Random high CPU activity on every core on the new 9950X3D, followed by multiple freezes.
Random high CPU activity on every core on the new 9950X3D, followed by multiple freezes.
I experience unexpected CPU usage peaks across every core. This image appears while playing Victoria 3, for instance. The upper section of the X3D CCD handles game loading while the lower part is idle (also shown as parked in other views) and only performs background tasks. Yet, occasionally the game and system freeze completely, and the usage chart reveals sharp 100% spikes on all cores. Some are extremely large up to six seconds, others are smaller but still significant around two seconds. I attempted several fixes: BIOS update, driver updates, checked CPU fit and temperatures (cores stayed between 45-55°C), cleared CMOS, ensured no PBO or EXPO enabled. I verified the CPU allocation appears to be for the game, not system interrupts. I searched online but didn’t find a match for my setup on a new PC. I rebuilt the system: GPU RTX 4080, PSU 850W TUF GAMING, RAM 2x32GB Corsair Vengeance 6000MHz CL30, seated SSDs, Samsung 990 EVO Plus NVMe M.2, 4TB case. CPU fan Pure Base 501 Black with Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120SE. Mainboard MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi (MS-7E59). OS A33, latest Windows 11 24H2.
Your PC froze completely after a spike and you had to restart it through the case button. When background apps run, like in the task manager window, core parking doesn’t activate. This is similar to the save game in Victoria 3—no lag spikes over five years of playtime when core parking is on, compared to just 2-4 per year without it. It seems the issue might be with AMD’s software, and you’re expecting a refund.
I mostly rely on task manager because it displays everything at once. The same applies to HWInfo, which I used before to monitor temperatures. These lag spikes appear in HWInfo too—top is the core, followed by threads, then the last row shows temperatures. I’ll proceed with the Windows reinstall now.
It seems the task scheduling encountered an issue. Would you like me to attempt using ProcessLasso instead?
I finished the Windows 11 reinstall and driver updates. I’m careful to mention it seems resolved. No unusual 100% usage spikes or pauses have appeared yet, and the graphs now appear much more stable. The X3D cores are running a bit faster than before—around 70-80% which is great—and the other cores seem to be handling minor tasks and providing support. It’s hard to believe it was just a simple Windows update after I completed the installation. Thanks everyone!
The system is demonstrating notable activity in the screenshot. Keep monitoring it as you add more components.
It's just launching Victoria 3 at maximum performance. It's a strategy sandbox set in the 19th century economy, and it requires a lot of resources. Running it at full speed uses up your system quickly, which makes it a solid test for CPU performance. I apologize if the text seems a bit German—just notice that most of the load comes from the game itself. The small system interrupts are usually minimal, staying around 1%. This is the setup with just the browser open.