balanced plan which should say 5% / 100% and look like this below
When I catch it at 100% / 100% all cores read as 3100mhz and CPU package power sits at 170w+, while not actually a problem functionally, for my system, the idle power is quite bad by design but made worse by this power plan issue.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
All I see is svchost which has always caused issues for many reasons in the past from windows activation to update searching....