Where can I adjust my CPU

Hi,
I am looking for a step by step way to access my CPU performance so I can set the speed higher.
My wife has a hotrod ACER 20" laptop that comes with an ACER management function that allows her to set the performance level of her CPU to any of 6 different levels from Low to Highest. It is easy to access this feature in the ACER power manager. However, I do not have an ACER so I would like to find that feature in XP PRO.
I have gone to Device Manager and double clicked on the processor but no link to adjust the performance rate ever appears, just info about the processor and driver.
If ACER can offer this feature I figure it has to be in there somewhere to find and use for all of us. Any one know where this feature lives?

 

My Toshiba Laptop has a similar utility. But it is a Toshiba Utility designed to work with Toshiba computers. This is not a function of XP. Now XP does see the the processor speed. For example, right now I right-click on My Computer and select Properties and I see the processor is running at 1.06 Ghz. I open Photoshop its now running at 1.32 Ghz.

If I open one more application it will be at 1.73 Ghz. If I uninstall this Utility the processor will not adjust. I believe this utility is designed to conserve battery power in my laptop.

I believe that your Acer has a similar utility for the same reason

 

Hi Ranger SVO,
Thank you for responding to my query.
Actually, my wife's ACER does have a function that is a readout and another that is a graph that lets her know how her CPU is running but it also has another feature that allows her to change the CPU's base speed value at 6 different speeds.
I have experimented with it and on the low speed her computer takes its time running applications and I can only open a few different windows in Internet Explorer. The higher I raise the speed the quicker the applications start to work. At the highest speed it is lightning fast and I can actually open Internet Explorer in 12 different windows and they all run fast and clean simultaneously.

I am trying to find where my CPU settings are so I can adjust them and in a sense slightly overclock or at least max up safely the CPU so I can get more out of my coumputer.

 

As Ranger posted this is not an XP function.

It may be (quite likely) that your system does not support this setting.

Even if your computer can adjust settings overlocking can led to an unstable system and possibly hardware failure.

 

I am curious as to how XP does not have that function yet my wife's ACER does? Her ACER has XP as an OS. It had to access the CPU settings somehow in order to be able to attach this feature.

As far as overclocking goes I have had her computer set to the highest of the 6 settings for 2 years, it has never faltered and has shown no signs of instability. Maybe I will go to ACER and see if they sell this feature.

 

It's a hardware feature, nothing at all to do with the OS. How am I able to watch TV on my desktop but not my laptop (perhaps because there is a TV card in the desktop)

Because it's not being overclocked, it's running at maximum speed but not going above. What you suggested earlier was pushing your system beyond maximum.

 

I want to be able to run my CPU at maximum at times when I need it and less when I am doing normal, less demanding functions. Which is something I can do with my wife's ACER.
Is there a hardware I can buy that gives me that option?

 

Perhaps if you tell us what system you have we could help?

Make and model please?

 

All Acer does is access the Speedstep function on a mobile processor. It's just for power management. The function is in the BIOS, but Acer uses software to scale it back in the OS.

 

Hi Wildfire,
My system is a mutt I built. I am running an ASUS P4X800D-X Motherboard. The rest of the PC is listed under the text line.
What other info do you need?

Thanks for the tech info aweston I figured ACER had to have a way to do that. I was hoping they had that function available for a price.

Thanks PeteC I guess my next project should be an AMD build.

 

Actually, it's not particular to AMD.. Intel actually came out with it first. They named theirs "Speedstep ", AMD named their version "Cool 'n Quiet ". It's actually the same thing.

Go into your BIOS and you should see options there.

 

If you go back and search the BBS archives, you can probably find more on this subject. What you've read in this thread is accurate but there are some motherboard manufacturers that include optional monitoring and performance enhancing software utilities on their driver discs. Some of this does get into overclocking.

Some years ago I used a program called SoftFSB to overclock a 200 MHz Winchip CPU on my very own hacked Netpliance or I-Opener. I spent a few hundred bucks and countless hours to convert a proprietary network appliance into a fully functioning networked Win98 machine and did everything possible to maximize performance. That puppy still runs like a watch.

Let's establish one thing first. Any serious overclocking is best done through the BIOS and that assumes one has a CPU that can be overclocked without considerable modification. I do not endorse any of these "software" approaches to overclocking. Having said that, here's a link to Tom's Hardware and more on software overclocking utilities. Basically, most of these utilities are going to try to increase the front side bus. As a note of caution, I personally wouldn't encourage any of this without having access to some form of Torture Testing or Burn-In software because speed without stability and I mean Rock Solid Stability, is worthless. Unless one can run for several hours at full load with no errors, the effort is meaningless.

The best guidance you could get would suggest buying a new computer if you think yours is too slow for your current needs. And, if its speed you want, you won't be buying an Acer. There is an exception to this among Acer Laptops and its their Ferrari brand.

 

Hey Rockster2U,
Thank you for the valuable links and information. I will check everything out.
I actually do not want to overclock.
Here is the untold story.

My wife's used laptop is a top of their line (in 2006) ACER. It is the big 20" screen with Centrino Duo T2600 CPU 2.16 GB. With only 2 GB of Ram. This thing is still a beast.

Crystal clear visuals, N'Vidia Geforce Go 7600 graphics card and lightning fast. A bit of money to buy but well worth it as far as performance and dependability goes.

