Stuttering in games following a failed CPU overclock attempt
Stuttering in games following a failed CPU overclock attempt
Hey there,
I recently upgraded myself with a new graphics card (GeForce GTX 1080 GAMING X 8G) and added a watercooling system to help overclock my i5 3570K. Prior to this, my GTX 1080 was performing perfectly in the rig. After installing the watercooling setup, I attempted to push my CPU to 4.5 GHz as per the tutorial instructions. Once I saved the changes and reset everything, the system displayed an error: 'BOOTMGR IS MISSING'.
I explored various troubleshooting methods, trying different approaches, but the issue persisted. Eventually, I reinstalled Windows 7 and replaced all my programs. Then I upgraded to a new power supply (750W, replacing the old 550W) and added some RAM. Now I can successfully overclock my CPU to 4.5 GHz at 1.21V. However, I’m still experiencing micro stutters in my games—especially noticeable in Overwatch where the frame rate drops from 150 FPS to around 90 FPS and briefly freezes. The same issue appears in The Witcher 3, typically around 70 FPS (not in Cities), then it falls to about 48 FPS with noticeable stuttering.
I ran a 3D benchmark test and received average scores for both my CPU and GPU. My CPU stays below the 78°C threshold during Prime 95 small FFTs, and my Overwatch CPU usage remains consistently at 100%.
I’ve tried the following steps:
- Restarted my motherboard to default settings, including GPU and CPU back to stock.
- Reinstalled display drivers using DDU.
- Utilized the Windows repair tool.
- Updated all drivers.
- Reinstalled Windows 7.
Current hardware specs:
- Mainboard: Maximus V Gene
- PSU: BE QUIET! Dark Power Pro P10, 750W
- RAM: Kingston HyperX Fury Red, 16GB @ 1600MHz
- CPU: i5 3570K @ 4.5 GHz, 1.24V (up from 1.21V, no improvement)
- GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 1080 GAMING X 8G
- Primary Monitor: Benq 2411T @ 144Hz
- Secondary Monitor: Acer P246H
I appreciate your attention and look forward to any feedback.
Hard drive is malfunctioning, kindly back up your information and install a new one. A failing hard drive may lead to boot manager issues. Based on ark.intel.com, the CPU will reduce performance at 67.4°C... temperatures above 78°C are problematic. Consider upgrading your CPU cooler. Could you provide the model of the cooler you purchased? What is the model of your current power supply?
Weberdarren97:
Hard drive is malfunctioning, back up your files and replace it. A failing hard drive may lead to boot manager issues. According to ark.intel.com, the CPU will reduce performance at 67.4°C, and 78°C is excessive. Consider upgrading your CPU cooler.
What are the specifications of the cooler you purchased?
What model is your power supply?
My Windows 7 runs on my Samsung 840 EVO SSD, which appears to be functioning properly.
I’m using the Alphacool NexXxoS Cool Answer 240 LT/ST to manage CPU temperature. It keeps the CPU below 70°C at 4.5 GHz during Overwatch gameplay.
I attempted to run the CPU at its default speed of 3.8 GHz, with temperatures staying under 62°C during the Prime 95 FFT stress test.
The power supply I’m using is the BE QUIET! Dark Power Pro P10, rated at 750 Watts.
Appreciate your assistance.
CPU is getting too hot. A 240mm custom loop struggling with 77 watts suggests this setup might be flawed. The included CPU waterblock seems extremely thin, making it unclear how it functions.
Progressing...
The 840 EVO struggles with repeated write operations. Are you using it for storage? How many times have you installed it?
^
His SSD is fine, and his CPU temps are fine. That CPU will not thottle until it hits 100 - you are confuing TCase with TJunction - please learn more before you try to help people.
OP,
Have you tried enabling VSYNC? That might be all you need to do.
weberdarren97 :
CPU is getting too hot. A 240mm custom loop running at 77 watts seems like a clear sign the setup isn't working well. The CPU waterblock looks very thin, I'm not sure it's doing much.
Moving forward...
The 840 EVO struggles with repeated write operations. Are you using it for storage? How many times have you installed it?
However, when playing Overwatch, the temperature never exceeds 62°C at 3.8 Ghz, which is below the thermal throttle threshold.
Is it possible that I forced the CPU block too tightly, causing the thermal paste to be pushed away from the CPU and copper plate?
I only have Windows 7 and my drivers on the 840 EVO. Before this issue started, I had Windows 7 on an SSD and didn't encounter any problems then.
His SSD is working well, and the CPU temperatures are normal. The issue won't occur until it reaches 100—possibly confusing TCase with TJunction. Please gather more information before offering further assistance.
OP,
Have you tried turning on VSYNC? It might resolve the problem.
I also enabled VSync and noticed the microstutters have decreased. My FPS are now more stable, though I still experience occasional drops to 60 FPS due to stuttering. This happened during my first round and again before that.
The CPU isn't managing to keep up at 144FPS – that's where the issue lies.
Your CPU isn't handling 144FPS well—it's the main issue. I think your game ran smoothly before you tried overclocking. Could it be that the CPU was damaged during the attempt?