On my i8200 nothing has worked, including reinstalling the OS, installing the fix from M$, or speedswitch XP (it runs but it detects the max processor speed as half of the actual max.) One interesting fact is that when my system is really choking and the fan is going nuts and I press Fn-z I get a momentary surge in performance, the fans shut off, and the proc speed jumps to full. Then it drops back down, and eventually the fans kick back on. Weird.
I understand not wanting to pay for what you can't use - I spent lots of money to upgrade from an 8100 to the i8200, then spent quite a bit of time compensating for the fact that the 8200 shipped with some inferior parts (I switched the touchpad, which required me to switch keyboards and even remove and switch the connectors that plug into the motherboard.) All this, and my processor runs at the same speed as it did on the 8100. I could have saved myself some time and money by just upgrading the RAM and the display to an ultrasharp. And because of the graphics work I do, not having that processing power really impacts my ability to work. Like you, I need it!
jello: I've used speedswitchxp on my inspiron 600m and it works as advertisd. You can set it to run 100% cpu on ac adapter and it will do it just like you asked. I've tested this by running benchmarks and it indeed is running at the advertised speed. i would recommend using it or at least trying it and seeing if you like it. It def. helped my system.
I used speedswitch on my 1.6 ghz I8200 and it worked perfectly. I upgraded to a 2.4 ghz processor and speedswitch works horribly. It keeps my cpu at 1.2 ghz all the time its on battery power. I am going to install the new version of SpeedswitchXP tonight and see if I get better results.
Out of curiousity, would the people who successfully drive a cpu greater than 1.7 ghz to its top speed while on battery power please let me know what your settings are on page 6 of the bios. I'd like to see if my power settings in the bios are the same as yours.
I'd like to give you the info but on an i5150 there is no page number that you specified in your post. In fact Dell has completely emasculated the F2 key in the 5150. The only things available are machine (as opposed to Win XP/2000) passwords and the boot order.
Specify your machine and processor and perhaps someone can help you.
Go ahead and purchase the Inspiron 5150 - I have one and solved the processor speed issue. Here are the details - When I refer to "My Computer", the processor is listed as Mobile Intel Pentium 4, 3.06 GHz, when I refer to Norton Utilities, the speed is listed as 1.6 GHz. So, I contacted Dell Tech Support. No one seemed to understand the issue.
On the 14th. call, per the tech's recommendation, I downloaded and installed Speedswitch XP. When I select the Max. Performance option on AC power, the processor runs at 3.06 GHz - the Dynamic Switching (Intel feature) also runs the processor at 3.06 GHz (on AC power) but, on an as-needed basis. On battery power, the speed is dropped down to 1.6 GHz.
When I select "Show CPU Data", the display will include real-time speed and load graphs and data. Now I am convinced that the CPU can and does run at 3.06 GHz contrary to what Norton Utilities or Windows states.
Hope this information helps. Now, I would appreciate if anyone can help me add wireless capability to my Inspiron 5150 both for at home as well as on-the-road use.
Norton and Windows reports that my processor is running at half speed because it is running at half speed. I have timed multiple programs, start up / shut downs and games (frames per second) and have confirmed that my cpu simply will not run at more than half speed on battery power, regardless of cpu load.
I'm not suggesting that ubrales' computer doesn't run perfectly, but I assure you that my does not.
A while back, there was a huge thread on the 8200's inability to reach full speed. I returned mine, after 2 months, because of that situation.
Speedswitch wasn't out yet, so I didn't get a chance to try it. My gut feeling is it won't fix your problem. It may give you a good idea as to what your speed really is.
The following would be desireable, proper functioning on battery power: The cpu throttles down, as necessary, to conserve battery power, but will run higher when requested by the user, to run programs faster.
The following is undesireable, improper function: On battery power, the cpu runs at its slowest speed all the time, and is wholly unresponsive to user requests to throttle up (for more speed at the expense of battery power). Why do we have the options -- while using battery power -- of max battery, max performance, always on, dymamic switching, etc. if the processor will always just run at its slowest speed no matter which option the user chooses?
