SS 2.0 will hit you in the framerates for sure, but it does make things a lot smoother. I find a combination of the settings in that video adjusted accordingly is what gives me my framerates. In a station i'm getting around 120-130fps, open space or little traffic, 200 fps+. Turning down some of the other settings like bloom for example help increase frame rates. Fun to play around until you get a good visual balance.
Game FPS
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Going to need to pull it out sooner or later anyway. Allowing the CPU to sit at thermal throttle temps is not a good idea and if you can do anything to rectify the situation now it would be wise to do so.
Yeah, that's when you should have looked for a cause. Idle temps don't mean much and just loading an OS that allows power management features will dramatically reduce CPU thermal output...until you actually load the CPU with something. The reason you didn't notice any crashes was simply that the thermal throttling was doing it's job.
Did you happen to check fan/pump RPM at the same time you checked temperatures? If not you should check those now to get an idea of where the point of failure is.
The only settings I have below ultra are a custom reduction to volumetric filter passes and depth-of-field (which I disable). I've turned down bloom intensity, but haven't changed the filter method used by ultra, which looks better than the lower settings. I have also refined the galaxy map settings to ensure generating the skybox doesn't increase hyperspace load times. All-in-all I have more settings past ultra (textures and shadows especially) than below it...and I didn't keep anything I couldn't see the difference in somewhere.
A worst case scenario FPS of 60 (at 4k) is what I'm currently targeting...which I only see around some surface bases/sites during certain lighting conditions. Frame rates are much higher in most other situations, but those aren't the ones I'm worried about.
There is a workaround to help stabilise the FPS if you aren't getting great numbers by using Frame Rate Limit in the graphics settings:
I'm using a laptop with a fairly average graphics card but I can often get over 60 fps. Lately I've been capping it at 30 to make it a bit smoother as it tends to get a bit jerky if it drops around the 45 mark.
Note that I said this is a workaround as it's not going to magically shoot up your FPS. It should make the frames smooth though even if they are low, and therefore make the issue less noticeable.
I'm using a laptop with a fairly average graphics card but I can often get over 60 fps. Lately I've been capping it at 30 to make it a bit smoother as it tends to get a bit jerky if it drops around the 45 mark.
Note that I said this is a workaround as it's not going to magically shoot up your FPS. It should make the frames smooth though even if they are low, and therefore make the issue less noticeable.
I checked the cpu fan in BIOS and spinning away. I think the fluid in the cpu cooler is nearly dry or stuck or something, no idea. I am going to pull the computer out tomorrow, or Friday and check to make sure a fan is not out or heatsink loose, something stupid. I am going to post a video to this post in a few minutes, of me showing my core temps and GHz before I start the game and what happens to the core temps and speed when I start the game. You tell me, seems like something is throttling the PROC, and those temps hit the high 80's real fast. You'll see that after I exit the game, the computer speed returns to normal GHz almost immediately, while the core temps are still a bit high. It's odd, you'd think the GHz speed would SLOWLY return to normal, as the temps fall, but it's almost an instant back to 3.6+GHz... just waiting for video to process and I'll show you.
There should be at least two RPM readings, possibly three. The radiator has two fans mounted to it and there is a pump in the waterblock that attaches to the CPU. The pump is more critical.
PROCHOT is the function that trips thermal throttling and this is usually in the ballpark of 95C junction temp for that chip. It doesn't need to drop much below the throttle point for clocks to go back to normal, and if there is any liquid flow at all, then going back to idle should almost instantaneously drop temps.
As soon as YouTube gets done with the HD Processing of this video, you'll see that the core temps never get 95c level hot, but that CPU starts throttling down as soon as temp rise, to a peak of high 80c... and I have no idea how to check that Hydro Cooler for flow and fan readings. Didn't come with an app and there's nowhere I can see that would indicate I am looking at the cooler fans, with the exception of the BIOS does have "CPU Fan" speed, which is fine, but I have NO clue what "fan" it's referring to
Here's the video. I take a check of Core heat, then fire up game and watch as heat rises and speed falls. One interesting this, I just turned off Throttling in Group Policy and tried this again, but got same results. I don't think I need a restart for the GPO to kick in, but I'll try it. So, does this look to be heat throttling? I've never had a problem like this before, BSODs and crashes and video issues, etc., yeah, but never ran by "Throttling", so is this it? Thanks!
