What is SMT-SYNC-FAIL?
SMT-SYNC-FAIL shows up as a high-severity processor (CPU) fault. The logical cores have lost synchronization with each other. Typical causes include dried thermal paste, overclocking too aggressively, silicon degradation and weak power supply. Use the steps below to track down and fix the cause.
Common Causes
- Dried thermal paste
- Overclocking too aggressively
- Silicon degradation
- Weak power supply
Step-by-Step Fix Guide
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1
Improve cooling and repast
Start with Improve cooling and repast — it clears the most frequent root cause behind SMT-SYNC-FAIL in the majority of cases we've seen.
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2
Increase LLC (Load-Line Calibration) in BIOS
For cases that don't clear up right away, the remaining steps target less typical cpu instability problems.
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3
Undervolting
"Undervolting" covers a less common but documented cause of SMT-SYNC-FAIL.
Commands & Diagnostics
wmic cpu get status,name,currentclockspeed
powercfg /query
Frequently Asked Questions
Dried thermal paste accounts for the majority of SMT-SYNC-FAIL reports; overclocking too aggressively, silicon degradation and weak power supply come up less often but are documented.
"Improve cooling and repast" clears up most SMT-SYNC-FAIL reports by itself. The remaining steps above cover what's left.
Rated high severity — SMT-SYNC-FAIL isn't immediately destructive, but recurring instances are a sign to fix it sooner rather than later.
You shouldn't need to. Work through the guide above first — a reinstall is only worth considering if none of those steps help.
Not necessarily. SMT-SYNC-FAIL can be triggered by software and driver issues, overclocking instability, or BIOS misconfigurations — not just hardware failure. Run through the diagnostic steps above before concluding the processor itself is defective.
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