PC is experiencing stuttering after upgrading to a new motherboard, CPU, and RAM. Need assistance!
PC is experiencing stuttering after upgrading to a new motherboard, CPU, and RAM. Need assistance!
The Upgrade:
I recently enhanced my computer since my previous CPU (i7 6700k) wasn't performing well. I installed an AMD Ryzen 5 7600, an MSI B650 Tomahawk motherboard, and a 32GB (16GBx2) Corsair Vengeance DDR5 RAM kit. I retained the case, GPU, PSU, and SSD from my old system.
I performed a fresh Windows 11 installation using the new hardware (previously ran Windows 10). The setup process completed without issues, and the system booted normally. I activated XMP for RAM, installed all my games, and everything functioned well initially. For a while, the performance was stable, with smooth operation during gaming sessions lasting over 12 hours.
The issue arose after a restart, when I noticed my Windows became sluggish and stuttered. Initially, I thought it was a minor lag, checking refresh rates (144Hz on main, 60Hz on secondary monitor) and confirming they were correct. While dragging windows around felt slow, video playback remained acceptable. Once the lag disappeared, I assumed it was background processes or a minor update.
Playing games for about 12 hours without issues, the next day I experienced the same problem. Upon waking, the PC felt cold, and the lag returned more severely—audio was distorted, video became unwatchable, and dragging windows was noticeably problematic. I restarted, suspecting the same issue but with reduced lag. Later, after a brief smooth period (around 30 seconds), the PC remained unstable. The problem persists intermittently, occasionally resolving for short durations but consistently affecting performance.
My troubleshooting efforts included a full Windows 11 reinstall, using the display driver uninstaller for GPU updates, enabling/disabling XMP, updating BIOS, and checking SSD integrity. I also disabled the Wi-Fi adapter, used a single RAM stick, adjusted power plans, and tried a safe boot with an older GPU. However, I observed frequent system interrupts and high CPU0 usage (detected via resource monitor), which appeared to correlate with the stuttering.
What I’ve tried:
- Reinstalled Windows 11 multiple times.
- Cleaned the GPU driver with display uninstaller.
- Enabled/disabled XMP, auto settings, and power plans.
- Disconnected unnecessary peripherals (USB mic, Xbox controller).
- Updated BIOS and checked SSD health.
- Disabled fast startup and used an older GPU (Nvidia 760TI).
What I’ve observed:
- System interrupts and CPU0 usage spike significantly during stutters.
- Resource monitor shows 5–7% CPU usage from interrupts alone.
- Smooth operation occurs occasionally, but not consistently.
I’m currently at a point where the issue hasn’t resolved itself and seems persistent. It occasionally improves for a short time (around 30 seconds), but overall performance remains inconsistent.
What I’ve learned:
- High CPU0 activity and interrupts are strongly linked to the problem.
- Even with low memory/GPU usage, stuttering persists.
- I’m open to testing solutions like Windows 10 or using tools such as LatencyMonitor.
Please help if you can.
🙁
hi, i believe you have some rogue driver installed, can you post picture from drivers page in latencymon?
I ran the amdcleanup tool to delete the audio drivers, then removed the chipset drivers from add/remove programs, restarted the system, and reinstalled them from the official website for the b650 tomahawk. After rebooting in safe mode, I used DDU to eliminate the nvidia drivers, restarted again, and installed the newest GPU drivers for my 1080ti using nvcleanstall. The issue continues—drivers and CPU details are attached again.
In recent restarts, the PC operated smoothly for 15–30 seconds before stuttering began. It also stabilized after a 10-minute pause. Last night, after my initial post, the system ran without lag or stutter, allowing me to play games for an hour before shutting down. System interrupts disappeared once the PC was running smoothly.
I'm noticing a stable phase now (system operating without issues) after leaving my PC on, so I checked latencymonitor and saved the data for reference. I don't understand why performance would suddenly drop or improve, nor am I sure if a hardware issue is causing this. Should I consider returning my CPU, RAM, and motherboard before the free return window closes on the 11th of November?
To gather additional details before bedtime, after a certain time the stuttering ceased. I utilized the computer to play games for 8-9 hours without issues. At this stage, I normally power it down and sleep, anticipating the problems would return the next day until it operates smoothly, after which I continue using it for gaming. However, I restarted it and after roughly 15 seconds of stability, it again stuttered.
I noticed others using Windows Performance Recorder for comparable problems. The tool appears sophisticated, and I’m unsure of my approach—just following others’ examples. I tested it for 1 minute with the first level of triage, monitoring CPU usage, then opened the exported file in Windows Performance Analyzer. I dragged the CPU data to generate a graph and expanded the system settings slightly. I have no certainty if this will clarify the issue.
During stutters: 1 minute
Without stutters (recorded earlier for comparison): 1 minute
I might consider removing chipset drivers. The PSU appears to be quite old.
I've already tried removing and reinstalling the chipset drivers, but the problem persists. The PSU is nearly seven years old (the earlier Corsair RM750 model). I'm sending you the ETL file now. It seems like the issue started after switching the GPU and changing the root hub to MSI mode with high priority, yet it didn't resolve it. Currently, keeping the PC running for 20-30 minutes fixes the problem until a restart. From what I observe, there might be a system interrupt jam at startup that clears itself temporarily, then the PC functions normally until it's powered off and turned back on. I'm unsure if this rules out any of my new hardware, since it can handle games at high settings once it works properly. I'm also considering whether the problem could stem from using an older GPU, case fans, and cooler with an offset bracket connected to a newer AM5 setup, CPU, or RAM. I think the remaining possibilities are outdated drivers, USB/network card issues, or possibly a faulty CPU/MBO/ram. My main goal is to identify whether the issue lies with software or hardware.
The PSU might be failing because it's seven years old; consider replacing it with a higher-quality one and check if the problem continues.