inaccurate prosessor readings

[kieran]

I've had to go into the system properties lately for different reasons and every time i have noticed that the processor readings(speed) are different every time i go in there.

i was wondering if this is something that i should start to worry about or just leave it alone because there is actually nothing else wrong, and you know the old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

[rkawakami]

If it's changing between 900Mhz and 700Mhz, then don't worry. It's what SpeedStep is designed to do. If you want your T22 to run flat-out, full speed all of the time, then you have to go into the power settings and change it to "Maximum performance". May also require poking around in the BIOS settings as well.

ref: Intel Pentium III Processors

[RealBlackStuff]

Don't worry about that.
It's the Intel Speedstep technology that keeps changing the CPU speed.
On battery power alone it uses the lowest speed, on AC alone it uses a medium speed, and on both battery and AC it uses the highest speed (unless you changed the defaults in the power management settings).
The CPU in other words runs on a 'demand' speed, depending on the above (and some other) factors.

[Stargate199]

I have noticed with PIII w/ Speedstep, Windows rarely detects the correct speed. Use Mobilemeter to see your actual CPU clock speed.

[kieran]

Thanks guys, those answers were right on the money. so that is a built in feature,very clever.

thanks again

[Purcy]

I run MobileMeter, mainly for my CPU temp, but I also love the little app SpeedSwitch XP and when I checked it just now it showed my CPU running at 285mhz.

http://www.diefer.de/speedswitchxp/

[rkawakami]

<snip>... little app SpeedSwitch XP and when I checked it just now it showed my CPU running at 285mhz.

That seems a little TOO low for a 900Mhz SpeedStep system. If you were running Windows 2000 I could possibly understand it (as W2K will throttle down the front side bus speed by one-half). But even with SpeedStep enabled, the CPU should be running at 700Mhz (?) and with W2K taking its toll, you speed should be no lower than 350Mhz.

I also run MobileMeter (it's in my Startup folder) and it seems to report my speeds properly but I've never tried SpeedSwitch XP.

[Purcy]

I'm not sure what the deal is with SpeedSwtch XP, but Mobile Meter will show my processor either at 900mhz or 700mgz; if it is at 700mgz, I can open up Speed Switch and it will show various speeds,all below 700mgz; this is if I am idle, just reading a site. But if I task the page at all, both apps will show 900mgz. I have my Power Settings also set to Speed Switch (this app inserts a setting into your power profile) It does explain how it gets it's readings, and it throttles instantly, I never have any delays or lags.