Why is the GPU stuck at 139MHz?
The GPU of your computer may get stuck 139MHz because your power management settings are set to high performance, having outdated device drivers, too many background programs, or because of corrupted system files.
- Power management settings
- Outdated device drivers
- Background programs
- Overheated systems
- Corrupted system files
The GPU of your computer is designed to work together with the CPU (central processing unit). An issue with the CPU or the GPU of your computer, the performance of your system is negatively effected. The CPU gets overheated and the GPU gets stuck at idle speeds.
Here are some reasons why this happens and how you can fix the issue.
Power management settings
Computers have a way of managing their power requirements while working efficiently to provide maximum performance with the given amount of power. When the computer is set to operate in high-performance mode, it consumes more power. This sometimes leads to the GPU getting stuck at idle frequencies.
To stop your GPU getting stuck at idle, you will need to turn the power management settings from high-performance mode to balanced mode.
The balanced mode is marked as “recommended” by most computer programs. In this mode, the computer delivers maximum performance with limited power consumption.
Outdated device drivers
The device drivers are another common reason for the GPU getting stuck at 139MHz. When the drivers and software associated with the graphics card installed on your computer are outdated or incompatible with the existing version of Windows and BIOS of your computer, the GPU clock tends to get stuck. The only way to eliminate this issue is to uninstall the existing drivers using a suitable device driver uninstaller and reinstall the latest versions of the same drivers.
It’s recommended that you do the installation from the website of the manufacturer of your motherboard. Remember to restart the system once the installation is done.
In some cases, a pending Windows or BIOS update may cause the GPU to get stuck at 139MHz. Check if any such update is pending and do this before having the latest version of the driver installed. Often, a pending BIOS update can partially trigger the getting stuck issue.
Background programs
Sometimes, the programs running in the background lead to GPU clocks getting stuck. These programs don’t appear on the desktop but consume a lot of power. As a result, the GPU cannot manage the clock speed for those programs that need higher speed and get stuck at idle speed.
Overheated systems
When the computer is overworked, the CPU gets heated and the GPU gets stuck at idle power as a mechanism to prevent the system from crashing. In this case, an MSI Afterburner is an ideal tool for keeping the system’s temperature in check and preventing the GPU from getting stuck at 139MHz.
Corrupted system files
Corrupted system files loop around and consume a reasonable amount of energy. This leads to the GPU getting stuck at 139MHz. To fix this, you will need to run a system file checker. You can do so by typing “Command Prompt” in the search bar. In the Command Prompt window, type “sfc/scannow”.
Press the “Enter” key to run the command. It will detect and repair the corrupted files. When this is done, run the “System Diagnostic Toolkit” and turn the battery performance mode to the “Recommended” settings.
Some of the GPU models that can get stuck at 139MHz are listed below.
- Radeon RX580
- GTX 1070
- GTX 1060
- GTX 1080
Some people who have had the locking problem with their GTX 1060 GPU found that removing the power cords and the video card and the VGA card from the motherboard and fixing them back in place solved the issue. You must disconnect the power supply before you try out this method.
How does a GPU stuck at 139MHz affect your system?
When the GPU clock speed is stuck at 139MHz, it affects the computer’s performance and the user experience in multiple ways. The GPU of your computer system is used for several purposes. It helps in video editing, content creation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, gaming etc.
The GPU plays a broad role in 2D and 3D rendering, video processing, rendering frame rates, and enhancing the quality of virtual reality in gaming.
- Programs like battle.net won’t work as they work at higher frequencies and use GPU for carrying its certain functions.
- A stuck GPU clock speed decreases the quality of video streaming.
- The gaming performance is affected when the GPU clock speed is stuck at 139MHz as the system runs inefficiently and depicts poor screen resolution.
- There may be a lag in the graphics and video of the computer system.
- It won’t be possible to run multiple programs with a stuck GPU clock speed.
- The computer consumes more power when the clock speed of the GPU is stuck at 139MHz. It is because the GPU helps the CPU in saving power and making the system work efficiently.
How to fix a GPU Stuck at 139MHz?
You can fix a GPU stuck at 139 MHz by trying the solutions given below.
- Using a software utility tool like Device Driver Uninstaller or Driver Sweeper, uninstall all the software and drivers linked with your computer’s graphics card. This is required because these drivers are responsible for controlling the fan’s speed and the GPU clock.
- Once the uninstalling process is completed, turn OFF and restart your computer. Start downloading the latest versions of the drivers and software of your computer’s graphics card. Doing this will eliminate the errors associated with old versions of the drivers.
- When the updates of the drivers are downloaded, install the latest version of MSI Afterburner on your computer. MSI Afterburner is a unique tool that checks the video capturing, monitors the performance of the graphics cards and prevents overclocking on your computer.
- If the GPU clock still gets stuck at 139 MHz, it is because of a background program responsible for locking the clock speed. In this case, open the Task Managers list. To do this, type “msconfig” in the search bar. In the pop-up window, click the “Services” tab and check the “Hide Microsoft” option. Go through the list of tasks and end those tasks which are unnecessary. These can be the background programs hindering the working of the GPU and locking the GPU clock speed.
- Go to the “Manage 3D Settings” by right-clicking on your desktop. In the “Power Management” tab, turn off the “maximum performance” setting and use the recommended setting. In addition to this, check the components to see if any of them are getting overheated. This will fix the GPU clock and prevent it from getting stuck at 139MHz.
Summary
The GPU in a computer is just as important as the CPU. Hence, it’s essential to ensure that it doesn’t get stuck to render the best performance. One of the simplest ways to resolve the getting stuck issue is to change the performance settings. Opt for the Recommended setting instead of the High-Performance setting.
It’s also worth using a tool like MSI Afterburner that helps you have complete control over the graphics card, preventing the GPU from getting stuck.