T42 processor's 100% utilisation issue in old games

[CACODEMIC]

Dear all, hello. I war reading that forum for few days and found many useful informatiom. But it is time for me to ask questions come

Everything started, when I bought the IBM T42 machine in order to obtain a collectional and beautiful (always liked how old Thinkpads look like ) machine for playing games from my childhood.

The specs are:

• Pentium M 755 CPU

• 1 Gb RAM (in plans is to expand to 2 Gb)

• M2 SSD as the system drive throug the adapter

• Win XP SP3

• ATI Mobility 7500 with Omega 6.05 driver (in order to get directx 8.1 support), I installed the long radiator, which also covers GPU

• 14.1" TFT display with 1024x768 resolution (XGA)

• Bluetooth

• BIOS ver. 3.23

As far as I understood, the other specs shall be common between all T42.

Everything works smoothly and as I expected, excepting one thing. I do not know is ie even an issue, or it is fine fot T42. So, in following games the CPU have 100% utilisation all the time, when the game is running and not minimized (both in the game menu and game process). According to the task manager, the exe file of the game provides a 100% utilisation, and when minimizing or exiting, it immediately decreases to the level of use by the operating system.

The games, where it appears are (they work fine, by the way):

• Soldier of Fortune 1 and 2

• NFS Hot Pusruit II

• Tanktics

• Interstate 82

• If I run any DOS game in fullscreen mode directly in Win XP

The games, where utilisation is normal (I mean, not 100% all the time the game is on screen):

• All DOS games through the DOSbox

• Shadow Company - Left for Dead

• Red Alert 2 (100% utilisation in the menu, but then normal ingame)

In general, this situation is unlike anything I have ever encountered with PC's. All mentioned games work absolutely fine and in accordance with the hardware abilities, but the constant 100% CPU load does not seem normal to me. After all, Tanktix, Interstate 82 and the DOS game Leisure Suit Larry 1 in the Land of the Lounge Lizards should not strain the system at all, but they do. What the hell is going on?) I tried changing the GPU's drivers, installed the original hard drive with the operating system that I got with this computer - the problem repeated there too.

That's why I want to ask other users whether this is normal for the T42 or not.

[TPFanatic]

Thank you for your question.

This is normal with the T42 for a few reasons:

1. The games may be programmed to reserve processor utilization for smooth gameplay.

2. T42 has only one processor thread, and the games are programmed to reserve all 100% of that thread. So you see 100% usage of 100% of processors. If you had a dual core or hyperthreading you might instead see 50% usage of 100% of processors. If you had a quad core or dual core and hyperthrading you might instead see 25% usage of 100% of processors.

I am happy to read that the games work fine and I hope you continue enjoying playing with the old Thinkpad!

[Gonzaleitor]

What you can do (this is what I do) is use Notebook Hardware Control for undervolting, and if the game doesn't require more than 600mhz, set it so it only uses the first multiplier, locking it to the lowest. You will run chill chill.

[CACODEMIC]

What you can do (this is what I do) is use Notebook Hardware Control for undervolting, and if the game doesn't require more than 600mhz, set it so it only uses the first multiplier, locking it to the lowest. You will run chill chill.

That is exactly what I did, thanks!