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Opening the case and checking where the wires from each fan (and the CPU cooling block which IIRC houses the AIO water pump) go on the motherboard. Usually there's a label, like CPU or CHA_1 etc. beside each.
That does list 90C as the TJ. max and more than one core is registering 89C maximum temperature. This tells me it is indeed hitting the PROHOT threshold and thermal throttling.
and I have no idea how to check that Hydro Cooler for flow and fan readings. Didn't come with an app and there's nowhere I can see that would indicate I am looking at the cooler fans, with the exception of the BIOS does have "CPU Fan" speed, which is fine, but I have NO clue what "fan" it's referring to
You have the pump plugged in somewhere, else it never would have worked. If it's plugged into the motherboard, like it's supposed to be, the fan header it's on almost certainly has an RPM sensor which should be readable in the BIOS as well as via software, as Zieman mentions.
Personally, I'd recommend HWiNFO64 for reading these sensors, but there are scores of options.
This is what you'd be looking for with HWiFO's sensor app:
In my case, System2/3 are my video card's fans, CPU covers my CPU radiator fans, CPU OPT is my CPU water pump (which is incorrectly reported), and System1 is my GPU waterpump.
Yours will be different, obviously, but it shouldn't be hard to see if there is anything strange going on.
Edit
If you want to confirm thermal throttling, HWiNFO will also report if PROCHOT has been hit at any point it's monitored here:
If any core "Thermal Throttling" becomes "Yes" at any point, that's the CPU reporting PROCHOT and throttling down to prevent damage.
Whatever throttling function you see in Group Policy is not this.
And yes, this is definitely thermal throttling and it's a damn good thing it's there. Without the ability to throttle at the TJ max, the next stop is THERMTRIP which is ~125C and will hard shut down the system until power to the board is cut and restored. If you manged to somehow prevent that, you'd destroy the CPU within seconds to minutes of load, if it didn't just crash right away.
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Also a recommendation for HWInfo64 - this is what it looks at my system:
AIO Pump and Chassis1 are two AIO pumps (one for the CPU, one for the GPU). CPU is the fan on the smaller radiator, Chassis2 are all other fans (via a fan hub, RPM feedback is from the case fan that's not on a radiator).
And I seriously got no idea what all the unnamed temperature sensors are.
There's another fan monitor for the GPU fans. which aren't there any more (replaced by the GPU AiO).
But yes, if you don't know how your pumps and fans are wired up, you'll need to open the case and check which cable goes into which connector.
AIO Pump and Chassis1 are two AIO pumps (one for the CPU, one for the GPU). CPU is the fan on the smaller radiator, Chassis2 are all other fans (via a fan hub, RPM feedback is from the case fan that's not on a radiator).
And I seriously got no idea what all the unnamed temperature sensors are
.There's another fan monitor for the GPU fans. which aren't there any more (replaced by the GPU AiO).
But yes, if you don't know how your pumps and fans are wired up, you'll need to open the case and check which cable goes into which connector.
Or infer it from the other fan speeds reported.
Thanks for all your help. I used the Intel Utility and you can see that, indeed, it's Throttling. My new cooler and paste should be here Sunday. Hopefully, this is all it is and nothing else throttling the PC. but certainly does appear to be HEAT causing the issue. Thanks again! Will update when I have new cooler in place an tested.
Have a good Holiday, if you're somewhere where you celebrate Thanksgiving?
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Yeah, certainly have some heat issues... I'll look more into this utility as soon as I get done helping with foodAlso a recommendation for HWInfo64 - this is what it looks at my system:
AIO Pump and Chassis1 are two AIO pumps (one for the CPU, one for the GPU). CPU is the fan on the smaller radiator, Chassis2 are all other fans (via a fan hub, RPM feedback is from the case fan that's not on a radiator).
