CPU actual speed

[jordi32]

Something strange is happening. I have a T42p Q1U with a CPU at 2.1 GHZ but when I start the computer using my battery, the CPU speed shown in system properties is below 600 MHZ. I have the maximum cpu speed setting in the power maximizer. No matter what I do (I have tried to run Pi calculation software or any intensive CPU usage application), the CPU speed reported remains the same. I tried to change the Power management settings to Always On but the CPU reported is still the same. If I reboot with the external power, the CPU speed is back to 2.1 GHZ. Why is this happening? Is the CPU speed reported in System properties inaccurate or there is something wrong? Do you know of any applications that report the current CPU speed accurately?

Thank you very much.

Best regards,

Jordi

[Plinkerton]

Here's Mobile Meter. Many people here seem to use and like it. I find it quite helpful.

http://dssc3031.ece.cmu.edu/~tamaru/mob ... adme-e.htm

Here's the link to actually download it.

http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconValle ... mm0310.zip

[jordi32]

Thank you, Plinkerton. I will download it and see what it reports. Do you also find the CPU speed reported in system properties unreliable?

Jordi

[daeojkim]

So when you install mobile meter it will tell you the actual clock speed of the processor.
I and many others changed CPU clock setting to adaptable so that it will run at full speed only when required even when you are using AC. This way your laptop will run cooler and your fan will not be on all the time.

Before this adaptable CPU clock setting, my CPU temp on mobile meter would be around 51 C or 52 C even when I was not doing anything and clock speed at 1.7GHz 100% of the time. Now with the adaptable clock speed it stays at 600MHz and only goes to 1.2 or 1.7GHz depending on demand, the CPU temp stays as low as 40 C or 41 C and fan runs at very low speed or not at all.
I would recommend this to everyone...

[Plinkerton]

The CPU speed in the system properties is a little strange for me as well, and I don't really know why. I have come to trust mobile meter for the most part, as many people say that it is a good program.

As what daeojkim mention, if you have your setting on adaptive, it will be at 600mghz when you don't do anything. If you start running a program, watch mobile meter, and the graph and numbers will spike up to 1.7 or so. It's kinda neat to see how your processor reacts to different things. Overall it seems to be reliable enough for me.

[jordi32]

Plinkerton and Daeojkim,

Thank you very much for your suggestion about Mobile meter. It works great. I still don't understand why the Windows system properties does not report the right CPU frequency. To set the CPU to adaptive, do I need to create a new Power scheme? Can the predetermined power schemes be modified? It's strange because none of the predetermined power schemes seem to have the adaptive setting.

Also, I thought that watching DVDs would increase the CPU frequency but, according to Mobile meter, the CPU stays at 600 MHZ. Is that normal?

When surfing, the CPU stays at 600 MHZ. By having the CPU speed set to adaptive, don't applications run more slowly than they would if the CPU were running at full speed?

Thank you very much.

Best regards,

Jordi

Thank you for your help.

Best regards,

Jordi

[Plinkerton]

When I know I will be doing something "resource heavy", I still find myself switching to full power. I don't know if it's just my mind, or if I'm actually seeing it, but sometimes I think I see a lag.

Double click on the battery icon in the taskbar, and just create a new one. You can copy everything else from your favorite other one, but just choose adaptive in CPU speed for battery, and also for AC. I use that setting most of the time.

I think it's normal for DVDs to be 600mghz. It actually doesn't go up to 1.7 and stay that way on mine for very long. It just spikes to help with whatever it's doing.

Also, in the CONTROL PANEL/PERFORMANCE AND MAINTENANCE/POWER OPTIONS, if you select the "Portable/Laptop" setting, that will make it adaptive on battery power.

Pretty much the only 2 I switch between are the Battery Maximizer, and the one I made that is adaptive on both AC and battery. I sometimes switch to high system performance when doing specific things while on battery.

[daeojkim]

Plinkerton and Daeojkim,

Thank you very much for your suggestion about Mobile meter. It works great. I still don't understand why the Windows system properties does not report the right CPU frequency. To set the CPU to adaptive, do I need to create a new Power scheme? Can the predetermined power schemes be modified? It's strange because none of the predetermined power schemes seem to have the adaptive setting.

Also, I thought that watching DVDs would increase the CPU frequency but, according to Mobile meter, the CPU stays at 600 MHZ. Is that normal?

When surfing, the CPU stays at 600 MHZ. By having the CPU speed set to adaptive, don't applications run more slowly than they would if the CPU were running at full speed?

Thank you very much.

Best regards,

Jordi

Thank you for your help.

Best regards,

Jordi

Yes I had to create a new scheme to make it work. I could not find other way of doing it. I tried to change the setting and save it did not work for me. Watching DVD is not an intensive task 600MHz would be normal. Try something more intensive task like memtest.

As far as tasks go, the CPU will run at higher speed when it feels that it needs it. Honestly I don't feel and slowness in my system even after I changed to adaptive. I can see the clock speed change when I run some applications. So I know that the CPU will run faster when it needs to.