I recently cloned my Windows installation to a dedicated M.2 SSD using DiskGenius, and since then I've been experiencing some unusual behavior with my CPU. I have a Ryzen 9 9950X3D, and the CPU normally boosts nicely past 4.8 GHz with predictable temperatures. However, after I adjusted my voltage offset to -0.050v, I noticed crazy temperature spikes. Even something light, like just opening HWInfo, makes the CPU jump by 10°C! It seems like now the CPU is boosting unnecessarily. For example, Cyberpunk 2077 used to idle around 55°C—now it jumps from 44°C to 62°C just upon launching, and in-game, it fluctuates between 65°C and 70°C. I have a decent cooling setup with an Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 which usually does a great job.
The VID readings from HWInfo are all over the place, indicating that the CPU is demanding way more voltage than it used to for basic tasks. I've tried reinstalling the chipset drivers three times, reflashing the BIOS, and reinstalling Windows, but nothing has helped. I could adjust the fan curves, but that doesn't fix the underlying efficiency issue. What could have gone wrong during the M.2 clone that is causing this excessive voltage draw?
3 Answers
This could be related to a bad Windows update affecting SSD performance. There are reports of increased latency and thermal issues after certain updates. Try these steps to help mitigate the heat:
1. Set Processor Power Management to 99% to prevent turbo spikes.
2. Disable 'Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling' in your Windows settings.
3. Cap the FPS in your games to reduce GPU stress. Also, check your SSD health with CrystalDiskInfo to make sure it’s not failing.
Like someone else mentioned, going back and testing with the original SSD configuration is a smart first step. You introduced a lot of changes with the BIOS flashes and driver reinstalls which complicates things. If you can revert, do that to see if it helps.
I just cloned my original C drive, so I didn’t move them around; I kept everything stable in their slots. I thought a fresh BIOS and clean install would help to eliminate issues, but the voltage jump is strange. With everything real-time boosting beyond 5.2 GHz on all cores now, it’s like something is definitely off.
It might help to revert to just one SSD installed, the way it was before. This can help you see if the new configuration is the issue. Sometimes SSDs can cause unexpected thermal behavior when they are set up differently.
I’ve always used three M.2 drives and just moved Windows to a new 1TB SSD since I don’t use it much. I cloned it without physically moving the drives. So, not really looking to change that now.
I hear you, but my voltage issues feel more direct. I’ve checked my drive's health and it seems fine. It just feels like Windows is ignoring my undervolt settings.