And I seriously got no idea what all the unnamed temperature sensors are
There's another fan monitor for the GPU fans. which aren't there any more (replaced by the GPU AiO).
But yes, if you don't know how your pumps and fans are wired up, you'll need to open the case and check which cable goes into which connector.
I am starting to wonder, if maybe my PROC is damaged and it's more than just getting hot, like damaged cores Here's the FAN information... if that makes sense to you? To me, it looks like the FANS are working as they should be, which is keeping the system alive, however, I am going to assume the actual cooling ability of the Hydro cooler is not working, maybe system dry or clogged. So, fans are working but coolant loop is not so much, just enough to keep things from frying. What I am thinking anyway.
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Inferring from the rated fan and pump speeds of the Corsair H100i, I would expect your system fans are configured as so:
CPU - one of the fans on the H100i radiator
CPU OPT - the H100i pump
OPT Fan 3 - the other fan on the H100i radiator
CHA Fans 1 & 2 and OPT Fan 2 - Case fans?
Anyway, unless the pump is actually plugged in elsewhere and isn't being read at all, it would appear to be working.
Either the fins on the waterblock's cold plate are clogged (it's a mixed copper and aluminum loop which requires inhibitors in the coolant to forestall galvanic corrosion and these are likely depleted by now), or the radiator is so packed with dust that it has nearly zero air flow. It's also possible that something has happened to one of the mounting screws and that the block has lifted off the CPU partially.
Another possibility is that the radiator is in the wrong orientation. If it's mounted to the front of the case with the barb/hose side up, then there is probably an air pocket at the top causing the pump to ingest air rather than water. I'm doubtful this is the case because the impeller in these pumps needs to be submerged to work correctly...running them dry will damage the bearing and eventually cause them seize up, but yours seems to be running at normal speed.
Anyway, you'll find out for sure when you take it a part.
Chances are the CPU and board have survived, because of the ability to thermal throttle, so getting the CPU cooled properly should be all you need.
Wow, thanks for that. I was actually looking for my mobo manual, so this saves me some searching
Inferring from the rated fan and pump speeds of the Corsair H100i, I would expect your system fans are configured as so:
CPU - one of the fans on the H100i radiator
CPU OPT - the H100i pump
OPT Fan 3 - the other fan on the H100i radiator
CHA Fans 1 & 2 and OPT Fan 2 - Case fans?
Anyway, unless the pump is actually plugged in elsewhere and isn't being read at all, it would appear to be working.
Either the fins on the waterblock's cold plate are clogged (it's a mixed copper and aluminum loop which requires inhibitors in the coolant to forestall galvanic corrosion and these are likely depleted by now), or the radiator is so packed with dust that it has nearly zero air flow. It's also possible that something has happened to one of the mounting screws and that the block has lifted off the CPU partially.
Another possibility is that the radiator is in the wrong orientation. If it's mounted to the front of the case with the barb/hose side up, then there is probably an air pocket at the top causing the pump to ingest air rather than water. I'm doubtful this is the case because the impeller in these pumps needs to be submerged to work correctly...running them dry will damage the bearing and eventually cause them seize up, but yours seems to be running at normal speed.
Anyway, you'll find out for sure when you take it a part.
Chances are the CPU and board have survived, because of the ability to thermal throttle, so getting the CPU cooled properly should be all you need.
Believe me, I want to work on it right now, unplug everything and see what's up, but Amazon says my new cooler and paste should be here Saturday, so just trying to wait until it's here before I unplug everything. Appreciate the diagram! I can't wait to get this issue resolved and get back in game. I only have another week for the Imperial Hammer PP unlock, so I gotta get this resolved, otherwise I am going to be playing on this laptop next to me, with an XBOX controller One of the things that's kind of concerning to me is this happened, literally, overnight. Was in the game fine and next day, fps and stuttering hell. Have NO clue what could have happened over night to cause this issue. Bizarre. Anyway, thanks for the diagram, you rock!
