Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Pc Lagging/stuttering randomly after replacing thermal paste

Apr 14, 2018 10:42AM PDT

so basically i was replacing my thermal paste and i had a few issue i managed to rip off some of the material from the motherboard when refitting my cpu cooler like the cylinder that goes around the edge of the screw fitting of the cpu cooler i also managed to scratch the back of my graphics card which i dont think would of caused this as it is very minor. Anyway i dont know what would cause this type of lagg but i have noticed when it happens if i swap my headset to a different usb port it seems to fix the issue as my mic seems to stop working when it happens i can still hear stuff but i just cant talk its very odd. im stumped i really need help

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
All bets are off when damage to boards is present.
Apr 14, 2018 10:47AM PDT

Is the temp better or worse? If worse, carefully repeat the work.

Sadly because the machine has damage now, your shop would replace damaged parts.

- Collapse -
i built it myself
Apr 14, 2018 10:53AM PDT

well i built it myself so there is no shop unfortunately thats the problem and it is about the same its not an issue with the temp and im not really sure if the board is damaged or not cause the pc works fine apart fromt he stuttering when i boot up

- Collapse -
Stuttering on boot up?
Apr 14, 2018 11:24AM PDT

Why fix that? Many PCs take a few minutes to get everything run and then it calms down.

I haven't seen a Web Speccy report which I use to read and check out PCs here. But if it's just onboard audio failure we often cheap out with some USB audio adapter.

- Collapse -
I would not be bothered if it was only on boot up
Apr 14, 2018 12:00PM PDT

it is not just on bootup it seems to happen randomly if im in a game or just watching a video and seems to be down too my headset failing it is very odd i had stuttering earlier playing WoW and i unplugged my headset and plugged it into the front and my pc worked again fine

- Collapse -
There are other sources of random stuttering.
Apr 14, 2018 12:06PM PDT
- Collapse -
Web Speccy report
Apr 14, 2018 12:10PM PDT
- Collapse -
i think it is the motherboard
Apr 14, 2018 11:00AM PDT

I think i must of damaged the motherboard when i was replacing the cpu cooler as i can literally see the metal under the protective material as that would explain the headset mic not working, so i might just get a new motherboard and hope it fixes the issue

- Collapse -
Answer
From that report.
Apr 14, 2018 12:47PM PDT
- Collapse -
motherboard damage
Apr 14, 2018 1:12PM PDT
- Collapse -
I stepped back
Apr 14, 2018 1:19PM PDT

And read the Web Speccy report to find what we see a lot of. The usual feedback is not unlike what you wrote. The reading is free, eventually you'll understand this is not a drive you want in your system.

I can't make it any clearer.

- Collapse -
Im sorry im not trying to say your wrong
Apr 14, 2018 3:35PM PDT

Im just saying that the problems started to occur after the damage shown in the picture occurred im sure your right im just saying ive had this drive for years and not really had any issue but i will look into getting it replaced thank you man i was wondering if you had any insight into this damage though and also can you suggest a 2tb internal hard drive i replace it with i was looking at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-BarraCuda-Internal-Drive-Cache/dp/B01ICLGJF8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523745964&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+2tb+internal+hard+drive&dpID=51A5wAo3ZgL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Post was last edited on April 14, 2018 3:46 PM PDT

- Collapse -
Frankly.
Apr 14, 2018 4:01PM PDT

I'd shop another brand. Why is on the web. As you seem to have a nice enough size SSD did you at least try ti without the HDD?

Also, I hope you took time to check out the report and then do more research. Why it can "all of a sudden" affect a PC is out for you to research. I keep plenty busy with such readings and folk get upset I don't write at length at times about a known area.

- Collapse -
Im not upset im in gratitude
Apr 14, 2018 4:48PM PDT

I have been researching at length this pc cost me a lot of money to build so im in bits about this its been wracking my brain all week and yes i did try disconnecting the drive and also turning off the update sharing but the issue is the issues mainly occur when im on games and all my games are on the seagate drive so i did not get the issue come up

- Collapse -
My last question.
Apr 14, 2018 5:28PM PDT

Do you see where the HDD is in trouble and understand why you get hard to diagnose (well, until you find out about this area) stutters?

Remember that Windows will freeze until the HDD has completed it's try at getting a good read.

- Collapse -
Still a little confused about it all
Apr 14, 2018 5:48PM PDT

No im still a little confused tbh but i will replace the hard drive as i need to anyway ive had it for atleast 6-7 years while i think that might add to the issue but i think there is a larger issue at fault like my motherboard being damaged im gonna go to a shop and ask about it.

- Collapse -
The short version.
Apr 14, 2018 5:52PM PDT

Windows will stutter as a drive fails to deliver in a timely fashion. The Seagate does have excessive errors in this area.

So you have that.

Next is to address "it worked before." Because W10 auto defrags, it's entirely possible the area where the game or was being read before was without this read error and delay. So it can come and go and make an owner question the diagnosis. You learn over time to not argue but let them live with the trouble until they have time to think what was told, documented and they have that aha moment.

This is in no way slighting anyone. You should ask questions of such a diagnosis.

- Collapse -
it does not only stutter on games though
Apr 14, 2018 6:03PM PDT

It also stutters just browsing on my pc and all my games are on that drive and nothing else

- Collapse -
Do you need more information?
Apr 15, 2018 10:03AM PDT

The HDD is reporting errors and we know this leads to seemingly hard to diagnose stuttering.

Was there something more you need to ask here?

- Collapse -
I do understand what you are saying
Apr 14, 2018 5:51PM PDT

I just wanted some advice about the damage and if it was an issue but im glad you brought up the hard drive issue as you are right it could be adding to the issue but the stuttering is not hard to notice it is very obvious and intermittent

- Collapse -
You were right
Apr 19, 2018 8:32AM PDT

I took your advice and replaced my hard drive and the problems have subsided thanks man i really appreciate your help and you were right. Happy

- Collapse -
Thanks for the report.
Apr 19, 2018 8:37AM PDT

As you can imagine it's a very common problem which if you read the right words in a post you ask for the Web Speccy to check out if the drives are reporting problems.

Sorry if I shortchange folk about this area. There's just so much on the web about it now and I must be in the thousands of times I've swapped a drive for this reason.

- Collapse -
PS. One common reason it's fine one day and not the next.
Apr 14, 2018 4:12PM PDT

The drive gets a defrag run and the hard to read area now holds items you use a lot.

Did you at least disable update sharing?