Laptop CPU usage much lower than base speed

[Frick]

Mm I might have to open it up myself then. What's "bad heatsink compound" please?

It ain't hard. Look up a video of your model and use a spatula, IIRC them consumer HPs have a tendency be a bit fiddly. As for thermal paste Arctic MX4 is cheap and good.

Also if it hasn't been mentioned before, use Throttlestop

Sure, once the thermals are ok and if the cooling system actually can handle the components during sustained loads. I don't know how well that particular laptop handles heat, but some consumer HPs have definitely had underwhelming cooling.

 

[iamtowbee]

Guys, I finally took the laptop apart and cleaned the fan and heatsink. Also, repasted the CPU and GPU, then coupled it back. Did a memtest and hard disk test just to be safe; all tests passed. On booting, I fired up HWinfo and monitored the temps. On idle, it goes around 49-69°C.

I then ran PES 2017 and gameplay was very smooth at over 2.4GHz. During this period, HWinfo reported temp hitting critical values (99, 96, 96, 95 for the 4 cores), although there was no thermal throttling.

The problem started again when I ran PES 2019: lagged a bit and the CPU heated up fast. I checked the CPU speed, it was stuck at 0.79 GHz again. Also, HWinfo reported critical temps same as above but thermal throttling for all CPU components was set to Yes this time.

I went back to PES 17 and the only max reported temp was 85°C or thereabouts, although the CPU speed was still stuck at 0.79GHz.

I'm getting worried guys. I just bought it and it's already acting up when I know returning the laptop isn't an option. Please help me..

Sure, once the thermals are ok and if the cooling system actually can handle the components during sustained loads. I don't know how well that particular laptop handles heat, but some consumer HPs have definitely had underwhelming cooling.

Can I use ThrottleStop in this case?

 

[eidairaman1]

Guys, I finally took the laptop apart and cleaned the fan and heatsink. Also, repasted the CPU and GPU, then coupled it back. Did a memtest and hard disk test just to be safe; all tests passed. On booting, I fired up HWinfo and monitored the temps. On idle, it goes around 49-69°C.

I then ran PES 2017 and gameplay was very smooth at over 2.4GHz. During this period, HWinfo reported temp hitting critical values (99, 96, 96, 95 for the 4 cores), although there was no thermal throttling.

The problem started again when I ran PES 2019: lagged a bit and the CPU heated up fast. I checked the CPU speed, it was stuck at 0.79 GHz again. Also, HWinfo reported critical temps same as above but thermal throttling for all CPU components was set to Yes this time.

I went back to PES 17 and the only max reported temp was 85°C or thereabouts, although the CPU speed was still stuck at 0.79GHz.

I'm getting worried guys. I just bought it and it's already acting up when I know returning the laptop isn't an option. Please help me..


Can I use ThrottleStop in this case?

Read this

CPU energy save settings

Hi all, Could somebody please explain for me (like a noob) the 3 common CPU energy save technologies (C-State, C1E, EIST) and their affection by enabling/disabling them to the performance/frequency/voltage/power consumption/heat referring to the desktop and games as well? My exact goal should...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[Zach_01]

Had any dust on heatsink?
Cleaning fan/heatsink improve the airflow at all?

By your first postage of HWinfo seems your problem is thermals. I dont see any overvoltage, or any excessive wattage. Temp seems the only problem and any kind of energy saving settings would not make any difference.
Maybe a defective fan? I dont really know...

To use throttle stop right now in your situation could only damage the CPU by removing the self protections.

 

[Mussels]

Try again, this time with pics of the thermal paste application? Maybe you did it incorrectly or used the wrong amount (or a cheap/bad paste)

Also, dont forget to repaste the GPU as well as the CPU while you're in there

 

[jsfitz54]

Try again, this time with pics of the thermal paste application? Maybe you did it incorrectly or used the wrong amount (or a cheap/bad paste)

Also, dont forget to repaste the GPU as well as the CPU while you're in there

HP often uses thermal pads. There is an air gap if they were replaced with TIM only. May need to purchase pads of required thickness or this is not going to work.

 

[Mussels]

HP often uses thermal pads. There is an air gap if they were replaced with TIM only. May need to purchase pads of required thickness or this is not going to work.

good advice

 

[iamtowbee]

Really sorry for the radio silence guys. The problem has only gotten worse, with CPU package temp now hitting 100C.

Read this

CPU energy save settings

Hi all, Could somebody please explain for me (like a noob) the 3 common CPU energy save technologies (C-State, C1E, EIST) and their affection by enabling/disabling them to the performance/frequency/voltage/power consumption/heat referring to the desktop and games as well? My exact goal should...

www.techpowerup.com

Hard to wrap my head around that tbh. Seems like the C states are some sort of power-saving mode at a deeper level. How do I enable them?

Had any dust on heatsink?
Cleaning fan/heatsink improve the airflow at all?