On battery power, my 1.6ghz processor would start windows faster, started up six major programs I timed faster (Excel, Word, Quicken, etc) and posted higher frame rates on three common video games than my 2.4 ghz processor does. I really don't know how to say it more simply than that. I paid for a 2.4 ghz processor that runs continuously at 1.2 ghz while on battery. My 1.6 ghz processor ran -- on battery -- at slow speed when appropriate, but throttled up to 1.6ghz under a heavy load on the cpu, just as it should.
On A/C, the 2.4 ghz blows the 1.6 ghz away by all measures I tested. On battery, it's slower because the CPU / Speedswitch / Dell combonation runs the cpu at 1.2ghz and will not throttle up even under the heaviest load on the cpu.
After reading your message I got curious and ran some tests on my i5150. I agree that the CPU speed should be controllable by the user and run at max speed if the user so desires, even on battery. Anyway here are the results:
On AC power, Max. Performance mode - CPU speed was 3.06 GHz
On AC power, Dynamic Switching mode - CPU speed fluctuates between 3.06 and 1.6 GHz depending on load.
On Battery, Max. Performance mode - CPU speed was 3.06 GHz
On Battery, Dynamic Switching mode - CPU speed fluctuates between 3.06 and 1.6 GHz depending on load.
On Battery, Max. Battery mode - CPU runs at 1.6 GHz.
The above speeds were verified by Speedswitch XP, and by running some benchmark, computation intensive programs. This performance seems to be in line with Dell specifications.
PaganGod
7 Posts
0
July 16th, 2003 00:00
I understand not wanting to pay for what you can't use - I spent lots of money to upgrade from an 8100 to the i8200, then spent quite a bit of time compensating for the fact that the 8200 shipped with some inferior parts (I switched the touchpad, which required me to switch keyboards and even remove and switch the connectors that plug into the motherboard.) All this, and my processor runs at the same speed as it did on the 8100. I could have saved myself some time and money by just upgrading the RAM and the display to an ultrasharp. And because of the graphics work I do, not having that processing power really impacts my ability to work. Like you, I need it!
facted
21 Posts
0
July 18th, 2003 17:00
ipatt
5 Posts
0
September 9th, 2003 21:00
Hi,
Don't know if you have the answer to your question but I run SpeedswitchXP on my 5150 and it can definitely force the 5150 to 3.06GHx
jffielde
14 Posts
0
September 10th, 2003 18:00
I used speedswitch on my 1.6 ghz I8200 and it worked perfectly. I upgraded to a 2.4 ghz processor and speedswitch works horribly. It keeps my cpu at 1.2 ghz all the time its on battery power. I am going to install the new version of SpeedswitchXP tonight and see if I get better results.
Out of curiousity, would the people who successfully drive a cpu greater than 1.7 ghz to its top speed while on battery power please let me know what your settings are on page 6 of the bios. I'd like to see if my power settings in the bios are the same as yours.
Thanks.
Message Edited by jffielde on 09-22-2003 10:38 AM
ipatt
5 Posts
0
September 10th, 2003 20:00
I'd like to give you the info but on an i5150 there is no page number that you specified in your post. In fact Dell has completely emasculated the F2 key in the 5150. The only things available are machine (as opposed to Win XP/2000) passwords and the boot order.
Specify your machine and processor and perhaps someone can help you.
jffielde
14 Posts
0
September 11th, 2003 12:00
jffielde
14 Posts
0
September 16th, 2003 15:00
Please see this thread for additional power-management information:
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_power&message.id=20697
ubrales
4 Posts
0
September 16th, 2003 18:00
Go ahead and purchase the Inspiron 5150 - I have one and solved the processor speed issue. Here are the details - When I refer to "My Computer", the processor is listed as Mobile Intel Pentium 4, 3.06 GHz, when I refer to Norton Utilities, the speed is listed as 1.6 GHz. So, I contacted Dell Tech Support. No one seemed to understand the issue.
On the 14th. call, per the tech's recommendation, I downloaded and installed Speedswitch XP. When I select the Max. Performance option on AC power, the processor runs at 3.06 GHz - the Dynamic Switching (Intel feature) also runs the processor at 3.06 GHz (on AC power) but, on an as-needed basis. On battery power, the speed is dropped down to 1.6 GHz.
