600X Speedstep working backwards

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dc10refueler · #1 Post by **dc10refueler** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:26 pm

IBM Thinkpad 600X 2645-9FU 650mhz cpu
Built: 05/00 O/s: Windows 2000 SP4

I'm new here, but a fellow thinkpad lover. Above is my specs on my
600X and have an oddball question for yall. Has anyone had the
intel speedstep app work backwards? At the moment, on AC power
my computer runs at max battery settings(500mhz) and on battery
it runs at max performance(650mhz). I have stressed everything
that i could muster up in trying to find this problem but nothing ever
makes sense. I have changed power settings multiple times,
removed and updated the drivers for literally everything win 2000 will let me do, and am out of ideas. I do have an aftermarket battery, but that has never caused issues any before this.

Reason for changes has been, i tried the windows xp home trial to
try it out and see what my thinkpad would do since it only has 256mb of ram, and decided to go back to windows 2000 since it
seemed to run faster. In the xp home, i used the speedswitch
program and it ran my cpu at 650 np and my previous win 2000 ran
my cpu at 650 np also, but this current install has my speedstep
working fully backwards. Any help would be appreciated, though
i am considering to just go back to winxp home and say forget it,
but i'm not sure how to isolate this problem to see if its a hardware
issue or a software issue.

#2 Post by **pkiff** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:17 am

Ha ha! Now that is a scenario I've not heard of before! So you have the SpeedStep applet loaded, and it shows up in your System Tray, but you can't change the settings through the SpeedSwitch applet?

Have you checked to make sure your SpeedStep app install is correct?
Do you have this version installed?:
Intel SpeedStep Technology Applet - ThinkPad 600X, A2*, T2*, X2*, TransNote

2. Have you tried setting your Power Management settings to "Always On"? This should disable the use of the SpeedStep switching via power management settings.

Normally, an aftermarket battery will prevent you from reaching your maximum CPU speed with a PIII 650MHz in a 600X. But the effect of this would normally be that you would be running at 500MHz whether you were plugged in or not. Are you sure that you are running at 650MHz on battery? Maybe Windows 2000 is not correctly reporting your CPU speed?

Phil.

dc10refueler · #3 Post by **dc10refueler** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:36 am

Correct. The speedstep applet is loaded and is in the system tray, and
i cannot change the settings through it. I deleted it and reinstalled
again just in case and same thing. I have the version in the link that
you posted. And by the way, i'm using an intel program and the
everest home edition to check processor speed. On AC power it runs
at 498mhz with a 5.0 clock multiplier and on battery it runs 647mhz
with a 6.5 clock multiplier. Have changed the power settings to just
about every setting there is and it act like it doens't affect anything at
all with the cpu. Gonna look around for my windows xp cd and start
saving my stuff. Getting a feeling its a messup in the windows install
or something.

By the way, i have read all the problems with the battery issue and
gotta say, for some reason i have not had that happen at all with
this thinkpad. The battery i have is a 3600mAh one and until now,
if i wanted full power she would do it no prob whenever i wanted it.

dsigma6 · #4 Post by **dsigma6** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 7:34 am

maybe i didnt read enough, but why dont you just use power manager to set the cpu to either lowest, low, adaptive or high for both battery and ac?

dc10refueler · #5 Post by **dc10refueler** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:26 am

a few changes have been made. Currently running windows xp pro
sp1 and just going to stay with it. I have also just did a complete
disassembly of the laptop, and checked each part for any burns or
anything abnormal on any of the chips and such while putting
everything back together. Nothing was found though and the same
issue still stands. 2 operating systems and same issue. Either this is
the intel speedstep app itself or a hardware issue. any suggestions
are welcome and i'm willing to try just about anything.

#6 Post by **pkiff** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:47 am

Under Windows XP, I don't think you use the Intel SpeedStep applet, and you lose the direct control over the settings that the Intel applet provides. So if you are running XP now, then I would also try using SpeedSwitch, an applet that provides similar functionality to the Intel applet, but with alot more options and info.

If you have an extra IBM OEM battery handy (even one that is almost, but not completely dead) you could try installing it and seeing if that makes any difference. And I would even try to run without your battery installed at all, running just on AC power.

I don't know what is causing your problem, though, and don't have any other real suggestions for a fix.

Phil.

dc10refueler · #7 Post by **dc10refueler** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:32 am

Finally figured it out.

Power: Speed:
AC (plugged in) 497mhz
aftermarket battery(dead) 497mhz
ibm battery(dead) 647mhz

Conclusion:
Well, after looking at everything, I happend to notice that my battery
only lasted for about 7-10 minutes the other day. Looked into it, and
since I had been running off of AC power quite a bit lately, I had failed
to notice that my aftermarket battery had crapped out on me.I pulled
a ibm battery from a dead 600 that i'm parting out to find out it was
dead also, but i still put it in and tried it out to find that it fixed my speed issue for the time being. The ibm battery was listing as critical
in windows and such but gonna be testing it out to see if it was
actually dead or just needed a good charging.

600X Speedstep working backwards

600X Speedstep working backwards

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