What is this on the System Properties display?

[KF]

I was attempting to help some one out that had a notebook computer. Since I have never personally owned a notebook, I saw some odd things which I suppose had to do with that.

On the Control Panel-System -General tab, normally there is the CPU speed and the amount of RAM. On this thing, it had another number in between: 577 MHz if I recall correctly. So what is this? Is it telling me the CPU is running at reduced speed? Is it a buss speed?

It is something like this

Intel Centrino
1400MHz
577
512MB of RAM

If it is the CPU speed, why the heck was it running slow? How and when do notebooks decide to run at slower speeds?

Also: Do notebooks normally have something called "SetConfig" running? Right after this notebook gets done booting, XP give a crash notice referring to this name and says it is shutting it down.

 

[Ronin]

That's intel's speedstep type technology...it's their battery saver, basically. That when the CPU recognizes that there's no need for it to run at higher speeds, it will clock itself down (although I wasn't aware that Centrino's had SpeedStep, as the two that I have don't).

 

[Abhi]

Download SpeedSwitchXP to get better control over the speed of your CPU.

 

[eriqesque]

Well of first of all the proccessor is not a "Centrino" It is a Pentium M and YES they have speedstep all mobile proccessors do.
Centrino is a combination of 3 things Pentium M, 855 chipset and the Intel Pro 2100 wireless card. If you are missing any of these
your machine cannot be branded as CENTRINO. It's a marketing gimmick.
A good one and contains great pieces of hardware but a marketing gimmick.

 

[Ronin]

Originally posted by: eriqesque
Well of first of all the proccessor is not a "Centrino" It is a Pentium M and YES they have speedstep all mobile proccessors do.
Centrino is a combination of 3 things Pentium M, 855 chipset and the Intel Pro 2100 wireless card. If you are missing any of these
your machine cannot be branded as CENTRINO. It's a marketing gimmick.
A good one and contains great pieces of hardware but a marketing gimmick.

Actually, Centrinos don't use SpeedStep, but I appreciate your vigor on the topic. 🙂

 

[eriqesque]

Originally posted by: RoninCS

Originally posted by: eriqesque
Well of first of all the proccessor is not a "Centrino" It is a Pentium M and YES they have speedstep all mobile proccessors do.
Centrino is a combination of 3 things Pentium M, 855 chipset and the Intel Pro 2100 wireless card. If you are missing any of these
your machine cannot be branded as CENTRINO. It's a marketing gimmick.
A good one and contains great pieces of hardware but a marketing gimmick.

Actually, Centrinos don't use SpeedStep, but I appreciate your vigor on the topic. 🙂

Perhaps you should do some research
Intel says they do. Hmmmm
But in your defense I suppose since you insist on calling the Processor a Centrino then your right because there is no such thing as a Centrino Processor.