Laptop Core 2 Duo and Speedstep - Fixed thanks to Windows 7!

slash000

Hey guys,

Core 2 Duos on laptops support speedstep, the thing where the CPU throttles down its speed to reduce heat and increase battery life while not doing cpu-intensive tasks; and then when the computer IS doing cpu intensive tasks, it throttles up to full speed.


My problem is I reformatted my laptop and put XP on it, Xp 32 bit. And the problem is now my CPU is running at its lowest throttled setting, 977 Mhz I think. It's a Core 2 Duo T7600 which goes up to 2.33 ghz. But right click properties on My Computer always shows 977 mhz, even when I max out the CPU load.


In vista I had the option, a little taskbar program, that I could tell the system what "mode" to go into, including a High Performance mode that maxed the CPU speed up so that I could play games. I don't see that option on the task bar in a fresh XP 32 install with Service Pack 3.


Now my computer on XP is stuck on its lowest throttled setting. But I don't want to disable speedstep in the bios and be stuck on full speed. I really would justl ike the system to speed step properly, or at LEAST let me manually tell it when to run in "high performance" like I used to via a task bar option.

Is there something in windows that lets me do this?

Something that Dell offers (this is a dell laptop) that allows for this?


Thanks. I want to be able to use my 2.33 ghz C2Duo laptop to its fullest, not be stuck at 977 mhz.

finalflight89

I wouldn't trust Windows XP's system information dialog box. Try using CPU-Z to see if it gets out of the throttled mode.

Zell

Control panel -- power settings -- select a profile that's named laptop or something and it should turn on speedstep and similar features. I don't think Windows XP gives you any control over it though.

Edit: hmm, Intel says its named minimal power management.
Edit 2: also Intel says you need SP2, but you probably have that anyway.

slash000

finalflight89 wrote: »

I wouldn't trust Windows XP's system information dialog box. Try using CPU-Z to see if it gets out of the throttled mode.

I tried running some kind of CPU burn in test thing or whatever, to max out the CPU's load. It stayed at 977 mhz though.

I can usually tell when the system is running in 2.33 or high performance because the internal fans kick on and start exhausting a lot more heat, and the system makes a lot more noise. It hasn't been doing that even at 100% cpu usage.

Zell wrote: »

Control panel -- power settings -- select a profile that's named laptop or something and it should turn on speedstep and similar features. I don't think Windows XP gives you any control over it though.

I tried setting it on "Home/Desktop" and also on maximum performance or something. These power profiles only seem to affect when the screen / hdd's turn off after idle, they don't seem to be affecting the CPU speed. I have tried them anyway though to no avail.

Edit: hmm, Intel says its named minimal power management.
Edit 2: also Intel says you need SP2, but you probably have that anyway.

I'll check these. I have tried this on SP2 and on SP3 to no avail.






Question:

I decided, fuck it, and I'm now installing Windows 7 on this laptop. Will this help or at least give me control or options to make this work? Either way Win7 is a better OS but I'd prefer that I not be stuck at 977 mhz when I have it all running.


I appreciate the help so far though

travathian

Did you muck around in CMOS and change something by chance? Might be worthwhile to just reset CMOS first and see what happens.

slash000

travathian wrote: »

Did you muck around in CMOS and change something by chance? Might be worthwhile to just reset CMOS first and see what happens.

No, I looked there first thing, even though I haven't altered any settings there. The speedstep is enabled. Disabling it will set the laptop on its lowest setting at all times (977 mhz). Having it enabled is supposed to allow it to go up to full speed. There were no other options with regards to it in the CMOS unfortunatley.



I'm getting Win7 on it as we speak so hopefully it will come with something for this.

slash000

OK dudes


Windows 7 fixed everything


Beautiful. Love this Operating System.



Thanks for the help guys!

Zell

I tried setting it on "Home/Desktop" and also on maximum performance or something. These power profiles only seem to affect when the screen / hdd's turn off after idle

Just to make it clear, that isn't the case. They do affect SpeedStep, Windows XP just hides this information.

slash000

Zell wrote: »

I tried setting it on "Home/Desktop" and also on maximum performance or something. These power profiles only seem to affect when the screen / hdd's turn off after idle

Just to make it clear, that isn't the case. They do affect SpeedStep, Windows XP just hides this information.

Hm.. That's weird. Well, thanks for the clarification. Win7 seems to tell me when its running at 2.33 or 977 which is something that Xp wasn't doing for some reason.

Anyway, Win7 is what I prefer anyway, so I'm glad I put it on.