Multiplier oscillates

[Beige]

Well recently my laptop's multiplier started going down dramatically for some reason. Now while i describe my computers stats dont laugh because im not a gamer or even a person that messes with media on it.

Anyway my multiplier is supposed to be at 12.5 giving me 1667.6 mhz but recently it started to go down to 9.0 only giving 1200.1 mhz. I know that the multiplier does not always stay the same the whole time and that it goes up and down a little but ithink losing over 400 mhz of speed is too much of a gap. Anyone know why this happens?

Also, I tried going into my bios but the settings i was given had nothing to do with multipliers of technical stuff. The type of screens only allowed me to change some setting that have nothing to do with that kind of stuff. Also the colors were like blue and gray on that screen. I dont know ifits supposed to be a black screen with white font only or something. Oh and btw I have a Sony Vaio if that helps.

 

[Atheus]

Could be throttling due to heat, or just to conserve power.

 

[Severian]

we'd need more specific info to be of more help to you, like cpu type, etc. If it's an Athlon64, for example, the Cool-n-Quiet technology built into the chip works exactly as you described. It throttles back the cpu's speed by dropping the multiplier and thus, overall cpu speed, to conserve power when it isn't needed. Intel cpu's have similar technology called SpeedStep.

 

[Beige]

It's an AMD Athlon XP 32 bit with AMD Powernow Technology. Dont know how much that helps.

 

[deathwalker]

Well that pretty much tips the tea cup. What you are seeing is pretty much typical. You can disable the power saving feature usually in one of a couple of ways if you feel its really necessary..1. in the bios 2. control panel power options change to Home/office desk.

 

[Wnh5001]

so u guys are saying it definetly a power problem? and can go into bios to change it? i have a friend whos gateway athlon 2400 xp goes up and down from 540 to 2000

 

[BadThad]

Originally posted by: Beige
It's an AMD Athlon XP 32 bit with AMD Powernow Technology. Dont know how much that helps.

It's supposed to do that, helps the system run cooler and conserve battery power.

 

[deathwalker]

Originally posted by: Wnh5001
so u guys are saying it definetly a power problem? and can go into bios to change it? i have a friend whos gateway athlon 2400 xp goes up and down from 540 to 2000

Wait...it's not a "problem". It's the exact thing you should expect from AMD powernow technology. As stated before, if it bothers you..disable it. Either in the bios or Power options in the Control Panel.