By your first postage of HWinfo seems your problem is thermals. I dont see any overvoltage, or any excessive wattage. Temp seems the only problem and any kind of energy saving settings would not make any difference.
Maybe a defective fan? I dont really know...

Nope, no dust on the heatsink as I cleaned both the fan and heatsink. The fan runs noisy on high temps, which is prolly normal right? How do I detect a fault fan?

To use throttle stop right now in your situation could only damage the CPU by removing the self protections.

True, the only thing keeping CPU & GPU from getting fried is the thermal throttling itself.

Try again, this time with pics of the thermal paste application? Maybe you did it incorrectly or used the wrong amount (or a cheap/bad paste)

Also, dont forget to repaste the GPU as well as the CPU while you're in there

I think so too. I was eyeing the engineer when he added the paste but he said it only needed a little amount; maybe too little in this case.

 

[Kwadratowicz]

If I may suggest to change in power options Maximum Processor state to around 90% and then check if it can handle full load with aida 64, if not turn it to 85, or if it can handle turn it up to 95, and check again. Modern laptops are not designed to remove heat from the processor with continuous load.

 

[iamtowbee]

If I may suggest to change in power options Maximum Processor state to around 90% and then check if it can handle full load with aida 64, if not turn it to 85, or if it can handle turn it up to 95, and check again. Modern laptops are not designed to remove heat from the processor with continuous load.

What will Mininimum State be? I'm currently on Balanced

 

[Kwadratowicz]

I use 5% (Maximum processor state around 90-95 % can help reduce temps and throttling, with minor drop with cpu performance), and about the 800 mhz check if your charger is rated for specs of laptop, cause friends laptop was stuck to 800mhz because he had bad laptop charger and bios was limiting cpu performance, after change of charger cpu is no longer at 800.

 

[iamtowbee]

Here are Aida64 results: aida1 was during the test. Thermal throttling occurred and that's during the test I think, hence aida2

Guys, I also want to point out, after the CPU speed is thermal throttled, it NEVER goes back up to normal until I perform a restart.

I use 5% (Maximum processor state around 90-95 % can help reduce temps and throttling, with minor drop with cpu performance), and about the 800 mhz check if your charger is rated for specs of laptop, cause friends laptop was stuck to 800mhz because he had bad laptop charger and bios was limiting cpu performance, after change of charger cpu is no longer at 800.

I doubt if that's the issue. Reason is, when I start my laptop, it runs normally, cycling between highs of 3.2 GHz when doing minor work to around 1.2 GHz when idle. The 800 MHz throttling only happens when the CPU overheats, in most cases when I run games like PES 2019.

 

[Kwadratowicz]

It's a shame that did not work for you, some ppl in Internet says it's due to the exceed of the power that battery /wall charger can input to parts. Can you try to play pes 2019 with max procesor state on 90% and check temperatures? If this won't work I don't know what could help you, sorry.

 

[Zach_01]

Nope, no dust on the heatsink as I cleaned both the fan and heatsink. The fan runs noisy on high temps, which is prolly normal right? How do I detect a fault fan?

Yes it runs noisy, but does it push air out? Can you feel the exhaust hot air?
If the fan is doing the job as it should there must be a good amount of air volume coming out hot. If it don’t... then something is wrong about the air circulation.
Maybe the fan has issues, or maybe the intake opening.
Do you operate the lap top on a desk? Sorry for the dumb question...

 

[iamtowbee]

Yes it runs noisy, but does it push air out? Can you feel the exhaust hot air?

I can feel the air but I don't think it's enough..

If the fan is doing the job as it should there must be a good amount of air volume coming out hot. If it don’t... then something is wrong about the air circulation.
Maybe the fan has issues, or maybe the intake opening.
Do you operate the lap top on a desk? Sorry for the dumb question...

Most times, I operate it on a flat surface.

 

[TheMadDutchDude]

Your issue could also be from the flat surface. You need to elevate the laptop so it can breathe properly. Try lifting the back with a book or something to see if it gets better.

 

[iamtowbee]

The laptop's power rating is 120W and I'm using a 65W power adapter. Could that be the issue? Laptop doesn't charge sometimes for hours especially when running power-hungry software.

 

[Zach_01]

The laptop's power rating is 120W and I'm using a 65W power adapter. Could that be the issue? Laptop doesn't charge sometimes for hours especially when running power-hungry software.

That would not cause the CPU to overheat and throttle...

 

[R-T-B]

The power adapter can indeed induce cpu throttling if it's falling back to battery.

 

[Zach_01]

The power adapter can indeed induce cpu throttling if it's falling back to battery.

Yes of course... Its a basic function of laptops, unless you mess with the power plans. but anyway... the issue here is over heat (100C) and then throttling.

 

[R-T-B]

Yes of course... Its a basic fuction of laptops, unless you mess with the power plans. but anyway... the issue here is over heat (100C) and then throttling.

Oh, must've missed the overheat bit. Yes, conquer this first.