Pentium M Centrino switching frequency

[kriztoff]

You could try a program called Centrino Hardware Control. I use it along with Speedfan to control my laptops freqency settings and to monitor temps. There is a setting in the program to fix your frequency and voltage at whatever you want. Just goole it and you should find it no problem.

 

[natty_dread78]

Thxs kriztoff, but I'm a bit afraid to fry my laptop with those tools. If the CPU lowers its frequency because it's too hot, I guess it's not advised to force it to increase it, right ?
Anyways, looks like my problem has found its solution (quite not what I expected, but well..). So thxs to all for your answers,
N_D

 

[ches111]

This is just thermal protection at work. The PROCHOT is registering temps too high and passing that info to the DVS to down clock/down volt your CPU.

Strictly a protection mechanism.

Your processor is just fine.. It is the thermo dynamics of the case/cooling system of your notebook that is at issue. This is a known/common issue with notebooks. People want their notebook to be smaller, with less weight, but MORE powerful.. This means the device case also gets smaller but the proc capabilities also grow.

Intel and AMD both did a fine job with the Pentium M and Turion processors. They run on much less voltage then predecessors, with better performance and with better thermals.

Can't blame either of the two companies for others case designs.

 

[jeff_2087]

You could take it apart and clean the dust out of it, that'd likely help. Depending on how old it is, it likely has some pretty thick dust in there.

 

[ches111]

Kriztoff,

I will try Notebook Hardware Control (the new version of Centrino Hardware Control) found here:

http://www.pbus-167.com/chc.htm

I am hosting a Lan party in "the Cave" 😉 Friday night and I will test it out. I will have one of my buddies use the laptop for a while to see if it down modes!!

 

[ches111]

Kriz,

Playing with that app now... Looks interesting...

Just wonder if its settings are JUST the same thing only different.

I will find out tomorrow night!

 

[aggiebroz]

Yeah it sounds like thermal throttling is activating on your laptop. you should try using the program rmclock to undervolt the cpu and manage power management. you should be able to lower heat output a little or if you have to, you can set the max p-state to the multiplier below max and see if it can run at that speed under load without overheating.

 

[natty_dread78]

That app. (rmclock) looks better than speedswitchXP (no offense to the author). I'll have a look at it. Thxs!
N_D

 

[MU_Engineer]

Thanks for the link! I guess my knowledge of Pentium 4/M thermal management was a little bit out of date.

 

[natty_dread78]

I have confirmation that the low phase is caused by the bus lowering its frequency and not the cpu itself. In a low phase, the bus frequency gets down to 70MHz instead of 133MHz. Here are two screenshots that I took in each phase:
http://www.geocities.com/natty_dread78/LowPhase.JPG
http://www.geocities.com/natty_dread78/NormalPhase.JPG

That explains the cpu frequency going down to 900Mhz with a 13x multiplier. But is this normal behavior ? Is there a way to go around this and is it safe ?
Thxs,
N_D

 

[SuperFly03]

What are your temps? Could you get a screen shot of that too? Just so we can see if it is a throttling issue.

Side note: XP in different languages is funny, your start button is nuts.

Yes... I realize it does say start. 😛

 

[natty_dread78]

For some reason, rmclock fails to read the core temperature. So I installed speedfan and monitored the temperatures in both phases. Here are the screenshots:

http://www.geocities.com/natty_dread78/temperature_normal.JPG
http://www.geocities.com/natty_dread78/temperature_lowPhase.JPG
Apparently, the low phase is not caused by overheating ??? (temp. stays at 62C)

ps: yeah, my windows is in french! 8O I don't like it, but it has to, for my girlfriend doesn't speak english.

 

[SuperFly03]

The only reason I have to think it is a thermal event is because the CPU load stays in the upper 80% range. I don't know if that is the system idle process or what, I don't use rightmark.

Since it is a laptop the CPU temp won't change quickly unless the load is taken off. If it is a straight change in CPU speed without a change in load, the temp will likely stick around until the change in heat output actually makes it through the heatsink.

I really wonder about those loads, what are you doing on the laptop? That is what concerns me.

So in short... I am still perplexed lol.

p.s. my gf's aren't allowed to touch my computers... I am slightly anal about them, plus I haven't met one smart enough to trust to not get viruses on there. :lol:

 

[natty_dread78]

Yes, I think it takes into account the system idle process. I don't know either how rightmark works exactly, but the windows taskmanager shows 98 or so for the idle process. But to make the CPU go in its low phase, I have to load it with a demanding game (e.g. farcry). Otherwise, it remains in the normal phase (1.7GHz).

ps: lol your computerS! How many do u have ? 8O As for me I only have one (well not exactly, but I fried one :? ), so I don't have the choice, I have to share with my girlfriend who doesn't own one...

 

[ches111]

Natty,

I am guessing that this is still a thermal event.

The way speedstep works is:

It will lower the clock speed/bus when it detects that (pay attention here) the CPU is no longer needed at the higher level. So when it detects a down time on the cpu where you no longer need it, the cpu will downclock.

On the other hand when loaded it is supposed to give the full processing power.

You are seeing the opposite of this... You are hitting a thermal event guaranteed.

Do the same test you just did with a fan on the laptop and with it slightly elevated as I told ya before.

I bet you then are able to play for a far greater time. I would be willing to put MUCH money on it as I can demonstrate this same reaction myself.

 

[MU_Engineer]

That and your Vcore and multiplier is still at maximum. If it was anything with SpeedStep, then your Vcore and multiplier would be lowered. How about you read the link about Intel Thermal Monitor that phanboy posted and use the same RightMark software and look at how your CPU behaves. What I'd do is lock it at maximum speed and then let it idle, watching the Vcore temp, and CPU speed over time. If it does not throttle, then put about 50% load on it (again at full speed) and see if it throttles at all, again, watching the Vcore. Finally, load up the CPU at 100% load and then watch for throttling. If the CPU throttles only under heavy loads, then it's almost certainly the thermal monitoring affecting the CPU.

 

[DashW]

Guys, I may have turned up a couple of years too late, but I think I know what the problem is - I have the same issue myself with an Intel Core 2 Duo Centrino Mobile. And I STILL haven't found a way to fix it.

The problem was introduced by Intel to tackle power consumption - it's called Dynamic FSB Frequency Switching, and it's an in-built feature of these processors!

According to Intel:

Dynamic Front Side Bus Frequency Switching technology allows the FSB to be underclocked in order to save power / battery life. Previously, Core™ 2 Duo Mobile processors operated in Low Frequency Mode (LFM) when set for reduced-power operation, but the FSB was kept at full speed. By cutting the FSB speed in half... the Santa Rosa notebooks should be able to save more power than ever before. Intel refers to this combination of chip and FSB underclocking as Super Low Frequency Mode, or SLFM.
Intel Santa Rosa Platform

I've tried a lot to get around this problem! The last release of RightMark Clock (mentioned above) has some rudimentary support for DFFS, but it can't even detect that my CPU has this feature, and development of the tool died over a year ago.

Am I doomed to watch my games slow to a crawl after 10 minutes of play???