Troubleshooting and Support

ThrottleStop is a powerful tool for Windows PCs that gives users control over their CPU’s performance. It’s popular among enthusiasts who want to maximize their system’s efficiency, manage temperatures, and fine-tune their CPU’s behavior under load. However, with great power comes the potential for issues, particularly if you’re new to tweaking hardware settings. This guide provides detailed troubleshooting tips, solutions to common problems, and answers to frequently asked questions to help you use ThrottleStop effectively.

1. ThrottleStop Not Starting on Windows Boot

Issue: ThrottleStop is not launching automatically when Windows starts, even though you’ve set it to do so.

Solution: This problem usually occurs because ThrottleStop needs to be added to the startup items manually or because of User Account Control (UAC) settings.

• Adding ThrottleStop to Startup: Navigate to the ThrottleStop directory, right-click on ThrottleStop.exe, and select “Create Shortcut.” Copy the shortcut, then press Win + R, type shell:startup, and paste the shortcut in the startup folder.
• Handling UAC: If UAC is preventing ThrottleStop from running at startup, you have two options:
  1. Disable UAC (not recommended for security reasons).
  2. Use Task Scheduler: Create a new task in Task Scheduler to start ThrottleStop with the highest privileges. Ensure that the task triggers at login.

2. CPU Temperature Too High After Undervolting

Issue: After undervolting the CPU, temperatures are higher than expected, or the system becomes unstable.

Solution: High temperatures post-undervolting can occur due to various reasons:

• Undervolt Adjustment: Revert the undervolt changes and test in small increments. Sometimes, an aggressive undervolt can cause instability, leading to higher temperatures or reduced performance.
• Thermal Paste and Cooling: Check the cooling system, including the thermal paste on the CPU, and ensure that it is adequate. Sometimes, thermal paste may need reapplication.
• Power Limits: Adjust the Turbo Power Limits in ThrottleStop. If these are set too high, the CPU might draw more power than the cooling system can handle, leading to increased temperatures.

3. ThrottleStop Settings Resetting After Reboot

Issue: ThrottleStop’s settings do not persist after a reboot.

Solution: ThrottleStop settings should save automatically, but this issue can arise if the configuration file becomes corrupted or if ThrottleStop does not have the necessary permissions.

• Run ThrottleStop as Administrator: Right-click on ThrottleStop.exe and select “Run as administrator.” This ensures it has the necessary permissions to save settings.
• Check Configuration File: Go to the ThrottleStop installation directory and ensure that the ThrottleStop.ini file is not set to read-only. If necessary, delete the file and let ThrottleStop create a new one.

4. CPU Not Reaching Full Speed (ThrottleStop Ineffective)

Issue: Despite using ThrottleStop, your CPU isn’t reaching its maximum speed under load.

Solution: This issue might be due to several reasons, including incorrect settings in ThrottleStop or external factors like BIOS settings.

• ThrottleStop Settings: Ensure that you’ve correctly configured the ‘Turbo Boost’ settings and that your system isn’t being limited by ‘BD PROCHOT’ (Bidirectional Processor Hot), which can throttle the CPU if other components are overheating.
• BIOS Settings: Check your BIOS/UEFI settings to ensure that power-saving features like Intel SpeedStep are disabled. These can override ThrottleStop settings.
• Thermal Throttling: If your CPU is overheating, it might throttle to prevent damage. Consider improving your cooling solution.

5. ThrottleStop Crashing or Freezing

Issue: ThrottleStop crashes or freezes, especially under heavy load or when specific settings are applied.

Solution: ThrottleStop is a stable application, but crashes can happen due to software conflicts or aggressive settings.

• Software Conflicts: Check for conflicts with other monitoring or tweaking software. Running multiple hardware control applications simultaneously can lead to crashes.
• Reduce Aggressive Settings: If you’ve applied aggressive undervolting or overclocking, revert to default settings and then adjust slowly. Crashes can be caused by instability in these settings.
• Compatibility Mode: Run ThrottleStop in compatibility mode if you’re using an older operating system.