AMD fTPM Random Stuttering Example (Read Description)

Enabling the 'firmware TPM' causes system wide stuttering on a growing number of AMD based PC's, as seen in this video. Personally, I have now had 4 consecutive PC's with AMD CPU's that have this problem. Both on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Here are a few threads discussing this issue:

From my experience the best two solutions for now are to roll back to Windows 10 (if you're on Windows 11) so you can disable fTPM safely, or to buy a discrete TPM module which slots into your motherboard. (EDIT: Unfortunately, some users have reported that installing a discrete TPM module does not get rid of the stutters. Your best bet would be to disable the fTPM instead.)

In my case, I've rolled back to Windows 10 and disabled the fTPM. No more stutters have happened since. Other users have reported no problems with installing updates with the fTPM disabled on Windows 11, there is however no guarantee this will stay this way.

Even though my stutters are gone, this does not tackle the problem at its roots. I believe this needs to be adressed through software updates, by motherboard manufacturers and AMD. I have yet to see anyone figure out what the actual underlying cause is of this issue.

I do want to clarify that I'm not an expert, I'm simply trying to shine a light on this issue that seemingly a lot of people are dealing with. I don't have the tools or the time to prove the actual underlying cause of this issue, I just want to share my experience on how I fixed it for myself.

Please keep in mind if you are planning to disable the TPM -- If you are using BitLocker, make sure you have your encryption key handy. You will probably need it.

Another user also managed to capture this issue while playing music:

My build:
AMD RYZEN 9 5950X
ASUS PRIME X570-P
CORSAIR VENGEANCE LPX DDR4 3200MHZ 32GB
NVIDIA EVGA RTX 3080 TI
SAMSUNG 980 PRO 2TB
All of my software (including the BIOS) and drivers are up to date.

Tags: amd, cpu, tpm, stutter, hitch, lag, freeze, short, few seconds, every few hours, audio, mouse, screen, video, game

[leonard]

Just wanted to say I've been seeing this for like two years, always thought I was crazy! I tried reformatting multiple times. Nice to know that it wasn't anything I was doing, disabled the bios switch for it and now I'm stutter free. Thank you!

[harrisons]

Update: I've rolled back to Windows 10 and disabled the fTPM. No more stutters have happened since.

Update 2: AMD has finally recognized the issue and is working on releasing updates to resolve this.

[GeoStreber]

Yes, I've had this for months!

I already thought some hardware component might be broken. Good to know that it's just software. AMD confirmed a BIOS update for in about 8 weeks from now. I have it on a 3900x with a 2070Super and 32GB of DDR-4 3200 CL16 on an ASUS TUF Gaming X570 Plus

[Stangg]

Man, this shit is driving me nuts. It’s been months, there’s no fix and nobody takes responsibility or acknowledges the issue.

[borizbaz]

I can confirm it is a fTPM glitch. Ryzen 7 5800x, B550 Tomahawk (MSI).

[tomatobros]

I was having same stutters on windows 11 with tpm enabled, went back to W10 and disabled tpm everything is smooth now.

[ayrtonaraujo]

Hey guys, if you're having troubles with AMD processors in Lenovo, goes to Bios and disable the "AMD Processor Security" in the Security tab, this gonna disable the TPM 2.0.

[CozMick]

Thanks for this video, exact same issue with my 5900x and Win 11.

[ShantanuBaviskar]

I get a bit different style of stuttering (otherwise just like yours). It stutters like yours for ~1 second and then whole screen pauses for another ~1 second and everything goes super-sonic fast for ~1 second, ultimately covering up the time which was lost during that ~1 sec pause. fTPM enabled. Windows 11. Ryzen 3600 + Gigabyte B450M. These shutters are quite rare so at least that's a good thing. I used to keep blaming Windows 11 update on this. But you just confirmed it. Thanks. What's strange is that, out of all other months, I only started noticing it since December (hence Windows 11 update suspicion)

- Noticed in games and even while casually watching YouTube videos

[masooncap]

thank you so much for validating the same issue I have been having, I don't stream so never caught it but this is exactly my issue, going to disable fTPM now and hopefully that solves it. FYI here from LTT forum :)

[AnDres-mjxb]

I was thinking it was my nvme failing, glad i found your vid, thanks!

[jbbardoles]

Dude you saved from re-installing Windows, thanks for figuring this out! Hopefully the next BIOS update will fix it

[theMiaow]

February of 2023 soon yet this issue is still present and unresolved for me. Wth is wrong with AMD's QC

Edit: April of 2023 soon and I'm still suffering from this stutter issue. Since it's a HP laptop, I have no choice but to wait for the official bios update by HP themselves, and yet they still haven't implemented any updates that fixed the stutter issue 🗿

Not sure if I should hate HP for responding so slowly, or hate AMD for allowing this issue to appear in the first place and now everyone with an AMD cpu is getting burdened...

[rensuchan]

Literally just learned this was a widespread issue today... I have Youtube playing in the background during work from home most of the time and was wondering what was causing videos to randomly stutter like this ever since I reformatted and installed Win 11 last year. It's very intermittent so I didn't seek a solution and didn't really pay much mind to it thinking it was just a quirk with my own system, but hopefully MSI releases a BIOS fix for my B550 board shortly :)

[Thorvald]

Been looking for this for almost a year to the point where I thought I'm just gonna live with it ! ( on my asus x570i, ryzen 5900x, asus tuf 3080 ) I was checking if there was any bios update for another issue, when I stumbled upon the update notes saying "2. Fix AMD fTPM issue causes random stuttering." with a bit of research I found this video demonstrating my exact same issue ! I feel so relieved !

[brekreney]

anyone elses audio get super distorted also?

[Mrperfectwoo]

Holy shit, I have been having this issue for months and months after switching my X370 to X570.

With my old X370 I had the discrete gigabyte TPM, but when I switched to X570 I started using the fTPM.

It was so annoying and I reinstalled windows, swapped a bunch of gear around and this is likely the issue. Pretty much identical to what you are getting here randomly.

[Anselm-Paul]

I’d experienced these stutters in Win 10 with activated fTPM (R53600x). Deactivated for now, no stutters since then.

[panchri]

Thanks. I finally know, what causes this wierd stutter once per day. Let's hope MSI will update all boards at some point.

[blakegriplingph]

I've had this ever since I've enabled fTPM and installed Windows 11. At first I thought it was either due to some games being starved of RAM or my Windows installation being too bloated, but turns out it had more to do with this screwup. And the audio glitches resembled more of what you get when you play PCSX2 on a potato rather than choppy output.