Please help! Very strange issue!

[BT1981]

To start off I have searched for other individuals having this issue and have found similar but different cases. The fix that another guy found, I have already tried. About a month or so ago, my computer was running very slow. I opened up task manager and noticed that the CPU was only running at .800ghz. Mind was blown. Then opened up CPUID HWMonitor, same thing, 801mhz. I restored "optimized defaults" in bios as I was running an overclock to 4.3ghz. I did not use the jumper and "clear cmos" for fear that it would reverse the settings I had originally changed to make my bios compatible with windows 11 and finding those settings "AGAIN" and changing them might be something I would have to do in the midst of trying to solve this cpu issue. So I put that off and said it would be a last resort. Anyways, after loading defaults in bios, no change. Cold booted numerous times, including turning off PSU main switch. No change. I got the idea to change my boot order to boot onto a SATA SSD that has an old install of windows 10 still on it. (something I've been meaning to format and use for extra storage but haven't gotten around to) The windows 11 daily driver install is on an M.2 SSD. So I went forward with booting to windows 10 on the SATA. Immediately knew it was running more smoothly, opened up HWMonitor and normal clock speeds were showing. OK! thank GOD! It's a software issue! Whew! I then went back to bios and booted to the M.2 with windows 11 and GET THIS! To my surprise it was back to normal clock speeds! Remember! This is after loading defaults in bios and rebooting several times. Now suddenly because I booted to a different SSD with alternate windows 10 running, then back again, IT'S FIXED??? How? Makes absolutely no sense. So I scratch my head and move on. Fast forward to about a month later. 3 days ago from today, it happens again! I quickly boot to SATA, all normal, then back to M.2, ALL NORMAL AGAIN! Great! this is so strange though. Strange problem and strange magical fix. Ok now fast forward to this morning. It happens again, seems to be getting more frequent. And this time, the SATA switcheroo is not fixing the problem. Yes it runs normal on SATA still. But when I go back to M.2 with windows 11. Still running at 800mhz. Needless to say, I am so baffled. And yes, this time around, again, I have reloaded "optimized defaults" on bios. Still holding off on clear cmos. 

 

The examples that I found that were similar to this issue were resolved by those people doing one of two things. confirming and re-appliing the min and max processor state in power management, and loading defaults in bios. Both of which are not fixing my issue and always stay at 100% anyways. Additionally, for clearification, the HWMonitor read out is showing 800mhz for all three categories (value, min, & max). 

 

Specs are:

8700K

Asus prime Z370-a

64gigs DDR4 3200mhz running XMP

2080TI founder

850W corsair PSU

2 TB sabrent m.2 nvme on PCI gen 3 (daily driver windows 11)

4 TB samsung SATA with alternate windows 10 install. (former daily driver)

 

all of this, except for the 2080ti and sabrent nvme has been running with overclock and XMP smooth as butter since Oct 2017. zero issues. Until now! 

This absolutely has to be a software issue! right? Definitely not ready to upgrade just yet. 

 

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer help!