Performance problems with Lenovo T420
Performance problems with Lenovo T420
Hello again, I am still having performance issues with my T420, new thread because nobody replied or even noticed my other threads The issues are: 1. CPU randomly throttles down and is locked at 30% utiliziation at 0.7-0.8GHZ entering standby and waking it again can fix this, occasionally I have to completely power down and it will work for an hour or so 2. Random memory loading issue at seemingly random capacities Memory will stop loading after 5, 7, 9 or any other random amount, I can no longer load more memory and have to restart the laptop. The memory is fine as I tested it with an other device with no issue. 3.Randomly crashes in sleep mode occasionally the laptop will start having this issue again usually it can be resolved by turning "USB power in standby" on, booting, restarting and turning it aff again. 4.lower performance with boost enabled even tho the laptop never pass the thermal throttle limit it does not perform any better with boost enabled, usually I see a performance decrease even. the CPU Package power does not exceed 30 watts(35 Watts is the rated TDP) the laptop is perfectly clean inside, I have replaced the thermal paste and adjusted the fan curve(to the extend you can do so)
Based on the details you provided, it seems to be either the mainboard or the power supply unit.
It has been functioning properly for two hours after I moved the battery in and out a few times (probably because I accidentally triggered something). This makes me uncertain whether to replace the mainboard right away or not. It seems like there’s no clear indication of what caused this issue, and the Windows Event Viewer isn’t providing helpful details either.
For future troubles, activate ThrottleStop and remove the BD PROCHOT option from the main display. This setting is recognized as a common problem in many laptops. https://www.techpowerup.com/download/tec...ottlestop/ If the issue persists, share some screenshots so I can guide you through the correct configuration.
It would be useful to explore some backup options. I use this laptop as an alarm clock, but it stops working if it crashes in standby mode—tried checking the BIOS, but nothing worked. All C states are disabled, and I haven’t managed to fix it.
I tried the throttlestop and it functions now. I had to tweak the core multiplier to get closer to the iGPU power balance feature. After that, I can stream YouTube videos in 1080p smoothly; 720p was challenging before full turbo, but it stays under 90°C most of the time—usually around 85, rarely hitting 90. The standby issue still isn’t fixed, so I think something is wrong and I’ve ordered a mini PC from Minisforum.
Share some ThrottleStop images so you can check your configuration. Many machines fail when coming back from sleep. Adjusting voltage or C-state could fix the problem. Crash usually happens when voltage is too low, especially after wear. Some processors need extra voltage for full stability. ThrottleStop offers tailored options, but they won’t help if you don’t know how to activate them.
It seems there might be an issue with the BIOS after you adjusted some settings under "Azalia." Despite this, the laptop is functioning properly when connected externally via USB. There appears to be a problem with the HDD as well, possibly due to internal issues, since it works fine in the external case. The system seems to be running randomly without any changes being made, and files disappeared during loading. I can't adjust the CPU voltage, the interface is grayed out, and checkmarks aren't working.