laptop cpu speed?!?

[PetunZ]

Is there any way to keep a laptop's clock speed at 1.6GHz (the rated speed)? When I'm playing WC3, it always slows down to 589 MHz and it lags like crazy. I've even set the mode in the "System -> advanced" to "allow for best performance." It still goes down to ~600.

Help please?

 

[movingincircles]

interesting

hl2 says its running at 600mhz as well

 

[Rock Hydra]

Before I go play games on my laptop, I put the power management to Always On.

 

[John]

SpeedswitchXP - CPU frequency control for notebooks running Windows XP

 

[PetunZ]

I'll test it out. Thanks!

 

[PetunZ]

Darn. Still laggy. My cpu runs at 1.6Ghz though.

 

[AT]

Similar to Speedswitch but some added features and actively developed: Centrino Hardware Control

 

[corkyg]

Also, make sure you are plugged in to A/C.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Do you have a Dell?

If you do, when your processor "overheats" they throttle it down to 600mhz for a good time. I was playing friggn DOD yesterday on my 600m and it died (dropped to 4fps). I alt tabbed out with much difficulty to see my temps at 56. Thats fine. Dothans get hot. I popped open CPU-z and it said I was running 600mhz.

This has to deal with Dell's stupid BIOS. IF you use an older revision you wont hit this problem. Then again, heat could be a problem. I want to open mine up and put some AS5 on =)

 

[PetunZ]

Yeah, the AC cord is plugged in. And yes, it's a dell 600m too.

I recently updated the drivers to the video card inside; I wonder if flashing it back to the original drivers would help. Anyone know which version the previous drivers were?

Edit - Vid card is a Radeon Mobility 9000
Drivers so far: 6.14.10.6525 (4/5/2005)

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Uhh thoguht I posted a response but it never showed up???

The problem is caused by your CPU overheating, and so Dell's BIOS throttles you down to 600mhz.

I have had this problem only 3 times (all 2 days ago). I've never seen this in the 1+ yrs since I bought this laptop. My friend with the exact same laptop (except a 1.6GHz Dothan) has experienced throttling MANY MANY times because his laptop was probably defective.

You can:

1) Flash to an oldass BIOS
2) Apply some AS5 (which I may try)
3) Send your laptop to Dell, and they replace your board and CPU. My friend CLAIMS they stuck a Dothan 730 (1.6 GHz on 533 FSB) in for him to replace the 735 (1.6 GHz on 400 FSB). If that is the case I'm going to do this =). But he's a newb and I'll make him CPU-z it first just to be sure.

 

[PetunZ]

Your post is right above mine. I just didn't think it was much of an issue as getting my configs straightened out. I've been using the speedswitchxp program (above) and it shows that my clock speed is now set to 1594 Mhz (constantly -- even while in a game).

I'll check out CPU-z to get another reading and maybe confirm my cpu's clock speed. I'm not all that familiar with thermal paste and flashing BIOS's, so I'm not as comfortable messing with that stuff.

I rolled back the video drivers and it didn't help either; I still get the same lag issues.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Nah, I meant I ha da more detailed reply like the one I just wrote an hr back.. I typed that last night at 1AM but I guess I forgot to post, so I'm nice enough to type it again all for you =P

I get throttlign midgame. Like you know you go into the game and you play for a good 30 min so your computer gets to be friggn hot. All of a sudden from my constant 72fps, it drops to 5 fps and I'm dead.

Get one of those temp monitoring programs. Cant find it right now, but its something like I8kgui or something. Yea. Watch the charts. Find out what your temps are when you throttle, and then watch it drop to a certain level before it jumps back to 1.6 GHz.

This is solely a heat issue, and I hate how my laptop hits 60 degrees. Then again Dothans can stand A LOT more heat, but I just like to glance at my other comp which is under 40 deg most of the time.

 

[Vegito]

i usually run my notebook with a notebook cooler.. 2 active fan.. not the best

 

[ValuedCustomer]

Originally posted by: PetunZ
Is there any way to keep a laptop's clock speed at 1.6GHz (the rated speed)? When I'm playing WC3, it always slows down to 589 MHz and it lags like crazy. I've even set the mode in the "System -> advanced" to "allow for best performance." It still goes down to ~600.

Help please?

Mine does the same thing. Although mine usually sits at 598mhz also I've seen it vary from 2hundred somethin' mhz to 2.1ghz (it's a 1.7).. I've wondered for a while what the story was but I can tell you it's not "solely a heat issue". I just cold booted mine 2 minutes ago (didn't start any apps) and it's still sitting steady @ 598mhz. - in the past I've made adjustments to the Power Mana, plugged/unplugged the AC, started 9 or 10 apps simultaneously, etc but the speed changes seem to be arbitrary. I'd love to have a real answer to this question.

