AMD Althon x2 6000+ "Throttling" Problems

heduz

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Jan 7, 2008
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Hi

Ok, I bought this new computer about 3 weeks ago, and all i have gotten was problems :(
When playing 3D Games, the fps drops to 4-5 (and my ping fly up to about 500) for 3-4 seconds, every 20 seconds.
Here is a screenshot while i am playing counterstrike:

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/4083/amd6000rq7.jpg

Look at the bottom right corner where you can see the cores. As you can see one of the cores are on 100% all the time while the one jumps to 100% every 15-20 second.
I have tried alot of things to get it fixed: Rollback/Uninstalled/Updated CPU Drivers. Enabled/Disabled AMD Cool'n'Quiet.
Reinstalled windows a dozen times. And Declocked it to 2 Ghz but that only results in the fps drops came every 40 second.
I know its not Overheating cause my CPU is about 35/45 while idle/load.
Also tried Installing MS Hotfix and AMD Dual Core Optimizer

here is the specs:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
ASUS m2n-mx se Plus
2Gb pc2-6400 (400MHz) DDR2
Sparkle 8600GT 512
250GB SATAII HARDDISK 7200 RPM
PSU: 400W

Been searching alot a solution, but haven't found one yet.
Hope i can get some help on this forum! :)

/heduz

(ps, i have tried in lots of other games like: The Witcher, Supreme Commander, Crysis etc etc.)

Sorry for my bad english.
 

Mathos

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Likely the power supply. The 6000+ is a 125w CPU, the way the second core is acting, makes it look almost like insufficient power. Could really be possible depending on what brand or efficiency level the PSU is. That DDR2 memory should actually be running at 375MHz actual/750Mhz Effective on that CPU.

Don't have anything else running in the background that would take one core and eat resources do you?
 

Mathos

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http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182021

For example that is the power supply I'm currently using. My system board recommends at least a 450w PSU. I can get away with it though temporarily because my full load system draw is only around 250w. If I were to upgrade from my X2 4200+ EE 65W Windsor to a 6000+ I wouldn't be able to run with the current PSU I have. Which is why I'm upgrading to a bigger PSU.

If you're PSU is old enough it may not have enough amps on the 12v rail or rails. Don't forget that any other Optical drives or add in cards will effect power draw. For example if I had your processor, my total wattage pull during 85% load would be over 300w. On a 400w power supply with unknown efficiency level, could be cutting it close to overloading. Unless you have a newer 80+% certified PSU, youre likely to be only seeing about 70-75% efficiency out of the PSU. 75% of 400 is 300w. 70% is a bit less.
 

thefumigator

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Actually mathos is right -almost in all aspects of the PSU-

-you have to look in the rails. Maybe your PSU is 400w but it doesn't concentrate all that power on the CPU connector, (even if theres nothing else connected). For example, the ATI card I've got got 2 4 pin molex connectors. If I connect 1 molex only (using 1 molex to 2 molexs adapter) the system becomes unstable.

-400watts is the total amount that the PSU can supply to your computer. so its not 300w as you say mathos, but, if the PSU has 75% of efficiency that means that it will ask 550w from the power line to supply 400w into your computer. Things can be worse if you ask the PSU to supply less that 400w.

-Generic PSU always lies on their rail statement.
 

Mathos

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Doh, my bad, thefum is right on the efficiency. But yeah, was gonna say, people don't realize how much rides on the 12v rails. Any optical drives, any case fans that use 4pin molex. Almost any HDD's, and your GPU, especially if it has an external connector for power. I know my hd2600XT doesn't, but if I'm correct the 8600gt does. But, the mainboard I'm using has a 4pin molex connector for the Video cards just for added stability.
 

heduz

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funny thing is, that i only gets those drops when i play full screen :/ if i play windowed it runs normal, (but with lower fps cause its windowed)
 
G

Guest

Guest
Have you looked at the processes tab whilst play CS to see where the CPU usage is actually going?
 
G

Guest

Guest
Open up the Task Manager, and click on Processes (next to performance), sort by CPU, so anything using the CPU will move to the top of the list. CS will be right up there, and anything else hogging the CPU.
 

sunil2tall

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i have the same problem
with same mother board and cpu
ram is 577mhz ddr2
nvidia 8800gts 512 mb
psu 600watt coller master

the problem is not power supply
did any one find the solution
 

cimpercee

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Mar 6, 2007
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me as well with this motherboard. overclocking my 5000+ x2 to 3GHZ causing me the same isse with games, 5 seconds of FPS drop and then GONE. no shutdown, or any other problem, just this. but for me, if coolnquiet is disabled even @ stock, im having same issues. is your coolnquiete enabled?
 
G

Guest

Guest
ok, im having the exact same problem...

