CPU Speed Locked?

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Hokiefyd

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I have observed using CPU ID and HWiNFO that the CPU speed on my Compaq laptop never changes. It's a constant ~1700 MHz. The CPUs in my other machines tend to throttle themselves down at lower loads. In playing with HWiNFO this afternoon, I see that it reports the CPU speed on this laptop as "locked":

Code:


CPU LFM (Minimum): 800.0 MHz = 6 x 133.3 MHz @ 1.2625 V

CPU HFM (Maximum): 1733.3 MHz = 13 x 133.3 MHz @ 1.2625 V [Locked]

CPU Current: 1728.9 MHz = 13 x 133.0 MHz @ 1.2625 V


It looks like the CPU, a...

Code:


CPU Brand Name: Intel(R) Celeron(R) M CPU 430 @ 1.73GHz

CPU Vendor: GenuineIntel

CPU Stepping: C0

CPU Code Name: Yonah-V

CPU S-Spec: SL92F, SL92B

CPU Thermal Design Power (TDP): 27 W

CPU Type: Production Unit

CPU Platform: mPGA478/mBGA479 (Micro-FCPGA/FCBGA)

Microcode Update Revision: 39


...has the ability to throttle itself down to 800 MHz. However, mine never throttles, and it appears that it's because it's "locked" at full speed. User-selectable options in the BIOS of this machine are few and far between. Are there any software/OS routes I have to throttle this CPU down when not under load? It seems like a waste of battery and heat to run the CPU at full speed with no load.
 
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Originally Posted By: Throt
The idea of a locked CPU speed seems crazy to me as well. Apple has even programmed OS X to lower the CPU speed between key strokes.


We're talking an over 10 year old CPU.
 
Originally Posted By: Throt
The idea of a locked CPU speed seems crazy to me as well. Apple has even programmed OS X to lower the CPU speed between key strokes.


Any OS that can take advantage of that feature, will. There is no difference between the Intel CPU found in an Apple product and the same part # found in a Compaq/Dell/HP/Lenovo/ASUS...etc.
 
Originally Posted By: Throt
The idea of a locked CPU speed seems crazy to me as well. Apple has even programmed OS X to lower the CPU speed between key strokes.


SpeedStep was built into the OS X kernel in OS X 10.4 Tiger which is ever so coincidentally the time when Apple began the migration to Intel processors. This is also due to the fact that Intel-based Mac's are generally mid to high end Intel processors which all would have the Intel SpeedStep technology.
 
What is the model of this Compaq laptop? Maybe gut the CPU and throw in an eBay Core 2 Duo?
 
This is a Compaq Presario C300. It is a Socket M, and could theoretically use up to a Core 2 Duo. It's reported as a Yonah processor, and the Core Solo and Duo are Yonah as well...so at least a Core Solo or Core Duo should be a direct swap I'd think.

The Celeron M 430 is a 27W TDP processor, and the Core Duo T2xxx maxes out at 31W TDP according to Wikipedia, so I don't think I should have any concern with heat there, right?

I'm not sure if I could swap in any of the Mobile Core 2 Duos and have it be compatible. Those would be Merom and Penryn series processors.
 
As others have mentioned, have you tried checked your power profile to ensure that it isn't set to high performance? You can also try to run TrottleStop to see if you can force it into a the lowest multiplier.

As for upgrading, double check your processor using Intel's CPU tool to identify it. From your OP, it could have two S-SPECs. One of them is FCBGA (Flip-Chip BALL Grid Array) which means it could be soldered. The ball part is the portion they solder. The other is FCPGA (Pin). Those are the sockets, upgradable. The other warning about upgrading is making sure that the BIOS supports the microcode. Without it, even if you upgrade and it boots it may not throttle the fans or speed properly... at least until it boots into Windows and TrottleStop takes over.
 
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Mine uses a PGA-ZIF socket, so the processor is physically upgradeable. Like you said, whether or not a faster processor will work with the hardware (BIOS, etc) may be a different story...
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: Throt
The idea of a locked CPU speed seems crazy to me as well. Apple has even programmed OS X to lower the CPU speed between key strokes.


We're talking an over 10 year old CPU.


I was able to throttle my AMD K3 mobile chip in my late 90s compaq laptop.
 
It looks like, from the HP/Compaq service manual (http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00753552.pdf), that this series of laptop came with any of the following processors:

Intel Celeron 420 (1.60-GHz)
Intel Celeron 430 (1.73-GHz)
Intel Core Duo T1400 (1.83-GHz)
Intel Core Duo T2050 (1.60-GHz)
Intel Core Duo T2250 (1.73-GHz)
Intel Core Duo T2300 (1.60-GHz)

My conclusion is that any of those would be a direct swap with this computer, and all should play well with the hardware.

It also says that it came with 256 MB of RAM, though I swear mine had 512 MB new. It has 2 GB now, but it's funny to read specs of older computers sometimes.
 
This is Intel's definition of Enhanced SpeedStep:

Quote:
"Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery."


My processor doesn't have Enhanced SpeedStep, but it also doesn't have even basic SpeedStep, now apparently called Demand Based Switching, which they define as such:

Quote:
"Intel Demand Based Switching is a power-management technology in which the applied voltage and clock speed of a microprocessor are kept at the minimum necessary levels until more processing power is required. This technology was introduced as Intel SpeedStep Technology in the server marketplace."


'Guess I'm completely out of luck in terms of throttling with this processor.
 
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