I also have an Inspiron 8500 with a similar configuration, and I have this problem where my AC adapter doesnt charge my batteries anymore. Since that started happening, I've noticed that the processor steps down to 1.2 Ghz whenever I'm on AC, and steps back up when I'm on battery power. So check if your batteries arent charging anymore (run on batteries for 5 minutes, then plug back in the AC, and go to the control panel Power Options, click on the 'Power Meter' tab and see if the battery is charging (it will say 'charging' in brackets). If not, then bummer.. you have the same problem as me. Either the AC adapter isnt throwing out enough power anymore (to charge the battery and run the CPU at full clock), or the motherboard and AC adapter arent 'handshaking' properly. The former is likely..try a new AC adapter.
Customer Service blows the world around, in every single company. I guess there are too many people with moronic problems for them to be effective. Plus you rarely find a tech geek who's got good PR, or a good PR person who knows anything about tech.
Nope. My batteries are working just great. I get a good 3 hours off of them running at Max Performance. But it still switched down to 1.2GHz sporatically. I just don't get how you're playing a VERY big game like Everquest, and it's running half speed 80% of the time.
Speedstep can be modified in the operating system under Power Options in the Control Panel. Just modify this according to how you want the system to react.
Get the FanGUI Version, and the Speedstep program.
Install both and get the DIMM temperature monitor active. Play EQ, and see what temperature the memory modules are when it slows down. Next try playing so that the bottom of the laptop is exposed to the air, and see if you can avoid the problem. If this works then the problem is most likely the BIOS trying to protect the memory modules from overheating. I'd recomend trying to find a previous version of the BIOS that people will say works.
Hi all. Because Speedstep is built-in by Intel there is no way to force it to run at the highest speed. The solution is better cooling. Speedstep lowers your CPU speed (to protect the chip from burning up) because your system is getting too hot. As suggested program I8kfangui to start the cooling fan at a lower temperature (BTW your picture obscured the CPU temp reading in I8kfangui, what was it?). Prop up the laptop to increase airflow. Get a coolpad. Lower the ambient temperature of the room you are in. A BIOS up/downgrade may provide better thermal management. Its a real pain and not what you expect after spending hard earned money but at least you don't have a I5100/5150.
My laptop is identical to yours and ran EQ fine for some time, then would slow down.
After 4 emails to dell, and several time wasting phone phone calls, i was basically told this is normal operation and i was ignored. they refused me any assistance other than the runaround with untrained level 1 techs.
the bottom line is this.
The CPU throttling down is heat related, and nothing else.
It's Dell's horrendous hardware design that is causing the problem. The CPU temp will hit 190F under stress and this is what causes it to throttle down.
Your best bet is to try a "laptop cooler". it's basically a heat spreader. i built my own out of sheet aluminum and 3 fans, but you can purchase them for around 25$. i also have to run without the plastics cover for the ram bank for extra airflow. im sure this voids the worthless "total coverage" Dell warranty, but after paying over 2000$ for a laptop, it's what has to be done to have it work properly.
the best solution for me, is to suffer through it, and learn my lesson about buying from dell.
i decided to make another attempt on a tech support email. i thoroughly explained that 190F+ temps are very far from ordinary or tolerable. my 8500 would be at 130F as soon as windows finished booting, and this is after being powered off all night. a tech responded a few hours later and said they would have me send my 8500 to the service depot.
the VERY next morning, i got a foam lined box from fedex to send my laptop in. i figured i'd be without it for a few weeks, but a receipt in the box said 4-5 business days I would have it back. yeah right, i thought.......4 days later, fedex was at my door. service receipt said the CPU and CPU heatsink were worked on. whether is was replaced or not, i'm not sure yet.
i boot it up, and check temps right away...92F and both fans were not running. impressive.
load up some intensive games, temp crawls up to 128F-130F and both fans on low. throw on a looping timedemo in UT2k3 for a few hours and temp never went above 132F and the fans never went on high.
took long enough, but dell came around and made right, thanks
RamiN81
13 Posts
0
March 15th, 2004 01:00
Hey buddy,
I also have an Inspiron 8500 with a similar configuration, and I have this problem where my AC adapter doesnt charge my batteries anymore. Since that started happening, I've noticed that the processor steps down to 1.2 Ghz whenever I'm on AC, and steps back up when I'm on battery power. So check if your batteries arent charging anymore (run on batteries for 5 minutes, then plug back in the AC, and go to the control panel Power Options, click on the 'Power Meter' tab and see if the battery is charging (it will say 'charging' in brackets). If not, then bummer.. you have the same problem as me. Either the AC adapter isnt throwing out enough power anymore (to charge the battery and run the CPU at full clock), or the motherboard and AC adapter arent 'handshaking' properly. The former is likely..try a new AC adapter.