Windows XP x64 Pro: SP2 + all the drivers fully updated
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+
4GigsRam
NVIDIA GeForce 7050PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a

its not a power suppliy problem im sure... and ive tried all of the troubleshooting
on this page and so far... no good.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=983781

Im sure it might help somebody but for myself... no luck!!! Spore plays GREAT for like 20-30 seconds then a HUGE LAG for like 5 seconds.
Same with SF
Same with Fallout
Same with WoW
Same with Roma

I got the AMD Optimizer, but I cannot install the hotfix from the windows site...


Here is the official Microsoft link to v.4 of the Hotfix.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...8-34FB8A0FCE3B

Other versions (v.3) can be found at one of these mirrors:
http://exphose.com/upfiles/1/Windows...v3-x86-ENU.exe
http://www.evilkitty.org/misc/Window...v3-x86-ENU.exe

When I install the hotfix it extracts fine then I get an error saying "KB896256 Setup Error"... very frusterating... I even changed the boot.ini and all that jazz down to a "T"

On my old laptop 3GHZ 1GIG running VISTA PREM I could at least play Wow semi decently with a vista RAM hog. but the 5 second lag makes gaming close to unbearable in a gunfight or grinding away.

help anyone please! Ive been searching for a solution for a week now no almost all my down time and im about to lose it :pt1cable: :pt1cable: :sweat:

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Version AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+
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emebarak

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Apr 6, 2010
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I know what you are talking about.
i had vista, upgraded processor from 4200 to 6000. sam issue, i thought initially was the bad ram i was using. eliminated two out of four of the memory chips. still issues (blue screen). reintall vista, nothing change. the final option what's wrong is to thing about th epower supply(i have 550watts). i am thinking of using 5800 which has lower wattage (89w) as compared as the 6000 (125w).

 

plugger

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Jun 29, 2011
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I know this is an old thread, but I have solved the problem. In short, you need a bigger CPU cooler. The one AMD supplies with the Athlon 64 6000+ Dual Core AM2 isn't really up to the task when combined with this mobo (I also have one installed on an Asus M2N-MX SE Plus), and the CPU runs too hot when the cores get loaded up playing games or similar, and the "speed throttling" occurs. I don't know if the CPU itself is doing the speed throttling, or if it is the mobo, but in any case, getting a bigger CPU cooler (I'm using a CoolerMaster Hyper TX3 Universal version) solved all the problems. CPU runs about 10*C cooler on average compared to running with the stock CPU cooler/fan (mind you, I never saw it get much above about 55*C or so even with the standard CPU cooler, so I am surprised the throttling kicks in at such low temps. Maybe it's a bug in this particular CPU/mobo combo -- don't know.)

The CoolerMaster Hyper TX3 set me back $24, so it was a relatively cheap fix compared to getting a new CPU (or more likely a new CPU+mobo+RAM, since everyything is AM3 now, and running a new AM3 CPU on an older AM2+ mobo would be a bit of a waste.)

Anyhow, hope this helps someone else. I spent quite a lot of time tracking this problem down. I was actually skeptical the CPU cooler would actually solve the problem completely, although I thought it might help, and at least prove what the source of the problem actually was. But now I'm happy. I can play games without the regular intrusion of the "5 seconds of molasses" effect.

I just hate the idea of throwing out perfectly good equipment because something isn't configured correctly, or can be fixed simply and cost effectively! CPU cooler ftw. Good luck.
 

ratfink81

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Aug 19, 2012
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10,510


I have a pretty similar setup on my rig.
running m2n-mx se plus mobo
amd athlon x64 6000+


those are the only two things that you need to concern yourself with. The problem lies with the motherboard. Asus recently removed the 6000+ series from the compatible CPU list for that motherboard. I have a throttling problem on mine. Even with 4GB of DDR2 RAM and a 1GB PCI-Express x16 ATI card, I can't run most games without experiencing sudden drops in FPS. From what I can gather from reading the posts from others who have the same problem, the 6000+ series has two different CPU's....the 3.0GHz Windsor 125W CPU and the 3.1GHz Brisbane 89W CPU. Depending upon which one you have, your motherboard will behave differently. Mostly those with the Brisbane I've seen have the same "throttling" problems that I have and those with the Windsor seem to have a general "locking up" problem. I have tried troubleshooting mine with little to no success. VSync SEEMS to make it SLIGHTLY worse, but it's hardly noticeable. I've tried running Dungeon Siege 2 (which is a pretty old game) and I still get the FPS drops. I can run it full blast with VSync on at 75 FPS for awhile, then it suddenly drops to 10 FPS and holds for a bit. Long enough to make anything other than a point and click dungeon crawler unplayable, and even that is somewhat atrocious given the system requirements.


So......replace your motherboard and you'll be fine. Or, upgrade to a new mobo/CPU combo. Unfortunate, but necessary. I am in the same boat myself and I have to wait until I can afford to replace it.