I don't get it

[beauknowsdiddly]

I just bought a Compaq nc6000 with XP on it for 200 bucks and it seems okay but I'm not quite sure about the processor speed. In my computer properties it says, processor 1400MHz but there's another number under it that keeps changing. I've seen it say 354, 500 and 700MHz. I've installed XP many times and have never seen that second number before. I'm thinking that maybe it has something to do with usage, but obviously I'm not as technically inclined as I'd like. So what's that second number represent, what's the processor speed and do you think it's worth 200 bucks?

Thank You,

BeauKnowsDiddly 🙂

 

[Motopsychojdn]

go into control panel, click system.

It lists your proc speed on there, I'm not sure where your going to see the info you posted but if you have speedstep enabled, it will throttle the chips performance to about 600Mhz

 

[beauknowsdiddly]

Well thank you for that but it doesn't really answer my question. If I go to cntrl panel and click system it briings me to the same place. and yes the processor is listed as I stated in my original post. and what do you mean you don't know where I'm going to see the info I posted? You're confusing, lol.

 

[beauknowsdiddly]

Okay I got it, get Speedstep. So are you telling me that the first number, the 1400MHz, is the Max speed and the second number is what??? Every computer I've ever had the numbers were always the same.

 

[Shadow703793]

It's a form of power management. The first number listed is your Max CPU speed. The second is either the current CPU speed.

To double check, download Prime 95 and CPUZ. Check CPUZ speed when at idle and with Prime 95 Small FFT. The Speed should hit the Max speed when running P95.

 

[beauknowsdiddly]

Okay great! Can someone please give me a link to download speedstep?

 

[beauknowsdiddly]

Okay I found it in Bios, disabled it and now both numbers read the same. Is that what I was suppose to do to make it run it's fastest? If so, what's the point of speedstep?

 

[Motopsychojdn]

As Shadow mentioned, its a power management thing, See:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpeedStep for more info,

It allows you to use maximum power when you need to, and it winds things down when you dont, to save power usage (environment awareness etc ) Amd have Cool and Quiet as thier version,
But yes, as both numbers now read the same, you will have your proc speed at a set speed now.