Bought CPU but it's not working

dapww

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Dec 27, 2012
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Hey everybody!

I have a question about CPUs.

I bought Intel Core 2 Duo e8400 3.0Ghz CPU but for some reason CPU-z program shows me that my CPU is working only 2,3 Ghz. Does anyone have any idea why it's working like this?
 

patrickthepink

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Jan 16, 2013
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What system have you installed the CPU into? If it is a custom build machine then more often than not you can adjust the CPU clock speed in the system BIOS.
However, if it is a manufactured machine i.e Dell, HP etc then this option is usually disabled in the BIOS for warranty reasons.
A bit of information on the machine would be useful, especially the make and model of your motherboard
 

dapww

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Dec 27, 2012
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Thanks for answering!

Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (Conroe) @ 3,0 GHz
4 x 1 GB ADATA DDR2 @ 667 MHz
ATI Radeon HD 4850 1024 MB
Windows 7 Pro 64-Bit

Actually my mobo should support this CPU.
 

dapww

Honorable
Dec 27, 2012
14
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10,510
Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (Wolfdale) @ 3,0 GHz
4 x 1 GB ADATA DDR2 @ 667 MHz
SAPPHIRE HD 4850 1GB GDDR3
Windows 7 Pro 64-Bit
 

satyamdubey

Distinguished
its intel speed step. it allows for your cpu to reduce it's clock speed when the load is not high. you can download cpu stressing programs like IPDT(Intel processor diagnostic tool) or Prime 95 and run them and see the clock in cpu-z. you will see your cpu going to it's full potential.

good luck
-satyam
 

dapww

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Dec 27, 2012
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Damn! I found out that I have to update my bios upto f14 to have unofficial support for my CPU. Right now my current bios is f13. Could this be the problem why my CPU is not working correctly? But what to you recommend, should I try to update my bios? Because I've heard that it's fairly difficult to do that.
 

dapww

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Dec 27, 2012
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So basicly you are saying that if there is a performance need this intel speed step increases my CPU GHz up to its full potential (3,0 GHz)
 

patrickthepink

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Jan 16, 2013
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Intel SpeedStep will slow down your CPU clock speed when it is not at high load. So when your computer is idle, and all you are running is CPU-Z, then it will probably slow it down to 2.2 or 2.4 because the computer does not currently need the clock speed to be very high. However when you boot up a high demanding application like a game, the clock speed will rise to it's full potential because the computer needs it to be faster. I usually disable SpeedStep to avoid this kind of confusion, as it is more of a power saving function.

You do not need SpeedStep for your CPU to run at full capacity. With it turned on, it will only run at full capacity when it needs to.