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So, as the story goes... new cooler came. Either I could not find the correct screws for the mounting brackets or I just could not get them to work (long story). It's cool, cooler was like only $60. Whatever. Cleaned up computer, removed all dust and grime and placed back old cooler with a new fresh coat of thermal paste. Put it all back together (had one 240mm fan out, so down that fan on top over RAD which I was hoping WAS the problem) and everything is exactly the same. I even turned off Throttling in the BOIS, and verified Disabled in the Task Manager Details tab and ED is NOT being Throttled, but the CPU remain throttled. I switched off Throttling in the REG, rebooted and still, ED Throttles my CPU. It's all good, I tried. I built this system back in '14, so it's time for a new one. I can still play, just sucks as it's not smooth. I was testing some combat and during a few fights, the audio in chopped up. Not my cup of tea, nope! New computer time. Just sucks, I wanted to wait until the 3090 Ti and 2TB M.2 drives that should be out any day. Oh well, this new computer will become my guitar recording computer and I'll upgrade the upgrade when all my parts are out. Thanks for all the help! I am kind of glad the new RAD or old cooler didn't work, forces me to get a new computer. I am just glad this one still boots while I wait. Ha!
What cooler did you buy, exactly?
Thermal throttling is a pretty low-level hardware/firmware function that can generally only be disabled by spoofing temperature readings or via a specific firmware option not all boards will have.
The options you were playing were probably power saving features, not thermal protection ones.
Stop trying to turn it off. If you figure out how, you'll damage your CPU, and possibly other components.
There is likely nothing wrong with your system other than it needing a new cooler. Chances are you just need to figure out the mounting hardware of whatever it is you just bought, which should be fairly simple as this socket already has an integrated backplate. Failing that you may need to spend a few bucks on the right mounting hardware...but this is doubtful as almost everything supports LGA-2011/2066.
Worst case scenario you can return the AIO and get a 30 dollar heatsink that will be more than sufficient for a stock 4960X.
Just sucks, I wanted to wait until the 3090 Ti and 2TB M.2 drives that should be out any day. Oh well, this new computer will become my guitar recording computer and I'll upgrade the upgrade when all my parts are out. Thanks for all the help! I am kind of glad the new RAD or old cooler didn't work, forces me to get a new computer. I am just glad this one still boots while I wait. Ha!
Frankly, that system shouldn't be used at all, for anything, until you get the CPU properly cooled. When you do get it cooled, it will go back to working normally, probably for years to come.
One of the cheapest and easiest to swap components fails and you're ready to give up on it...this is like buying a new car because you got a flat tire.
This is the cooler. There's two side brackets that attach to the heatsink, to then attach to the board. I could not find the right 4 screws in the box, anywhere. None of them worked. None would fit the two brackets, although a set did fit the sink, but had to go through the bracket to get to the sink threads. There was no way. I might get a non water cooler and try that, but really... it's time to move on from this machine and this is the sign I've been waiting for. Trust me, it's a message from God. Ha! I mean, it ran all my games perfectly, sweet with Blender and things like Premiere Pro and After Effects, Photoshop ... all the stuff I use, but in computer years this thing is from 1950. This computer will work, hopefully, until I get the new one built.
WOW! I am currently in game and it's running perfectly! I don't understand how but it's right back to running perfectly! I even took a video, was going to show you how glitchy it, was, but ran 100% perfect. Check the video in a bit... sweet! I hope it stays this way!
I could see the GPU struggling near stations. I used to have a 1080Ti and it dropped quite a bit around stations. But in space it was fine.
Believe it or not, this computer I build back in like '14 or '15 can smoke almost any game I throw at it. Elite Dangerous, right inside a station, on Ultra, 100+fps no sweat. The only thing I've added to this machine since I built it was the 1080 Ti, upgrade from the OG Titan X sitting in my recording computer behind me.