CPU-Z Anomoly

[ericlund]

So I have a Gateway MX6450 with an AMD Turion 64 ML-37. This, according to Gateway and AMDs website, is a 2.0 Ghz processor. When I run CPU-Z though, it pulls up all the correct information like names and cache sizes, but it says the CPU is running at 800MHZ with a Bus of 200 MHZ and x4 Multiplier. It also has 1 GB of RAM.

Now, I tried restarting the computer and when it came back up it said 2000 MHZ and a x10 multiplier. But...as I work on the computer and then leave it for a while, let it go into standy after a few hours, then come back, wake it up and run CPU-Z, it reads 800MHZ.

I have Windows XP Pro and I turned everything off on the start up menu (including in msconfig) so there is nothing running in the back ground except for my Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2008 and the few drivers needed for the system. I use Thunderbird email and Internet Explorer (The anti-keylogger I have won't work with Mozilla) and pretty much all we do is check email and things on the interenet. It's not used for very intesive processes.

Any idea's on what can be causing this? Is this just a CPU-Z Error or is there a setting on my PC that is screwing something up? Maybe and XP error or does CPU-Z not interface with XP to get the info?

 

[grieve]

Sounds to me like an energy saver mode of some sort.

keep cpu-z open and fire up a game... alt+tab out and see if the multi is @10 again and 2000MHZ

Interesting if the multi can chnge on the fly...no reboot.

 

[stoner133]

Most likely its AMD's Cool & Quiet running. When your computer isn't underload Cool & Quiet reduces the speed of the cpu and fans.

 

[grieve]

There is a list of power managment options here:
http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/Q106/Blade/5959fql.shtml

Follow these steps to change advanced power management settings.

In Windows® XP, from the Start menu, click Control Panel. With Control Panel in Category view, click Performance and Maintenance.

In the Performance and Maintenance window, click the Power Options icon.

In the Power Options Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.

On the Advanced tab, from the Power buttons list, click the power setting mode you want to use.

Click OK.

 

[skittle]

What ever happened to the good ole RTFM?

 

[jeremyrailton]

nobody does, there are at least 5 of these every week.

 

[godless]

What ever happened to the good ole RTFM?

isn't that the truth

 

[ericlund]

I can't RTFM as I don't the FM. I bought it used and have been having trouble finding it this model number on Gateways website.

I looked in BIOS, I looked in Power Options and couldn't find anything. Some one mentioned cool and quiet so now I have another dircetion to look into. Thanks for your help people.

Also, those FM's are written in a way some people might not find very clear. Oh, and I don't know about your manuals, but I pretty sure they won't cover CPU-Z reading mis-matches.

 

[jimmysmitty]

It is Cool'n'Quiet. Thats the reason. It drops to a 4x multiplier to save power and run cooler. If you put your PC under load, like using Prime 95, and watch it when its at 800MHz when the cores get 100% load you will see it shoot up to a 10x multi and 2GHz.

The only way to normaly disable it is in BIOS. If there is no option then Gateway, and knowing how crappy they are and how limited they are, will not let you disable it and you will have to live with it.

Its not a bad thing really and anythime your CPU is under a load, say 20%, it will jump back up to 2GHz. My Q6600 has the same thing, called SpeedStep, and it downclocks to 2GHz (3GHz OC) and will jump up to 3GHz when under about 25-30%.

 

[humalong]

seems that it is working properly, and you should be glad that it runs at 800mhz when not in use. last i looked screen savers dont need 2ghz to run.