Asrock 970 Extreme3 and FX-8120 keeps throttling and I'm not overclocking.

[MarkJohnson]

I'm still having huge issues getting my FX-8120 working properly. When ever I get it under full load my processor seems to think it's overheating and slows down to an idle state (1.4GHz). I even went to the extent of buying an aftermarket CPU cooler (Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO, with added second fan) and it still does it.

I notice my temps hit 53C and then the cpu is throttling down. Seems like an awfully low threshold limit. Is there a way to adjust this, or is it encoded in the CPU?

I've disabled all the power saving features (C1, C6, APM, turbo, and possible more I can't remember). It still throttles. I even tried to manually overclock hoping it would bypass this feature, but no luck again.

After throttling down, it takes about 5 seconds and it kicks back in to full speed at 48C, then it takes about 30 seconds to reach 53C and then throttles down again.

This continues forever. 5 secs idle, 30 secs load, 5 secs idle, 30 secs load, etc...

any possible solutions?
-=Mark=-

[profJim]

Can you test with fewer active cores to see if this lowers temperatures and might help determine where the problems is.
Try running with with only 8GB of memory to see if this changes anything. Maybe run only 1 memory module (4GB).
I'm not familiar with AMD systems, but isn't there a Cool 'n Quiet option that might be aggravating the problem.

Which programs are you using to monitor your temperatures? Cpu? Cores? System? etc.

[ASRock TSD - Emily]

Dear MarkJohnson,

Please kindly update BIOS P1.20 from below link fist.
Link: ASRock > Products > Motherboard > 970 Extreme3 > Download

Then please set "AMD Application Power Management" to [Disabled] under BIOS to try.
( BIOS/ OC Tweaker/ AMD Application Power Management )

If any question, please kindly let me know.
Thanks!

Have a nice day
ASRock TSD
Emily

[MarkJohnson]

Can you test with fewer active cores to see if this lowers temperatures and might help determine where the problems is.
Try running with with only 8GB of memory to see if this changes anything. Maybe run only 1 memory module (4GB).
I'm not familiar with AMD systems, but isn't there a Cool 'n Quiet option that might be aggravating the problem.

Which programs are you using to monitor your temperatures? Cpu? Cores? System? etc.

I have put Prime95 for 7 and less cores then it seems to distribute the load and keeps the temps down slightly. I'll have to test longer to see if it throttles down after 53C

I have tested with 4x4gb, 2x8gb, 1x2gb with same results

I already tried cool 'n quiet and all other power saving maodes with no help

I use several different monitor programs, but mostly I use HWMonitor with Tmonitor. But I use Cool Temp, Asrock extreme tuner for monitor only, cpu-z, speed fan and others that won't work with AMD.

I even tried reinstalling windows recently to make sure there were no conflicts.

Dear MarkJohnson,

Please kindly update BIOS P1.20 from below link fist.
Link: ASRock > Products > Motherboard > 970 Extreme3 > Download

Then please set "AMD Application Power Management" to [Disabled] under BIOS to try.
( BIOS/ OC Tweaker/ AMD Application Power Management )

If any question, please kindly let me know.
Thanks!

Have a nice day
ASRock TSD
Emily

My system came with p1.20 BIOS. Maybe I'll try to re-flash.

I already disabled the APM in OC menu and also power management I think. It was in two spots.

I already RMAed the CPU. It is being cross-shipped now. If the new still does it, I'll assume it isn't the CPU, or maybe the CPU is designed to be 53C max? Seems too low to be true, or the reading is way off, which I find hard to believe as well as my cooler is not very warm.

[MNeXuSK]

I have Actualy been having the Same problem. iv overclocked myn i havnt used it much stock. iv got a water cooling loop iam getting weird readings aswell. amd overdrive reads about 12C while asrock extreme tuner shows 33C. then throttles on 37-40C on amd then asrock tuner shows 63. is this right? little confused. evn with thermal throttling off this shouldnt hapen right? Dos this cpu just have low bottlenech and get very very warm?

[MNeXuSK]

iv been doing some fiddling and i think this cpu just dosnt like Voltage at all. iam at 4Ghz 1.225V and so far hitting 59C ish in ASROCK EXTREME TUNING UTILITY Using thin because this is reading the highest temps. little strange how people are getting 4.6Ghz at 1.42V and hitting 70C and it isnt throttleing. Awaiting info from asrock
If your just running Stock Try undervolting your cpu. these do like very low voltages.

[MarkJohnson]

I finally lowered my vcore after reading many times that is was a good work around. I always avoided it as my vcore was always low (1.225v - 1.275v).

I got it as low as 1.05, but prime95 would fail. I finally found 1.075 to be stable so far and temps max out at 50C and that's with my Hyper 212 EVO attached.

Hopefully there is a fix for this soon, it shouldn't be this unstable/hot. Maybe they just pushed these CPUs is hopes of keeping pace with Intel? Hopefully they release a new stepping soon. Probably when they decide to release the unreleased 8170.

Thanks for the help everyone.
-=Mark=-

ps, what did you use MNeXuSK to allow 59C? I use the ASRoack utility as well, but mine tops out at 53C when it throttles down. I even have a second CPU because I RMAed the first one back to newegg and I still have the same issue.

[electric bill]

Just to see what would happen I tried OCing my FX-4100 just a tad due to HTPC cooling limitations.
I set the OC mode to manual and the multi to 19.
Left the Vcore untouched and had C'n'Q, Turbo Boost and Thermal Throttling Disabled in the BIOS and System Cooling Policy set to Passive in Windows Control Panel>Power Options.

It behaved a little strange but not anything like you guys are describing.
Monitoring with Speed Fan and CPU-Z mine was locked at 19x200 (3.8GHZ) and stayed there until I started P95.
At first I would occasionally flicker down to 16.5x200 (3.3GHz) for 2 or 3 sec but as the temp approached 57C it was staying at 3.3GHz longer - perhaps 25-30%.

I'm guessing that perhaps the C'n'Q or Thermal Throttling toggle is not working in the BIOS.

One other interesting thing is that both SpeedFan and the AXTU monitor are showing the CPU temp at 37C when idling. - not significantly different from when I had all the power saving stuff enabled.
This is with CPU-Z verifying that the clock speed is 3.8 and the Vcore is holding at 1.384-1.392.

Think I'll leave it this way for a while.

Bill

[MarkJohnson]

I decided to rma my motherboard and got it back today and I still have the same results.

however, now I can't undervolt to 1.075v anymore. The lowest I can go is 1.150v.

I just don't know how others get their's working properly. I find it hard to believe I got 2 bad motherboards and/or 2 bad processors. There must be some setting being overlooked, or turned on by default.

I'm open to any more suggestions
-=Mark=-

[MNeXuSK]

I decided to rma my motherboard and got it back today and I still have the same results.

however, now I can't undervolt to 1.075v anymore. The lowest I can go is 1.150v.

I just don't know how others get their's working properly. I find it hard to believe I got 2 bad motherboards and/or 2 bad processors. There must be some setting being overlooked, or turned on by default.

I'm open to any more suggestions
-=Mark=-

Hey Iv since installed a new waterblock and iam now back to throttling @ 53C with the 990fx. this is realy annoying now because asrock wont even reply to my emails not giving me any explanation. it bust be the bios not turning of thermal throttling properly.
About the 1.150V not sure but maybe its the motheboard sometimes u get very slight different results with the same motherboard. true raising your NB cpu voltage to increase stability. I dont want to undervolt my cpu because i bought it to overclock it because its fast at 4.5Ghz but it wont hold beacuse of the throttling.
Let me know how you get on. post if you get any luck