Customer Service blows the world around, in every single company. I guess there are too many people with moronic problems for them to be effective. Plus you rarely find a tech geek who's got good PR, or a good PR person who knows anything about tech.
Good luck!
Rami
Crystallized
11 Posts
0
March 15th, 2004 04:00
DELL-BobT
3.1K Posts
0
March 15th, 2004 14:00
Users:
Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.
Speedstep can be modified in the operating system under Power Options in the Control Panel. Just modify this according to how you want the system to react.
my_screen_name
34 Posts
0
March 15th, 2004 17:00
Do you ever read a user's detailed and intelligent post?
FreakBurrito
11 Posts
0
March 15th, 2004 18:00
Sometimes it seems like the mods here are bots, that look for keywords and post responses.
What I recomend is going to http://www.diefer.de/indexe.html
Get the FanGUI Version, and the Speedstep program.
Install both and get the DIMM temperature monitor active. Play EQ, and see what temperature the memory modules are when it slows down. Next try playing so that the bottom of the laptop is exposed to the air, and see if you can avoid the problem. If this works then the problem is most likely the BIOS trying to protect the memory modules from overheating. I'd recomend trying to find a previous version of the BIOS that people will say works.
Good Luck
dtkirk
74 Posts
0
March 17th, 2004 07:00
Hi all. Because Speedstep is built-in by Intel there is no way to force it to run at the highest speed. The solution is better cooling. Speedstep lowers your CPU speed (to protect the chip from burning up) because your system is getting too hot. As suggested program I8kfangui to start the cooling fan at a lower temperature (BTW your picture obscured the CPU temp reading in I8kfangui, what was it?). Prop up the laptop to increase airflow. Get a coolpad. Lower the ambient temperature of the room you are in. A BIOS up/downgrade may provide better thermal management. Its a real pain and not what you expect after spending hard earned money but at least you don't have a I5100/5150.
HTH, cheers dtkitk
Message Edited by dtkirk on 03-17-2004 09:55 AM
michealo
33 Posts
0
March 22nd, 2004 12:00
Crystallized, i have been having the same issue.
My laptop is identical to yours and ran EQ fine for some time, then would slow down.
After 4 emails to dell, and several time wasting phone phone calls, i was basically told this is normal operation and i was ignored. they refused me any assistance other than the runaround with untrained level 1 techs.
the bottom line is this.
The CPU throttling down is heat related, and nothing else.
It's Dell's horrendous hardware design that is causing the problem. The CPU temp will hit 190F under stress and this is what causes it to throttle down.
Your best bet is to try a "laptop cooler". it's basically a heat spreader. i built my own out of sheet aluminum and 3 fans, but you can purchase them for around 25$. i also have to run without the plastics cover for the ram bank for extra airflow. im sure this voids the worthless "total coverage" Dell warranty, but after paying over 2000$ for a laptop, it's what has to be done to have it work properly.
the best solution for me, is to suffer through it, and learn my lesson about buying from dell.
michealo
33 Posts
0
March 31st, 2004 18:00
**update**
dell has redeemed themselves!
i decided to make another attempt on a tech support email. i thoroughly explained that 190F+ temps are very far from ordinary or tolerable. my 8500 would be at 130F as soon as windows finished booting, and this is after being powered off all night. a tech responded a few hours later and said they would have me send my 8500 to the service depot.
the VERY next morning, i got a foam lined box from fedex to send my laptop in. i figured i'd be without it for a few weeks, but a receipt in the box said 4-5 business days I would have it back. yeah right, i thought.......4 days later, fedex was at my door. service receipt said the CPU and CPU heatsink were worked on. whether is was replaced or not, i'm not sure yet.
i boot it up, and check temps right away...92F and both fans were not running. impressive.
load up some intensive games, temp crawls up to 128F-130F and both fans on low. throw on a looping timedemo in UT2k3 for a few hours and temp never went above 132F and the fans never went on high.
took long enough, but dell came around and made right, thanks