Dell XPS Speed Shift

I have a tweak that "increases" TDP posted somewhere at nbr.

Actually, I think this is just a trick to prevent premature throttling but it does not change TDP. The power bits struggle to supply base current out of the factory so boosting TDP won't happen in the tiny Dell XPS 15.

 

So I was messing around with TS and broke my deeper sleep states along with my Windows 10 installation. After a normal reboot my Win10 said it could not sign need in to my account and signed into a generic account which told me to sign out of in order to get back into my machine which I did and it worked. However, my indexing appears to have gotten switched off along with the shutdown screen color becoming desynced from the color settings, but not my task bars or oher UI portions. After performing a SFC operation successfully howecer, I am now locked out of my primary account. Every time I sign in it reloads the sign in screen again. I am a little scared, but optimistic I can figure sonesomet out.

UPDATE:
I was able to sign in successfully in safe mode. Then after a reboot I was able to sign in to Win10 normally. However, my shutdown screen color is still desynced and won't resync no matter what I toggle.

SOLUTION:
https://www.tenforums.com/customiza...creen-color-wont-change-after-corruption.html

 

For anyone this might help, I figured out another cause of missing deep sleep states:


Originally the AHCI link state of "HIPM" was what caused my laptop to only go as deep as C2, but upon switching the setting to "Lowest" it immediately began allowing my CPU Package State go up to C7. However, earlier today I mentioned randomly losing C3+ states and having the occasional funny logins (after I chose to reboot the laptop) that I could not figure out. Well I use the stock Windows power profile "Balanced" in addition to a higher performance profile "Bitsum Highest Performance | AKA: BHP" that gets installed by one of my system optimization apps I like to run called Process Lasso. What I discovered with the random losses of deep sleep was that it did not matter which power plan I was on or however I toggled my advanced power setting's AHCI link option. Restarts, shutdowns, and several combinations thereof made no difference either- being careful to think like a computer and do everything methodically.

After enough system reboots and trial and error it hit me...

Whenever my system boots with BHP power plan, no amount of profile switching, app resetting, toggling of settings or power plans can bring back my deeper sleep states. Subsequently switching to Balanced power plan will not fix it either. However, after switching to the Balanced power plan I can either reboot or just sleep and resume my laptop and when it comes back up my deeper sleep states are back, and what's more I can even switch to BHP power plan now (as long as I booted with the stock "Balanced" plan) and retain my deeper sleep states which, to me, suggests it's not the custom power plan itself causing the issue.

 

I don't use the "Bitsum Highest Performance" anymore. SpeedShift & EPP do core control most efficiently at the CPU level (rather than via Windows) for Skylake and newer chips. The BHP other settings do not make a meaningful difference for my programs or are not applicable.

The bitsum site (along with the Intel PDF above) provides some great information and is worth a visit.

 

Either way, a custom power plan (whether I create it myself or it is created by a program I use that has never caused me any issues before) should not cause this behavior and loss of deeper sleep (and in fact it doesn't, but only when first booted from the stock Balanced power plan that Windows likes more). I still enjoy using Process Lasso because it really saves my OS responsiveness when loaded heavily and I use it to tweak program priorities and other useful features it offers. (Although I do think it is even more beneficial on Win7.) I understand Skylake+ manages themselves at the hardware level best, which is what I am allowing them to do, with the assistance of ThrottleStop of course to set my target clock speeds and energy savings- I have no issues there. I do notice a difference with the BHP power plan due to it setting the advanced power settings that Windows usually hides to be more aggressive and performance-oriented. Again, I think this was a bigger deal on Windows 7 than Windows 10, but the advanced hidden power settings really do make a difference when tuned correctly by the right person seeking performance over all else. I do try to visit the Bitsum site from time to time. I think the creator is a solid guy and very knowledgeable.

 

Ok @pressing and @Maleko48

All I've done is compiled what we know about C states so far into a C-State section

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...e-on-windows-enabling-deeper-c-states.815602/

 

Hello,

Tried EFI bios tweak on my 9560 (i7-7700) running under Windows 7.
HWInfo shows 'SST' as red.
0x4BC shows as 0x1.

Enabled SST using ThrottleStop 8.60 only .

Any advices?
Should I try setup_var 0xD8 0x1 (which is for 9550)?

 

Per @unclewebb , SpeedShift should work on any operating system as it is a feature included in your Kaby Lake CPU.

​

Do NOT use the 9550 variable. That could brick your system. Reread the thread starting with comments from @Rockstar75 and @goodwin_c . I simply run SpeedShift with the free ThrottleStop software. It allows me quick access to a bunch of settings I regularly use (EPP, undervolt, shutting off c-states).

[/quote]​

To check if SpeedShift is enabled, here are two easy ways:

- ThrottleStop (SST will be green text in main panel).
- HWiNFO64 will indicate (SST will be green text in main panel).

 

New 9570 has BIOS support for SpeedShift.



Thanks to @woohoo7676 for image and update

 

I thought it was Dell cmd center. Actually, Dell XPS BIOS UI is simple. Too bad they didn't revamp the BIOS UI for AW and others.

 

And did anyone ever verify it works? The description text makes me think this is Speed Step...

