AMD - Cool N Quiet - Am I this Dense??

[hondaf17]

So I've got the processor in my sig - a socket 939 Manchester 4200+. I've never over-clocked before but decided to look into it to try and get extra life out of my system. In doing so I've downloaded and used programs such as Prime95, CPUz, and OCCT for the first time. In doing so I realized my processor clock speed was 1000Mhz, a 50% UNDERclock (it should've been at 2000Mhz).

As a thought I went into my BIOS and disabled AMD Cool N Quiet (it was previously set to Auto). Started the same programs and now it's showing the proper 2000Mhz. Amazing!

3DMark 05 Cool N Quiet: 5325
3DMark 05 No Cool N Quiet: 9156
3DMark 05 CPU Score Cool N Quiet: 3813
3DMark 05 CPU Score No Cool N Quiet: 6732

Based on these benchmarks about double the performance! So, for the last 4 years, have I been essentially running at "half speed"?! I can't believe that - I didn't think I was that dense, or I didn't think Cool N Quiet would seriously limit your processor to half of it's potential!! I can't believe I'm the only one this has happened too...or am I really that clueless and everyone else knew this??

 

[theevilsharpie]

CNQ is supposed to run your CPU at about 1GHz when there's no activity, and then increase the clock speed when there's a load on the processor.

If your processor's speed is locked at 1GHz, either you've specifically set it to keep a low power state even during heavy load, or your motherboard's CNQ implementation is broken. Given the fact that the vast majority of aftermarket motherboards I've used have been complete and total trash, I'm guess the latter.

 

[hondaf17]

Hmm, interesting, thanks for the response.

So, given my 3DMark 05 scores greatly improved when I disabled CNQ my clock speed was obviously locked at the 1.0 Ghz, correct? If CNQ had been operating properly when under load from 3DMark 05 it should've disabled itself, clock speed bumped up, and thus scores would've been idential. Am I interpreting that correctly?

 

[jvroig]

That's about right. It should have throttled back to 2GHz under load, including any and all benchies for your cpu.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Wow I wish I could find a way to effortlessly double my PC's performance Interesting.

 

[hondaf17]

Is there a way to measure your clock speed in real-time? To actually see for certain with CNQ enabled that it stays locked on 1Ghz?

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

CPU-Z will do that.

 

[0roo0roo]

so all the cores run at the same clock?
i've seen PhenomMsrTweaker recommended on this board, but it seems kinda complicated to use.

 

[DominionSeraph]

By any chance are you running Vista on the Power Saver plan? I found its default setting of Processor Power Management — Maximum Processor State — 50% locked my X2 5200+ to its lowest P state.

 

[Allio]

By any chance are you running Vista on the Power Saver plan? I found its default setting of Processor Power Management — Maximum Processor State — 50% locked my X2 5200+ to its lowest P state.

I'm sure that was the problem.

Power saver: lowest frequency 100% of the time
Balanced: lowest frequency when no load, full frequency under load
Full performance: full frequency 100% of the time

Try turning Cool 'n Quiet back on and set your power management to Balanced.

 

[Vipersfate]

I've seen this on a few computers before. Since I work in a repair shop, I set all the Vista and Windows 7 machines to Full Performance when I get them installed.

It makes things easier for the customer.

I have disabled CNQ on all my AMD systems since I've been able to.

 

[mvbighead]

I've seen this on a few computers before. Since I work in a repair shop, I set all the Vista and Windows 7 machines to Full Performance when I get them installed.

It makes things easier for the customer.

I have disabled CNQ on all my AMD systems since I've been able to.

From a personal standpoint, I don't know that I would agree with doing something like that. For one, there is a quite a large crowd of users that leave their systems running all the time. With CNQ enabled, the CPU will drop to a lower speed and thus run cooler, which should improve the longevity of the system and reduce the heat created by the system.

And, this is an incredibly bad concept for laptops. They are meant to conserve power and their coolers are not up to the task that most desktop coolers are capable of. By slowing down, the whirring fan occurs far less often. (Not implying that you recommended this for laptops, just giving a different example.)

As to the OP, power settings could help quite a bit, as others have stated. If you can enabled the feature, and correct the settings, that would be optimal. Otherwise, disable CNQ and just run the max speed all the time.

 

[Vipersfate]

From a personal standpoint, I don't know that I would agree with doing something like that. For one, there is a quite a large crowd of users that leave their systems running all the time. With CNQ enabled, the CPU will drop to a lower speed and thus run cooler, which should improve the longevity of the system and reduce the heat created by the system.

And, this is an incredibly bad concept for laptops. They are meant to conserve power and their coolers are not up to the task that most desktop coolers are capable of. By slowing down, the whirring fan occurs far less often. (Not implying that you recommended this for laptops, just giving a different example.)

As to the OP, power settings could help quite a bit, as others have stated. If you can enabled the feature, and correct the settings, that would be optimal. Otherwise, disable CNQ and just run the max speed all the time.

I do agree that it may degrade the longevity of the components. The business we run here is largely repeat customers for virus infections, upgrades, and the sort. Most of the computers we build, or repair, come back for virus removal, or something like that.

Unfortunately, most of the consumer-base is abusive to even desktop computers. They usually end up destroying them before their time.

 

[ElFenix]

I'm sure that was the problem.

Power saver: lowest frequency 100% of the time
Balanced: lowest frequency when no load, full frequency under load
Full performance: full frequency 100% of the time

Try turning Cool 'n Quiet back on and set your power management to Balanced.

it'd be awesome if windows could figure out if i was playing a game or not. that's the only thing i want the processor at full tilt for. switch to balanced when gaming, power saver at all other times (so i can run boinc but keep the megahurts down)


there's probably some scripting that can figure that out.

 

[richierich1212]

I use PhenomMsrTweaker with great success.