Laptop issue: my laptop is underclocked

[brainiac]

Ok, I figured I'd just post this here before I step it up a notch and post it on a technical forum, mainly because I feel like this is really stupid and should have an easy fix.

Basically, my laptop runs great. Except when I'm trying to do intensive stuff things just seem to be really slow.

Turns out, the cpu is running at minimum speed (1.2ghz) like it would in power saving mode. I've got a Dell Studio 1535, with the latest bios, chipset drivers, and I'm running Windows 7 RC.

I tried disabling speed step in bios, but that didn't seem to have any effect. Neither did creating a new power management configuration and setting it to full speed all the time (even when on battery).

See screenshot below:

Really annoying when my fiance's 3 yr old laptop outperforms mine. Can anybody think of something I'm missing?

edit: I also want to add that it does not speed up when doing intensive things. When under heavy load it stays slow, and I can verify that as the temperature does not increase nor does the fan go all nuts like it should.

 

[Krugerr]

i have a similar problem on my laptop which causes EQ to run in slowmotion, caused by AMD cool'n'Quiet in my case. except there isnt an option to turn it off lol. my cpu is permanently throtteling up and down. regardless of power settings. stupid alienware peice o crap

 

[Mojo420]

From everything I know and what my Professor told me, that is a option for the Mobile CPU. There is a utility to remove the underclock but I cant seem to find it at the present moment, If i do find it i'll post a link.

Just know that I have heard this before, quite a few times.

 

[Owned]

Could it be a heat issue on the Load that is stepping it down?

 

[JimJohnson]

Read his edit at the lower part of his post. Heat is not changing.

 

[devestator]

I can't remember if it is in windows xp or not but in Windows 7 if you go into your power options -> change plan settings -> advanced plan settings

There are two settings Minimum Processor State and Maximum Processor State that should have a battery and pluged in option. These settings are a % of max cpu power under that condition.

You can see if you have those settings in your OS and what it is set to, bump it up to 100% if it's lower and it should correct your problem.

If that dosn't do it let me know and I'll load xp on a spare laptop drive and pop it in my laptop to see if I can find a solution for you

 

[JimJohnson]

If that dosn't do it let me know and I'll load xp on a spare laptop drive and pop it in my laptop to see if I can find a solution for you

I'm running Windows 7 RC.

 

[brainiac]

I can't remember if it is in windows xp or not but in Windows 7 if you go into your power options -> change plan settings -> advanced plan settings

There are two settings Minimum Processor State and Maximum Processor State that should have a battery and pluged in option. These settings are a % of max cpu power under that condition.

You can see if you have those settings in your OS and what it is set to, bump it up to 100% if it's lower and it should correct your problem.

If that dosn't do it let me know and I'll load xp on a spare laptop drive and pop it in my laptop to see if I can find a solution for you

I did this already. no affect (see first post).

 

[jamie75]

its probbly Intel marketing. you get 2 1.1ghz cores for a total of 2.x duo.....

maybe try booting ubuntu from a disk and see how it registers

 

[brainiac]

Intel isn't that stupid. the frequency of two cores isn't additive.



Posting from my Ubuntu 9.04 partition, the cpu is running at the correct speed (and is warmer too), so it looks like a windows thing.

 

[htw]

Might try NHC, dunno if it'll work in win7, can give it a try. Sounds like ACPI driver issue to me.

htw

http://www.pbus-167.com/nhc/download/nhc_2.0_pre_release_06_Bugfix.zip

 

[Sassycoco]

will it move to 2.1 when there is a load on the cpu

 

[Zero0003]

How out curious can you post a screenshot of the 2nd core. Right click near the lower speed and select the other core.