Speedstep not working for X61s running Vista 64-bit

[Hakim]

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I've done some searching, but I can't seem to find a solution to my problem.

I've done a clean install of Vista Ultimate 64-bits on a new X61s, and I've downloaded most of the drivers from Lenovo support, but I can't seem to get speedstep working (always stuck at 1.6GHz in CPU-Z, 800MHz FSB).

I have speedstep enabled in the BIOS, have the power management driver installed, power manager installed, and Vista's power management set to allow for lowering of cpu frequency when on battery.

This is really bugging me! I get around 6:30 of battery life with the processor running at 1.6GHz all the time, but it should be much better with speedstep. Does anyone know this issue, or how to solve it?

I have BIOS version 2.18

[Marin85]

Welcome to the forum!

You could try setting the cpu power scheme by using Vista built-in power options: Control Panel (all control panel items) -> Power Options -> edit plan settings -> advanced power settings -> cpu. Also, I would create my own power management profile (in Vista Power Options or Lenovo Power Manager) instead of using the default ones, thus avoiding possible overwriting of the new settings upon reboot.

BTW, the current BIOS version is 2.19, but the changelog doesn´t indicate anything related to Intel Speedstep.

Hope this helps,

Marin

[Hakim]

Thanks for the advice Marin. Indeed, creating a new power profile did help the problem, and now my cpu is throttling, but I don't think it's going all the way down to it's lowest power state. In fact, when I'm looking at CPU-Z at idle, it's mostly still at 1.6GHz, and sometimes throttles down to 1.2, but quickly returns to 1.6.

I have task manager open at the same time, and cpu usage is always very low ~5% at most. From what I've read about the L7500 processor, it has "Enhanced Speedstep", which lets it adjust both the FSB and multiplier. But so far, all I see is a multiplier changing from 8x to 6x.

My thoughts are that it should mostly be running at 800MHz, with throttling up to 1.2GHz, and 1.6GHz when needed, much like the Atom in my netbook. But it seems quite different (always at 1.6GHz, and occasionally throttling down to 1.2). Can someone with properly functioning Speedstep elaborate?

-In Lenovo Power manager, CPU is set to "Adaptive"
-In Windows Power Option, CPU frequency is set to 5%-100% (min/max). If I lower the max to anything but 100%, it never even throttles (only stays at 1.6).

[pgoelz]

I too have an X61s running Vista Ultimate x64. I'm running the Vista power manager and not running the Lenovo manager. I used CPUZ to look at my CPU and with the same 5% - 100% settings as the OP, the CPU was stuck at 1596 MHz regardless of what was or was not running. On a hunch I changed the minimum setting from 5% to 50% and bingo.... it now steps back to 1197 MHz with a multiplier of X 6.0 when the load is down. Not sure if it is supposed to step farther down than that. Note that a minimum setting of 49% or 51% caused it to remain stuck at 1596 MHz. I didn't try other settings.

Paul

[Hakim]

Thanks Paul!

I also recently discovered this. Still, I was confused that it wouldn't throttle all the way down to 800MHz, so I downloaded RMClock, hoping that it could help. Turns out the L7500 just doesn't throttle down that far, as all the P states I found, the lowest multiplier was 6x.

So I guess that's it. Speedstep needs to have min of 50% cpu frequency in Vista's power manager to work. Or, using RMClock, it will work too.

I decided to stick with RMClock, because it gives me a nice frequency monitor on my taskbar, as well as a battery meter.

Thanks for all the help!

[dyre]

the problem is that cpu-z isnt able to show the actual clock speed, when using the intel core 2 in the x61s.

instead you have to use the intel thermal analysis tool.
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/392/mirrors.php

[Hakim]

the problem is that cpu-z isnt able to show the actual clock speed, when using the intel core 2 in the x61s.

instead you have to use the intel thermal analysis tool.
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/392/mirrors.php

I read that before, but it was old news. I'm pretty sure it's been resolved. Anyways, I've tried the TAT, but it is NOT compatible with Vista 64-bit.

[TheMollusk]

I had speedstep issues for ages on Vista 64 bit. I have an x61t. The windows power management offers no control. It would never clock down to 800mhz.

The ONLY way I could control the CPU speed how I wanted, was to use RightMark CPU Control.

To get this app to work I had to download a tool called Atsiv that allowed unsigned driver loading. It was a real pain. But it was worth it. The CPU speed is 100% controllable now and even clocks down to 600Mhz which is lower than I thought possible.