Where does mobo get cpu frequency, multiplier, voltage data? CPU or BIOS?

[bgc99]

Does the mobo get the frequency, multiplier, voltage settings it uses when everything is set to auto from the cpu itself or is that info. stored in the bios?

Either way, is there a program that will allow me to see what these values are for my cpu so I can compare to what is actually being used by the mobo?

Thanks,
BGC

 

[Acanthus]

The info is passed from the CPU to the BIOS. This is done in various ways.

What exactly are you asking for?

CPU-Z will tell you the model, stepping, VID, default QPI or HTT, and some other information about your CPU.

 

[bgc99]

I'm mainly interested to know what the default(auto) value for the processor voltage is. Not the actual reading but what the cpu says it should be.

Thanks,
BGC

 

[Jd007]

By default the motherboard only feeds the CPU what it asks for ("what the CPU says it should be"). These basic information are stored as special instructions in the CPU (eg. CPUID), and when your computer first turns on, the motherboard reads from these instructions and sets the voltages etc automatically (unless you manually change the setting eg. for overclocking)

 

[bgc99]

By default the motherboard only feeds the CPU what it asks for

So how do I find out what that value is?

BGC

 

[Jd007]

So how do I find out what that value is?

BGC

Have the voltage setting on auto, without any OC, the voltage you see supplied by the motherboard is what the CPU is asking for. You can check the value in the BIOS or using a utility like CPU-Z (though to get a "true" highest voltage in CPU-Z you need to put some load on your CPU or disable any power saving features).

 

[EarthwormJim]

I'm not so sure that actual values for each of those settings are sent by the CPU. The CPU has an ID and the motherboard matches that ID up with stored values. That's why when a new CPU is released, motherboards need a bios update.

CPUID HW Monitor will give you quite a few voltage readings including CPU core.

 

[bgc99]

I'm not so sure that actual values for each of those settings are sent by the CPU. The CPU has an ID and the motherboard matches that ID up with stored values. That's why when a new CPU is released, motherboards need a bios update.

CPUID HW Monitor will give you quite a few voltage readings including CPU core.

That's what I thought, exactly because of the point about bios updates for new cpus.

The hardware monitoring programs like cpu-z and cpuid hw monitor show the voltage measurements that the bios reports as the actual current voltage, not what the default for the particular cpu is listed at. There may not be an easy way to find out what that value is.

Thanks,
BGC

 

[Acanthus]

That's what I thought, exactly because of the point about bios updates for new cpus.

The hardware monitoring programs like cpu-z and cpuid hw monitor show the voltage measurements that the bios reports as the actual current voltage, not what the default for the particular cpu is listed at. There may not be an easy way to find out what that value is.

Thanks,
BGC

If you bought a retail processor, the VID should be on the box. This is the "default" voltage the cpu will request.

 

[bgc99]

If you bought a retail processor, the VID should be on the box. This is the "default" voltage the cpu will request.

Thanks, hope I don't have to go dumpster diving to find it. LOL

BGC

 

[bgc99]

Found the box, the VID isn't on it. The processor is an AMD Athlon II X4 630, the only thing I could find on the AMD site listed a wide range of voltage but not a default.

BGC

 

[Acanthus]

Found the box, the VID isn't on it. The processor is an AMD Athlon II X4 630, the only thing I could find on the AMD site listed a wide range of voltage but not a default.

BGC

Ugh. I can't think of an app that will show the VID.