I use it daily to open multiple Internet Explorer windows to work in 8 different sites. Never a problem. Recently my wife converted/transferred about 50 music CD's to her laptop and then uploaded them to a new portable music player.
After she did this transfer I went on the laptop to do my normal business and noticed the computer was suddenly very slugish and I could only open 3 IE windows at a time and they were painfully slow.
I went investigating on her ACER Power Manager and found a feature I never knew was there that runs the CPU speed. I noticed the speed options were ranging from Low to Highest with a total of 6 selections in between. Her speed was indicated as LOW.

I reset the CPU speed to highest and the Laptop went right back to it's stable yet fast performance and has run normal since.

Why am I telling you this?
Because the exact same thing happened to my desktop awhile ago. I used to be able to open 9 windows in IE with no slow down. Now opening 4 is a major burden.

I figure the laptop simply stepped down my wife's laptop when she was putting such an intense burden on the functions and after the uploading was over it was up to her to put the CPU back where she wanted it.

I must have played a game or did something to make a demand that somehow did this same thing to my desktop. but I don't know where to go to reset the CPU speed on my PC. So this is what I am asking to find out about. Where can I go to get my CPU back up to normal speed?

 

Thanks for that information - its more indicative of the true symptoms of what ails your machine. First the obligatory - lets get rid of unnecessary temp files. Get something like ATF Cleaner or CleanUp!, install either one and run it. As a rule, I usually keep cookies but its your option with both programs. Either one of these can do a much better and faster job than one can do manually.

Then one could run a CHKDSK followed by Defragmenting the system drive. If you are running XP, I'd then suggest a little program by Michael Lin called StartUpCPL - it runs from the control panel and will permit one to pare back programs running on Start Up by toggling them on or off. A reboot is required after any change is made but its a simple program to run. At the other end of the spectrum is SIW, which goes much further but is more difficult (and dangerous) for some users.

Once you've done that, post back and let us know whats going on re: speed and performance. I would be very skeptical about disabling any Services or trying to "Tweak Your Way" to optimization by playing around in the registry. Most who follow that route eventually find themselves on a path of no return. Lets stay focused on some fundamental tasks before we start looking at anything radical.



edited after thought: While you are at it, you might want to go into your Browser and under tools, take a look at manage add-ons and get rid of any 3rd party toolbars and other unnecessary stuff. Then come on back after a good test drive.

 

Hi Rockster,
I do have the ATF Cleaner.exe and run it everytime I end a program or log off a site. I also have Spybot S&D and Adaware Anniversary Edition I run every few days, as well as run AVG twice a week.
I Disk Cleanup and Defrag every boot up and before I shut down daily.

I am very curious as to what would make my performance go from being able to open 9 IE windows and work without problems to only being able to open 3 IE windows with slow functioning.

The games I am trying to play are not very system demanding games yet they will pop up a "Break' or "Ignore" window in the middle of the game after about 15 minutes of play. Seems like my cache has been reduced to the point where it does not have much support.

Everything changed at some point from a well run fast PC to a sluggish, tempermental PC. I haven't changed any settings anywhere, just cleaned the files as usual but still can't get back to normal.

 

Speedfan is an excellent tool for diagnosing certain performance problems. In particular you'll want to take a look at the temperatures and S.M.A.R.T. status reports.

 

Before moving on, verify that all is well in device manager.

OK, I guess that was all pretty basic, forgive me as I didn't expect the level of proficiency you demonstrate. Lets not overlook those applications running on startup and the toolbars and add-ons. If you are running TeaTimer in search and destroy, I'd disable it and personally, I haven't installed AdAware on anything since they departed from a stand alone scanner (SE Version). If you installed the AVG 8 toolbar, that can go too and if you are trying to run a scan in the background (will see second AVG Icon with white triangle) in the notification bar, kill it - it's a show stopper. Schedule your scans for some time other than when you want to use the machine - AVG is real bad in this sense. Ditto on Windows Updates or Microsoft Updates.

Now, if no relief, I'd run an online Virus scan with ESET or Kaspersky and follow that with ComboFix. ComboFix is a very powerful tool but sUBs, the author is nothing short of genius. If it removes a lot of files, start a thread over in Malware Removal for proper follow-up.

That gives you a little more to chew on. Let us know how its going.

 

If I may put my two cents worth in on this, first up in regards to adjusting the CPU Gigabyte have a Utility where you can regulate the sped of your CPU down or up to Overclock, but as far as I know ASUS only comes with a Utility to monitor your Voltages and Fan speed and temps.
But as you say you are not interested in overclocking you will not need any of this. If you download and install CPU-Z from here: http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php
It will show you the CPU P4 2.8 that you have installed and also indicate the MHz it is running at including the Multiplier set in the BIOS.
I am very confident that you would find your CPU is running at its stock speed of 2800MHz and therefore there is no need to increase your speed unless you desire to overclock. In my humble opinion this is not a hardware issue.
If you have followed Rocksters instructions and are absolutely 110% sure you have no Viruses or Malware I would think back as to what software you had been using before the problem started.
You have a lot of protection installed including AVG and if you have Nero as well it is not uncommon for Nero to corrupt itself.
I would disconnect my Internet and uninstall some of the programs one by one rebooting after each and testing the performance as you know what it should be, a corrupted AV or Nero can slow you down just as you describe and turning up the speed of the CPU to compensate is not productive. I know this sounds like a lot of work and might be a pain in the butt, but then having Machine running at top performance has its occasional hic-up.