When I select "Show CPU Data", the display will include real-time speed and load graphs and data. Now I am convinced that the CPU can and does run at 3.06 GHz contrary to what Norton Utilities or Windows states.
Hope this information helps. Now, I would appreciate if anyone can help me add wireless capability to my Inspiron 5150 both for at home as well as on-the-road use.
Thank you.
jffielde
14 Posts
0
September 17th, 2003 01:00
Norton and Windows reports that my processor is running at half speed because it is running at half speed. I have timed multiple programs, start up / shut downs and games (frames per second) and have confirmed that my cpu simply will not run at more than half speed on battery power, regardless of cpu load.
I'm not suggesting that ubrales' computer doesn't run perfectly, but I assure you that my does not.
newguy007
91 Posts
0
September 17th, 2003 13:00
A while back, there was a huge thread on the 8200's inability to reach full speed. I returned mine, after 2 months, because of that situation.
Speedswitch wasn't out yet, so I didn't get a chance to try it. My gut feeling is it won't fix your problem. It may give you a good idea as to what your speed really is.
It works beautifully on the p-m chips, though.
ubrales
4 Posts
0
September 17th, 2003 14:00
Message Edited by ubrales on 09-21-2003 08:36 PM
jffielde
14 Posts
0
September 17th, 2003 15:00
ubrales,
I disagree with you.
The following would be desireable, proper functioning on battery power: The cpu throttles down, as necessary, to conserve battery power, but will run higher when requested by the user, to run programs faster.
The following is undesireable, improper function: On battery power, the cpu runs at its slowest speed all the time, and is wholly unresponsive to user requests to throttle up (for more speed at the expense of battery power). Why do we have the options -- while using battery power -- of max battery, max performance, always on, dymamic switching, etc. if the processor will always just run at its slowest speed no matter which option the user chooses?
On battery power, my 1.6ghz processor would start windows faster, started up six major programs I timed faster (Excel, Word, Quicken, etc) and posted higher frame rates on three common video games than my 2.4 ghz processor does. I really don't know how to say it more simply than that. I paid for a 2.4 ghz processor that runs continuously at 1.2 ghz while on battery. My 1.6 ghz processor ran -- on battery -- at slow speed when appropriate, but throttled up to 1.6ghz under a heavy load on the cpu, just as it should.
On A/C, the 2.4 ghz blows the 1.6 ghz away by all measures I tested. On battery, it's slower because the CPU / Speedswitch / Dell combonation runs the cpu at 1.2ghz and will not throttle up even under the heaviest load on the cpu.
Message Edited by jffielde on 09-17-2003 08:21 PM
codywatkins
19 Posts
0
September 18th, 2003 16:00
I actually prefer how the speed step works. I have speedswitchxp installed and on battery it runs 1.6Ghz and on AC it runs 3.06Ghz.
No problems here. Though I don't like how the processor supports Hyper Threading by the mother board/bios doesn't.
ubrales
4 Posts
0
September 22nd, 2003 14:00
jffielde
After reading your message I got curious and ran some tests on my i5150. I agree that the CPU speed should be controllable by the user and run at max speed if the user so desires, even on battery. Anyway here are the results:
On AC power, Max. Performance mode - CPU speed was 3.06 GHz
On AC power, Dynamic Switching mode - CPU speed fluctuates between 3.06 and 1.6 GHz depending on load.
On Battery, Max. Performance mode - CPU speed was 3.06 GHz
On Battery, Dynamic Switching mode - CPU speed fluctuates between 3.06 and 1.6 GHz depending on load.
On Battery, Max. Battery mode - CPU runs at 1.6 GHz.
The above speeds were verified by Speedswitch XP, and by running some benchmark, computation intensive programs. This performance seems to be in line with Dell specifications.
ubrales
newguy007
91 Posts
0
September 22nd, 2003 14:00
Have you installed the speedstep fix posted in downloads for the 8200?
Generally it's best to do it when you 1st install the OS - just a thought.
Are you using speedswitchxp?