   I need life saving CPU diagnostics....
  My AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+ has a 2.0GHz clock speed. Today, whilst preparing my system specs for this months "Post your system specs" thread, I noticed Windows XP and CpuZ reported my processor as having only a 804MHz clock speed.The only changes I've made to the bios in years is enabling USB Keyboard Support (For the Vista bootloader), and I haven't noticed a drastic change in perff.... wait a minute (that would account for why PlanetSide decided to change all my performance settings (Made them all crap) a few days ago) ok, maybe I have.In any case, I refuse to believe my CPU is dying on me (Best friends don't just die on you), any ideas what could be causing this?   
  Most likely is that you CPU is automatically clocking back when it is not in full use. AMD refers to this as "Cool n Quiet", while Intel calls it "Speed Step". This is a good thing since your computer will need less power and run cooler when it is not at full load. Start up a CPU intensive program and check the CPU speed again; it should be at full speed.   ;Quote:Original post by Sr_GuapoMost likely is that you CPU is automatically clocking back when it is not in full use. AMD refers to this as "Cool n Quiet", while Intel calls it "Speed Step". This is a good thing since your computer will need less power and run cooler when it is not at full load. Start up a CPU intensive program and check the CPU speed again; it should be at full speed.Confirmed.  Given that the 3500+ underclocks to 1000MHz, I would definately say that's what's happening.   ;Quote:Original post by Sr_GuapoMost likely is that you CPU is automatically clocking back when it is not in full use. AMD refers to this as "Cool n Quiet", while Intel calls it "Speed Step". This is a good thing since your computer will need less power and run cooler when it is not at full load. Start up a CPU intensive program and check the CPU speed again; it should be at full speed.I loaded up my VS6 IDE, wrote the following app...void main(){   int x;   while(1){x++;}}Ran it, noticed my CPU was at 100%, and then loaded up CPU-Z and WindowsXP system statistics. Both read "804.0MHz". CPU-Z continously updates the speed (It was fluxuating +0.4) so its not a case of just missing the crutial moment.   ;Quote:Original post by TheveninQuote:Original post by Sr_GuapoMost likely is that you CPU is automatically clocking back when it is not in full use. AMD refers to this as "Cool n Quiet", while Intel calls it "Speed Step". This is a good thing since your computer will need less power and run cooler when it is not at full load. Start up a CPU intensive program and check the CPU speed again; it should be at full speed.I loaded up my VS6 IDE, wrote the following app...void main(){   int x;   while(1){x++;}}Ran it, noticed my CPU was at 100%, and then loaded up CPU-Z and WindowsXP system statistics. Both read "804.0MHz".Incrementing an integer in a while loop may give 100% usage, but doesn't mean that the cpu is working hard.Try firing up some intensive games like CS:S or HL2 or the likes if you have some.  Then check.  My guess is that according to what AMD says that since it's doing such a little operation (add +1) it is not really doing a lot.   ;Quote:Original post by agi_shiIncrementing an integer in a while loop may give 100% usage, but doesn't mean that the cpu is working hard.Try firing up some intensive games like CS:S or HL2 or the likes if you have some.  Then check.  My guess is that according to what AMD says that since it's doing such a little operation (add +1) it is not really doing a lot.I tried Diablo II: Lord of Destruction (Windowed), and ran into a pile of monsters where pathfinding should use all the CPU, but it didn't increase the clock speed. I then loaded up my server/client for an older version of my game (Back when I had used GDI [CPU Intensive] for its graphics) and summoned a few monsters (CPU easily at 100%, my A* pathfinding code needed performance work, lol). Still no increase.I'll try a few more games though... but this doesn't appear to be working.Edit: I just tested filling my screen with music videos running through videolan (7 videos), and then played Diablo II again while it was playing. My clock speed isn't going up... [bawling]   ;  sounds like bios settings gone wonky...   ;Quote:Original post by etothexsounds like bios settings gone wonky...I agree, I'm going to go push some buttons in there. I'll be right back (or maybe not).Edit: There are no power management settings for Cool'N'Quiet in the bios, or any CPU tweaking toggles other then the CPU clock speed, its currently set to 200MHz (I have no idea what this means, and I doubht I've ever touched it). As far as I can tell, the bios looks clean.   ;  According to that screenshot your multiplier is 4 - that means CPU speed = FSB (200Mhz) x 4 = 800mhz. The stock speed of a 3000+ is 1.8Ghz (multiplier = 9) IIRC. You don't happen to have a SIS chipset by any chance...   ;Quote:Original post by TheveninQuote:Original post by etothexsounds like bios settings gone wonky...I agree, I'm going to go push some buttons in there. I'll be right back (or maybe not).Edit: There are no power management settings for Cool'N'Quiet in the bios, or any CPU tweaking toggles other then the CPU clock speed, its currently set to 200MHz (I have no idea what this means, and I doubht I've ever touched it). As far as I can tell, the bios looks clean.200Mhz is almost certainly the FSB. In order to work properly, the CPU must work at some multiple of the front side bus (so that it can remain in sync with the rest of the system). The result is you have a FSB value (many newer motherboards let you change FSB in 1mhz increments) which is system wide (i.e. things like memory must be able to perform at this speed), and a multiplier for the CPU, which is how many CPU clock cycles are done for every FSB cycle.   