[SOLVED] Processor utilization limits to 46%

[Jam Butter]

Guys I have a T430 with 8GB RAM and i5-3320M 2.6Ghz cpu. Battery’s dead and there’s a newer BIOS version but I can’t update it without battery. It was very slow and stuck every time I run a heavy software like visual studio. It is having windows 10 pro and I recently noticed that it limits the CPU utilization to 46% and 1.2Ghz. (I checked the task manager) I did a stress test too. But the CPU graph in task manager shows that it is goes up to 46% and becomes flat. It has all the cores enabled and I tried everything on the internet to fix it but non of them worked. I searched as “processor utilization limits to 46%” and I found the first result on another Thinkpad. I did everything that every site discussions said. Non worked. Please help me to solve this issue. My laptop is useless because of this. Can’t do even a simple task. 😢😢

 

[Lafong]

It has all the cores enabled

Did you manually enable them?

How do you know they are all enabled?

 

[uWebb429]

@Jam Butter
Run ThrottleStop. Clear the BD PROCHOT box. Post screenshots if you need help.

Throttling with a dead battery is common. ThrottleStop can fix that.

 

[Jam Butter]

Did you manually enable them?

How do you know they are all enabled?

In the BIOS settings. The multi core enhancement is enabled in default and it also shows in task manager.

 

[uWebb429]

@Jam Butter
Have you tried running ThrottleStop yet? If you are not going to buy a new battery, using ThrottleStop to disable BD PROCHOT is the only possible way to solve your throttling problem. This blocks the throttling signals from your dead battery telling your CPU to slow down. The Task Manager reports that problem as reduced Utilization.

 

[geofelt]

What is the problem you are trying to solve?
a) Is it that you can't update the bios?
b) Or, is it that performance is not good?

If a) requires a battery to do the job, buy a replacement battery.
Do not buy a "compatible" battery, it may not work because some do not have a chip in it to regulate charging. Buy only a oem legit replacement.
Yes, it will cost double.
Does the bios update seem to address your performance issue, or is this just speculation?

On the performance issue,
Can you post an image of task manager performance/cpu tab
while you are running the stress test.
Select graph to logical tabs.
You should see 4.
46% suggests that you are only using 2 logical threads.

What stress test did you use?
CPU-Z stress is an easy one.

T430 is an oldie but goodie.
I had one for a long time.
8gb is not enough for windows these days.
You can add 8gb easily:
https://www.crucial.com/compatible-upgrade-for/lenovo/thinkpad-t430

Replacing the hard drive with a ssd will be an amazing upgrade in capability.
I used the samsung ssd migration aid to do it.

 

[uWebb429]

46% suggests that you are only using 2 logical threads.

The CPU Utilization data that the Task Manager reports under the Processes tab and the graphs shown under the Performance tab is not the same as CPU usage. The Utilization data is reported based on the CPU running at its base frequency. When an Intel CPU uses turbo boost and runs faster than its base frequency, the Utilization data will be higher than the reported CPU usage. When a CPU is throttling at its minimum speed, the Utilization data will be reported much lower than the CPU usage.

That is the problem @Jam Butter is having. The CPU speed is locked to the minimum speed because of the dead battery issue. The Task Manger reports this as reduced Utilization. Actual CPU usage is only reported under the Task Manager Details tab.

Here is an example. All 20 threads are fully loaded during a TS Bench stress test. ThrottleStop correctly reports this as the CPU spending 99.9% of its time in the C0 state. Because the CPU has been deliberately locked to 800 MHz, look at how the Task Manager Utilization graph reports this. Only 22% Utilization. That does not mean the CPU is not fully loaded. It simple means that the CPU is running below the base frequency.

800 MHz / 3600 MHz = 0.22
Utilization = CPU Usage X 0.22
Utilization = 100% usage X 0.22 = 22%

Utilization data is pretty useless on Intel CPUs that can turbo boost beyond the base frequency or can power limit throttle below the base frequency. Utilization does not tell the whole story and should not be used unless you understand what it is telling you. Everyone likes to assume that the Task Manager Utilization data is the same as CPU usage when the reality is that CPU utilization and CPU usage are two different things.

 

[Jam Butter]

That is the problem @Jam Butter is having. The CPU speed is locked to the minimum speed because of the dead battery issue. The Task Manger reports this as reduced Utilization. Actual CPU usage is only reported under the Task Manager Details tab.

Yeah this is exactly what happened. So, what can I do to solve this issue??

 

[Karadjgne]

Figure out why the cpu is limited to 1.2GHz, instead of the normal 3.3GHz turbo speeds. If the battery is shot, that'd do it. Laptops don't run on line power, they run on battery power at all times. Line voltage is a supplement, over and above charging requirements. So if the battery won't take a charge to full capacity, it will limit the power available.

It's very similar to an alternator/battery in your car. Starter/engine is powered by the battery, the alternator charges the battery plus a little extra, when the motor is running. If the 1000CCA battery is down to 200CCA, the motor is going to turn over Very slowly, if at all, battery charger or not.

 

[uWebb429]

So, what can I do to solve this issue??

Run ThrottleStop. Clear the BD PROCHOT box. Post screenshots if you need help.