I just upgraded to a new CPU/MB/RAM system, using existing windows OS install, because the last system was about 8 years old and failed.

I notice that a few things I never had any issues with on the prior system, specifically when i'm copying a file to my network drive, it maxes out a single core (which can be understandable), but everything else seems to freeze while that is happening. I believe that all other processes should jump to other cores that have available capacity, but that doesnt seem to be happening. Overall system usage is only about 6%, but i'm not able to do anything else until the file copy operation finishes.

Anyone have a clue what i should look for? googling hasnt been my friend in this case.

If a certain process or program does not support multi-threading, then it limits down to a single core, which is why you want those cores to be able to overclock at a higher speed.

Here's what ChatGPT says:

This issue could be related to several factors, such as driver compatibility, hardware settings, or system configurations. Here are a few steps to help diagnose and potentially resolve the problem:

1. **Update Drivers**:
- Ensure that all drivers, especially the network adapter and chipset drivers, are up to date. Visit the motherboard manufacturer's website to download the latest versions.

2. **Check CPU Affinity**:
- Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the "Details" tab, find the process related to the file copy (e.g., `explorer.exe` or another file management tool you're using), right-click on it, and select "Set Affinity". Ensure all CPU cores are checked.

3. **Adjust Power Settings**:
- Go to Control Panel > Power Options and ensure you are using the "High Performance" power plan. This can prevent the CPU from throttling down and can improve performance during intensive tasks.

4. **Network Adapter Settings**:
- In Device Manager, locate your network adapter, right-click it, and select "Properties". Check the "Advanced" tab for settings that might impact performance, such as "Large Send Offload" or "Interrupt Moderation". Experiment with enabling or disabling these settings to see if it makes a difference.

5. **Check Disk Usage**:
- While the file copy is happening, monitor disk usage in Task Manager. High disk usage could also cause system slowdowns. If the disk is nearly maxed out, it could indicate a bottleneck there.

6. **Windows Updates**:
- Ensure your Windows OS is fully up to date, as there might be patches or updates that improve compatibility with newer hardware.

7. **BIOS Settings**:
- Check your BIOS/UEFI settings for options related to CPU performance and power management. Ensure settings like "Intel SpeedStep" (if using Intel) or "Cool'n'Quiet" (if using AMD) are configured correctly.

8. **Clean Boot**:
- Perform a clean boot to see if a background service or startup application is causing the issue. Instructions for clean booting can be found [here](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows).

If none of these steps resolve the issue, there might be a deeper compatibility issue with your existing Windows install and the new hardware. In such cases, performing a clean install of Windows can sometimes resolve lingering issues.

what did you go from/to?

from an 8 core i7 32gb to 12 core ryzen 9 64gb

Seems to come and go a bit... i can't quite figure it out.

I thought that would be the case.

When swapping from intel to AMD it really is best to do a clean install, imo. Windows will recognize and adjust for the changes but there always tends to be some hiccups in my experience.

Try uninstalling the Intel Chipset drivers and then reinstall the AMD drivers from AMD.com

Thanks for the tip... I usually do that, but this was an unexpected upgrade and had some things I was right in the middle of... I will probably get through these next few weeks and then do a clean install, probably even go up to win11 anyways...

I'll try to do the driver install, didn't think about that. Appreciate it!