my CPU stuck on 800 MHz no matter what

[SaintDanBert]

Is there something special or extra that I need to install or enable so that my CPU runs faster than 800 MHz as reported by hwinfo benchmarks?

I see that cpufreqd is not installed. Is this needed or is automatic frequency scaling handled elsewhere?

The hardware identifies itself as:

Code: Select all

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2520M CPU @ 2.50 GHz


I would expect to use all of those giga-hertz...

Thanks in advance,
~~~ 0;-/ Dan

[dagon]

A modern processor core is almost always throttled to go down at a low frequency when there is little to do:

My cpu right now:

oskar@dagon-5741G ~ $ hwinfo |grep Clock
pnp.description = 'AT Real-Time Clock'
info.product = 'AT Real-Time Clock'
Clock: 933 MHz
Clock: 933 MHz
Clock: 933 MHz
Clock: 2266 MHz

Now I turn on a youtube movie (Plan-9 from outer space, warmly recommended) and two music videos:

oskar@dagon-5741G ~ $ hwinfo |grep Clock
pnp.description = 'AT Real-Time Clock'
info.product = 'AT Real-Time Clock'
Clock: 2266 MHz
Clock: 2266 MHz
Clock: 933 MHz
Clock: 2266 MHz

[SaintDanBert]

I never see anything beside the 800 MHz clocking, and I know my box is not idle.
Is there a daemon or something that manages this "crank up clock when busy" event?

Thanks, "dagon"
~~~ 0;-Dan

[dagon]

Are you using Mint 12/Lisa?

[SaintDanBert]

Hmmmm?!? I think that is what I'm using. How do I ask the system what it thinks it is running? ('uname' will tell me which kernel, but is the distro recorded somewhere?
some standard somewhere?)

Ooo!! Oooo!! Oooo. I found the file /etc/linuxmint/info and it says:

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RELEASE=12
CODENAME=lisa
EDITION="Gnome 64-bit"
DESCRIPTION="Linux Mint 12 Lisa"
DESKTOP=Gnome
TOOLKIT=GTK
NEW_FEATURES_URL=http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_lisa_whatsnew.php
RELEASE_NOTES_URL=http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_lisa.php
USER_GUIDE_URL=http://www.linuxmint.com/documentation.php
GRUB_TITLE=Linux Mint 12 64-bit


It would be swell if one could always look at /etc/distro or similar for this sort of information.

The repositories show a package called 'cpufreqd' and similar -- without an Ubuntu or similar marker icon. Do I need to install something like this or should auto-scaling be built-in?

Thanks,
~~~ 0;-Dan

[dagon]

It would be swell if one could always look at /etc/distro or similar for this sort of information.

The GUI way is to look under the first tab of the System Monitor.
In a terminal you can use the command inxi.
Some examples of use:
#info about the command

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inxi -h

#shows system info

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inxi -S

#shows full output

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inxi -F

Do I need to install something like this or should auto-scaling be built-in?

You might have to install it yourself. I've seen bug reports about the frequency scaling in Ubuntu(and derivatives).

This could be something for you:
http://www.webupd8.org/2011/07/cpu-frequency-scaling-indicator-fixed.html

I'm not on Mint12 so I can't try out things for you from over here.

[SaintDanBert]

I used to have panel apps that showed (1) flames to represent how hard each CPU was working, and (2) the clock rate each CPU was using. I cannot find replacements for the Cinnamon era desktop.

I'd like a nice set of desktop thingies down the right side or similar as a system dashboard view of what is going on. I've not found anything that really floats my boat.

Suggestions?
~~~ 0;-Dan

[hellfire695]

Personally I'd suggest install the cpufreq daemon, it recommendable anyway

sudo apt-get install cpufrequtils

then to set the governor (controls "crank up when busy function")

for a desktop where power-usage is not as much a issue

sudo cpufreq-set -g performance

for a laptop try
sudo cpufreq-set -g conservative

that should work to unlock ur cpu from the p3 era
who knows maybe your processor just wanted to go back to the 90's. I know i do some days

[SaintDanBert]

(grin) I'd go back to the 70's ... except for the awful clothes.

Thanks for the 'cpufreq*' suggestions.
~~~ 0;-Dan

[SaintDanBert]

Personally I'd suggest install the cpufreq daemon, it recommendable anyway

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sudo apt-get install cpufrequtils


then to set the governor (controls "crank up when busy function")

for a desktop where power-usage is not as much a issue

Code: Select all

sudo cpufreq-set -g performance


for a laptop try

Code: Select all

sudo cpufreq-set -g conservative


This does let me set something other than the 800 MHz. According to these commands:

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prompt$  sudo cpufreq-info --stats --human

2.50 GHz:2.52%, 2.50 GHz:0.03%, 2.20 GHz:0.02%, 2.00 GHz:0.03%, 1.80 GHz:0.04%, 1.60 GHz:0.21%, 1.40 GHz:0.07%, 1.20 GHz:0.12%, 1000 MHz:0.20%, 800 MHz:96.77%  (103992)


it looks like I'm not asking much of the box so the CPU spends most of its time in an 800MHz "idle" state.

Can anyone recommend a good on-screen applet or widget or tray-display so that I might see what my box is doing?

~~~ 0;-Dan

[hellfire695]

Personally I'd suggest install the cpufreq daemon, it recommendable anyway

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install cpufrequtils


then to set the governor (controls "crank up when busy function")

for a desktop where power-usage is not as much a issue

Code: Select all

sudo cpufreq-set -g performance


for a laptop try

Code: Select all

sudo cpufreq-set -g conservative


This does let me set something other than the 800 MHz. According to these commands:

Code: Select all

prompt$  sudo cpufreq-info --stats --human

2.50 GHz:2.52%, 2.50 GHz:0.03%, 2.20 GHz:0.02%, 2.00 GHz:0.03%, 1.80 GHz:0.04%, 1.60 GHz:0.21%, 1.40 GHz:0.07%, 1.20 GHz:0.12%, 1000 MHz:0.20%, 800 MHz:96.77%  (103992)


it looks like I'm not asking much of the box so the CPU spends most of its time in an 800MHz "idle" state.

Can anyone recommend a good on-screen applet or widget or tray-display so that I might see what my box is doing?

~~~ 0;-Dan

Depends on what desktop you have
the cpu monitor for gnome2/mate is quite, dont think there is anything for cinnamon but don't quote me, as gnome check on gnome look, kde has a good one too

yeah they had great music back in the 70's
though i'd miss the internet

[SaintDanBert]

...
yeah they had great music back in the 70's
though i'd miss the internet

What?! And give up 300 baud and Compuserve(R) ...
... looking for Emerson, Lake, and Palmer ...

Grinning,
~~~ 0;-Dan