High CPU Usage Causes Crashes and Lag Spikes [SOLVED]

[SoHTigersalamander]

Hello, I've been having trouble figuring out a solution to my game having bad lag spikes and high CPU usage. It mainly happens when driving around in a vehicle; however, once the lag starts, it doesn't stop even if I exit the vehicle and play without it for a while. my FPS is capped at 165 and is usually at that amount, but then decreases to 20 or below when a spike happens, which would be every second or so when the "lagging session" begins. This IS in multiplayer when I play with my friend, although I tested to see if it happens in my own singleplayer server and it still happens. When in the multiplayer game, it could get so bad that even starting up the world and driving a house down will crash the game. I tracked my CPU usage while driving around and it sits at around 70 - 100%. Here's a list of computer specs and stuff that I've done to try to fix the problem, but it didn't get fixed. I also have the game installed on an SSD.

I have:
Windows 10
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9700KF CPU @ 3.60 GHz
RAM: 32 GB
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER
No integrated Graphics Card
Monitor: NITRO XV2, XV272U, Refresh Rate: 143.999 Hz

Things I've done to try to fix the problem:
Allocate more RAM to the game by going into the JSON files.
Run the game on 64 BIT and 32 BIT.
Uninstall and reinstall the game.
Validate game files.
Delete the Zomboid folder and have the game reacquire it.
Turn off real-time file system protection on my antivirus.
uninstall Razer Synapse.
run the game with no other programs open.
Turn off Vsync.
Lower graphic settings in the game's options.
Increase FPS cap to try to match it with my monitor's refresh rate.
Didn't increase camera zoom beyond 200% in-game.

I feel as if I've milked the internet dry for solutions and I have no fix. It's not reassuring to know this problem has existed for years and it's still a problem. If anyone happens to have any other fixes than the ones I listed, I'd be very glad to hear them lol.

Edit: So the solution I think is solved now. I tested it in multiplayer with my friend and in singleplayer and it seems to be running fine. Trying to access the UEFI to change my BCLK from 100 to 99 proved problematic for a while. The type of processor I have cannot go below 100 so I didn't change that; however, I encountered a problem trying to even get to the UEFI firmware to work. Apparently the menu for UEFI doesn't work on some resolutions, my resolution is 2560 x 1440 which doesn't show the menu. I had to use my TV with an hdmi cable and then use my TV as my monitor. (for anyone that might be trying to change their UEFI settings). Before figuring this out, however, I tried removing my CMOS battery from my motherboard, which was a solution the internet said to not having the UEFI menu show up (which wasn't my issue, trial and error and all that). Removing the CMOS battery seemed to reset some of its settings, so I had to reset its date and time inside the UEFI menu. I also forgot I have 2 antiviruses, and didn't turn off real-time system protection on one of them, so I turned both off. So either resetting my CMOS battery or turning off both my real-time system protection on my anti-virsuses fixed it. I didn't lower my BCLK, though, it was already at minimum of 100. Either way, after many hours it seems to be working. Thank you to everyone helping me.

[shit-for-brains]

try limiting your fps to 60, might also just be a nvidia gpu issue, and or related to some of the nvidia software.

[SoHTigersalamander]

Originally posted by toaster ♥♥♥♥♥♥:

try limiting your fps to 60, might also just be a nvidia gpu issue, and or related to some of the nvidia software.

I should have mentioned my original FPS was capped at 60. I also tried finding PZ in Geforce Experience and it's not listed as a game there. I made sure its scan included the file where PZ is located also.

[Shift]

Originally posted by SoHTigersalamander:

Originally posted by toaster ♥♥♥♥♥♥:

try limiting your fps to 60, might also just be a nvidia gpu issue, and or related to some of the nvidia software.

I should have mentioned my original FPS was capped at 60. I also tried finding PZ in Geforce Experience and it's not listed as a game there. I made sure its scan included the file where PZ is located also.

PZ is not supported by GeForce Experience. Also, it's strictly an openGL game, try enabling triple buffering on the normal GPU configuration window (not on experience) for PZ on 3D applications tab.

Is there something using disk on the background when that happens? Random spikes like that seens to be something demanding 100% of the disk on the background. Open task manager and keep an eye on HDD usage is my first bet.

[SoHTigersalamander]

Originally posted by Shift:

Originally posted by SoHTigersalamander:

I should have mentioned my original FPS was capped at 60. I also tried finding PZ in Geforce Experience and it's not listed as a game there. I made sure its scan included the file where PZ is located also.

PZ is not supported by GeForce Experience. Also, it's strictly an openGL game, try enabling triple buffering on the normal GPU configuration window (not on experience) for PZ on 3D applications tab.

Is there something using disk on the background when that happens? Random spikes like that seens to be something demanding 100% of the disk on the background. Open task manager and keep an eye on HDD usage is my first bet.

so I went in and tested it again with triple buffering enabled and watched my HDD and SSD, and my game crashed while driving. My game is on SSD, but both hard drives look stable to me. I took a screenshot of my task manager, you can tell when the game crashes because the CPU usage goes back down.
https://i.imgur.com/bIvkTyH.png

[SoHTigersalamander]

Originally posted by EnigmaGrey:

Heat or bios settings issue, imo.

All 8 cores shouldn’t turbo to the point it crashes. That’s quite different from the usual 1 core running at 100%. Right click the cpu graph and set it to visualize individual cores to double check.

Edit: Maybe this setting?

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/11/2527030866852998535/

I turned on the view of every core, and they all reach 100% and crashes.
https://i.imgur.com/NA92lqQ.png

With that forum you sent me, is it suggesting to go into bios and lower "bclk" from 100 to 99? There's a lot of technical stuff there and I don't understand a lot of it.

[Drawn]

Temps while running zomboid?