Is it bad to have CPU at 100% ?

[ultimatefighter]

In the performance log i can have it set on performance, recommended, and power saver. When i put in on performance, my log says CPU is at 100% maximum frequency. Is this bad. When it is on recommended it is at 54%.

 

[rgeist554]

As long as your CPU remains within a reasonable temperature, you're fine. If your CPU is at 100% usage for no apparent reason... then you've definitely got malware.

Now that I think about it... are you talking about your clock speed? Like 2.4 Ghz or something? If so, I'm guessing you're using speed step or cool n' quiet, which is a good thing. It's there to reduce power consumption as well as your clock speed when you're idle and save you money. As soon as the extra CPU power is needed, this feature is disabled and it will go back to it's full speed. If you disable this and run your CPU at it's stock frequency, that is perfectly fine. Just watch your temps if you're overclocking.

 

[ultimatefighter]

No. This is from my performance log. Something to do with power consumption. I know nothing about OCing or tweaking of anything so i was trying to mess around. I want to learn how to get into OCing and all of that, but nobody will answer. I have an NVidia 8400GS and can't find how to change speeds on there control panel. I can tweak alittle on the panel, but nothing about changing speeds or anything.

 

[jimmysmitty]

It sounds like he has a Asus mobo with their performance throttle program and what it does is lowers the CPU multiplier depending on what setting. So Power Saving will be at 6x(for a Intel C2Q/C2D for example), Reccomended will probably be at 7x and Performance will keep it at 9x.

The other way it would work is if its older than a Core 2 it would lower and raise the FSB. For instance, I used it with my P4 EE. On performance the FSB would be the full 200MHz effective 800MHz so it would run at 3.4GHz. But on power save it would lower the FSB. All in Windows too.

So in relative theory, if I am correct, its fine. It just means its running at its max speed instead of a lower speed. Wont hurt it a bit. Now if it was always 100% load and running extremely hot then that would be bad.

Don't worry about a thing. Your CPU will be fine. I run mine at 2.7GHz(300MHz above its stock 2.4GHz) about 90% of the time and nothing bad happens. It just runs uber fast.

 

[monst0r]

No. This is from my performance log. Something to do with power consumption. I know nothing about OCing or tweaking of anything so i was trying to mess around. I want to learn how to get into OCing and all of that, but nobody will answer. I have an NVidia 8400GS and can't find how to change speeds on there control panel. I can tweak alittle on the panel, but nothing about changing speeds or anything.

yea, don't worry about the cpu running @ 100% max frequency.. it should when its calculating something..
overclocking your gpu won't really allow you to play games if thats what your leaning towards, its much to weak. what cpu do you have? what are your temps? people won't help you until you state these things..

 

[ultimatefighter]

I have a new Dell Inspiron 530S. Intel Duo Core CPU E4500@ 2.2GHz. I guess the problem is...I don't know the temp or how to check it. I tried to, but i can't find anything!!! The GPU raised my gaming graphics in Vista from 3.3-4.4

 

[monst0r]

ah, ok i see, ITS A DELL, :\
try downloading speedfan for temps.

 

[ultimatefighter]

I have CPU power set on "performance" and it is at 38 degrees celcius. Good or bad?

 

[Shadow703793]

^38C is pretty cool.

 

[monst0r]

try loading it up with orthos to see what temps you get..im sure youll be fine. by the way you won't be able to OC the cpu in that dell board, they have a locked bios. you'd need to get a new motherboard, but from the looks of it, try reading up a bit more before that. look around the forums there's a lot of helpful posts

once again, you would need a new card if you want to play modern games with that PC.

 

[ultimatefighter]

Thanks for the replies. I am not an avid gamer. So, i don't play any intense games. Is there no OCing the card though?

 

[jbj190]

The CPU cannot be OC'd but the GPU can.

 

[nvalhalla]

you need rivatuner. google "overclock with rivatuner" and you should find some tutorials. for the life of me I have no idea what you are talking about for your cpu. performance log? is this within a program? what is it calulating that is using 100% of your cpu?

 

[rgeist554]

Yeah, I don't know what the performance log is unless it's some proprietary CPU monitoring software.

what is it calulating that is using 100% of your cpu?

As for this. He means that it's running at it's max frequency (ex. 2.2Ghz), not that all of his CPU time is being used up.

His performance log, or whatever it is, must have some kind of speed step options that allow him to turn it on or off. When on "recommended", speed step is likely enabled so it lowers the multiplier for him, so he may see 1.8 Ghz or something, while performance is going to just max out the multiplier so it's always running at 2.2Ghz. Hope that clears it up.

 

[ultimatefighter]

Start-control panel-system-windows experience index-advanced tools-open reliability and performance monitor. It shows...
1. CPU 2% 100% maximum frequency.
2. Disk 0 KB/sec 0% highest active time.
3. Network 0 kbps 0% network utilization,
4.Memory 0 hard faults/sec 40% used physical memory.

 

[ultimatefighter]

So now i go back into performance information and tools. I can now adjust power usage. When i put it on performance my CPU is at 100% max frecuency like now. If i set it at "recommended" it says CPU is at 54% max frequency.

 

[monst0r]

oh hes using vista...ok makes sense now
listen...read all the other replies, theres no problem its just speedstep..

 

[ultimatefighter]

OK. Thanks for all the help.

 

[ultimatefighter]

you need rivatuner. google "overclock with rivatuner" and you should find some tutorials. for the life of me I have no idea what you are talking about for your cpu. performance log? is this within a program? what is it calulating that is using 100% of your cpu?

OK. I downloaded RivaTuner v2.0 RC14.3, but there are no sliders for me to move for OCing. What now?

 

[chaosgs]

The CPU cannot be OC'd but the GPU can.

The board may be locked, but so is mine. I downloaded Ntune and oc'd my Cpu easily.

 

[datmantran]

LOL... I think ultimatefighter needs to do a little more reading before you guys suggest that he plays with RivaTuner and Ntune...

Read more stuff on forums about how to OC. You have all stock cooling equipment in your DELL, so it won't take to OCing very well. And if you burn anything out, I'm sure DELL won't fix it for you. Patience, grasshopper!

 

[ultimatefighter]

The board may be locked, but so is mine. I downloaded Ntune and oc'd my Cpu easily.

I guess so. I downloaded NTune also. Everytime i move the slider and hit APPLY, it flashes and goes right back to stock settings...weird.

 

[yay]

Yer, read up about ocing, its a life lesson that one

 

[dragonsprayer]

is it bad for your coffee maker to brew at 100% no
is bad for your toliet to flush at 100% no 100% swirls work best!

same with a cpu

its not like a car engine there is no moving parts!

is it bad for your microwave to run on high or 100% - no ---- same thing!

 

[San Pedro]

Don't bother overclocking your GPU, it's never going to be a gaming graphics card. If you plan on playing games with good settings and good resolution you need to get a new graphics card.