To be honest though, I've never experienced any performance issues/lag no matter what speed it's reading.. but I don't game on the laptop either.

 

[JBT]

Originally posted by: ValuedCustomer

Originally posted by: PetunZ
Is there any way to keep a laptop's clock speed at 1.6GHz (the rated speed)? When I'm playing WC3, it always slows down to 589 MHz and it lags like crazy. I've even set the mode in the "System -> advanced" to "allow for best performance." It still goes down to ~600.

Help please?

Mine does the same thing. Although mine usually sits at 598mhz also I've seen it vary from 2hundred somethin' mhz to 2.1ghz (it's a 1.7).. I've wondered for a while what the story was but I can tell you it's not "solely a heat issue". I just cold booted mine 2 minutes ago (didn't start any apps) and it's still sitting steady @ 598mhz. - in the past I've made adjustments to the Power Mana, plugged/unplugged the AC, started 9 or 10 apps simultaneously, etc but the speed changes seem to be arbitrary. I'd love to have a real answer to this question.

To be honest though, I've never experienced any performance issues/lag no matter what speed it's reading.. but I don't game on the laptop either.

You just need to go into the power management proporties and set it to always on rather than laptop. Always on makes it so if your laptop is plugged into the wall it will run at its full Mhz, if its on laptop it will ussually run at 600 mhz then then jump around to the needed Mhz to do what needs to be done.

 

[ValuedCustomer]

Originally posted by: JBT

Originally posted by: ValuedCustomer

Originally posted by: PetunZ
Is there any way to keep a laptop's clock speed at 1.6GHz (the rated speed)? When I'm playing WC3, it always slows down to 589 MHz and it lags like crazy. I've even set the mode in the "System -> advanced" to "allow for best performance." It still goes down to ~600.

Help please?

Mine does the same thing. Although mine usually sits at 598mhz also I've seen it vary from 2hundred somethin' mhz to 2.1ghz (it's a 1.7).. I've wondered for a while what the story was but I can tell you it's not "solely a heat issue". I just cold booted mine 2 minutes ago (didn't start any apps) and it's still sitting steady @ 598mhz. - in the past I've made adjustments to the Power Mana, plugged/unplugged the AC, started 9 or 10 apps simultaneously, etc but the speed changes seem to be arbitrary. I'd love to have a real answer to this question.

To be honest though, I've never experienced any performance issues/lag no matter what speed it's reading.. but I don't game on the laptop either.

You just need to go into the power management proporties and set it to always on rather than laptop. Always on makes it so if your laptop is plugged into the wall it will run at its full Mhz, if its on laptop it will ussually run at 600 mhz then then jump around to the needed Mhz to do what needs to be done.

ahhhh! the "Power Schemes" drop-down! duh.. thanks for the advice - good thing it wasn't a rattle snake; it would'a bit me!

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Yes but this fellow has a Dell 600m, and it throttles during gaming then goes back to 1.6 ghz. That means its a heat problem, and I happen to be a victim of that too...

 

[PetunZ]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
Uhh thoguht I posted a response but it never showed up???

The problem is caused by your CPU overheating, and so Dell's BIOS throttles you down to 600mhz.

I have had this problem only 3 times (all 2 days ago). I've never seen this in the 1+ yrs since I bought this laptop. My friend with the exact same laptop (except a 1.6GHz Dothan) has experienced throttling MANY MANY times because his laptop was probably defective.

You can:

1) Flash to an oldass BIOS
2) Apply some AS5 (which I may try)
3) Send your laptop to Dell, and they replace your board and CPU. My friend CLAIMS they stuck a Dothan 730 (1.6 GHz on 533 FSB) in for him to replace the 735 (1.6 GHz on 400 FSB). If that is the case I'm going to do this =). But he's a newb and I'll make him CPU-z it first just to be sure.

It's actually a Banias.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Ok ok so my friend had a Dothan 725 and they upgraded him to a Dothan 735. Weird but hahahaha.

Anyways, I'm going to try opening up the case to take alook at the CPU and see what I can do to cool it down.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: PetunZ
Darn. Still laggy. My cpu runs at 1.6Ghz though.

Your cpu dynamically adjusts clock speed, so the game may report it wrong but it should be running at 1.6ghz when needed.

Most likely it was running at 1.6ghz in your games.