 

Yes, definitely different. Noticeable enhancement for my demand (coding)

 

Has anybody tried the EFI hack on a recent XPS 9360 with most recent BIOS and can confirm it works? I would like to try it, but it seems risky and there doesn't seem much feedback on this method yet. Does it really require Windows reinstall after enabling it? Coil whine issues afterwards?

 

User @hakujou tried this as noted below but I don't know if he used on on any BIOS more recent than autumn 2017. I don't know if anyone else has tried it on his [edit 9530]. You can see more details in first post, in other comments, or contract @Hakujou directly. Also you can easily run SST with free ThrottleStop software

 

So, I am very confused what to set in Throttlestop on my 9570. Do I tick the box that says "Speed Shift - EPP" and if I do, what number do I set it to? It's currently at 128. The lower the number means the more likely (or quicker?) the intel will want to turbo? I assume this generates more heat? Or perhaps there's an argument that the quicker the chip gets to turbo and get its task out of the way, the quick it'll go back down in clock.

 

Thanks, ThrottleStop alone on 9360 doesn't seem to be sufficient for enabling SpeedShift, you need to also hack the Bios. I followed amazing instructions and went ahead and did it on 9360 with latest BIOS 2.6.2. The address is still the same, and it worked without a hitch. After rebooting, SST was enabled according to HWiNFO64 without having to change anything in Throttlestop. Don't hear any increase in coil whine either, but may just be more due to my age rather than anything else.

 

Dell provided full SpeedShift support for the 9570. Go to the BIOS and enable there. (You don't need ThrottleStop)

You should be able to set EPP in the Windows control panel > power options (not sure exact place in new version of Windows 10).

EPP = 0 for max performance
EPP = 255 (or 100%) for max battery life
EPP=128 (~33%) is a balance (but prevents max turbo
EPP~ 80 probably gives you a balance but allows max turbo speeds (you need to test on your system

 

I'm surprised that you could not get ThrottleStop to work but maybe a new BIOS or Win 10 issue.

Fantastic!

I don't think anyone ever figured reliably what drives coil whine on these (well the coils). Some machines might be less prone. Some BIOS might be less prone. It might be impossible to hear in a loud room or for people with imperfect hearing. May be an indicator that 2.6.2 reduces coil whine vs. other BIOS versions so maybe worth a try for others.​

 

Throttlestop does work, but you can't enable SpeedShift from there on the XPS 9360, you can only adjust the EPP value once it's enabled.

 

You should report that to @unclewebb on the ThrottleStop Guide

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/the-throttlestop-guide.531329/

 

I have a 9570 with the 1.05 bios that enabled speedshift. The setting is not checked in throttlestop but it does show SST. I want to create some throttlestop profiles to use, so was wondering if leaving the setting unchecked the same as checking it and setting it to 128?

 

You can ask @unclewebb on the ThrottleStop Guide for a definitive answer.

Since your BIOS is enabling SST, I think the checkbox in ThrottleStop does not matter for you. Once SST is enabled, I think the only way to disable is by powering down, sleeping.

I use ThrottleStop to quickly change EPP manually and find it very convenient; let us know if that works in profiles for the 9570 with the newest Win10.

 

Do you know where the new windows (1804) stores the setting for EPP?
I believe the new slider does change the EPP value.

More generally, I would really like to know what every position in the slider exactly implies (not just for the EPP) and where to change it.

 

We are working on this question now; check your email. You still can set EPP in ThrottleStop fortunately.

​

In the meantime, you can figure out what the settings are doing by running this as administrator for each position. It will spit out a text file and you can figure out what is changing.

powercfg -qh >C:\report.txt

This tome is one helpful resource to define many settings and their parameters

http://www.intel.com/content/dam/ww...eveloper-system-programming-manual-325384.pdf

 

I've Speedshift enabled; so should i disable Speedstep or not? How do they work together?

 

Disable speedstep and C1E in ThrottleStop. In BIOS, leave it be. If you're running or dual booting older OS which aren't speedshift aware will hang whilst installing OS.

 

@pressing

Go into registry and go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Power\PowerSettings\] and then , Check if DWORD “Attributes” exists , If it doesn’t create it by going to Edit > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, Set “Attributes” to 2 by double clicking/tapping the Atributes key and entering 2.
Example you will find it here on the registry exactly



You will see this option like this image below on Power Options once you find it.. simply put it 0% which means Full Performance and if you put it at 50% it means you are using 128 EPP so if you keep increasing you will go towards power saving and if you keep decreasing you will go towards performance. Every different percentage have different EPP numbers of course
Example:-


Example after putting it to 0% you will realize you will have full CPU speed


Or

You can simply go to this link https://gist.github.com/Nt-gm79sp/1f8ea2c2869b988e88b4fbc183731693
and it will un-hide all the hidden windows power settings without needing to play with the registry but.. I always provide the hard way & the easy way I got it from @Vasudev Post http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/the-throttlestop-guide.531329/page-814#post-10759409

 

That autonomous settings require BIOS support. Otherwise no option at all. Hahaa. Alteast I must thank AW for not overriding TS EPP_HWP through Win 10.

 

Is there a guide out there for XPS 9560 owners on how to setup TS? i am a bit lost with all the tips out there, i want my laptop to perform at its best while maintaining quiet fans,

here is my current setup, anything i should change? i feel the undervolting part is not set right as i didnt notice any improvement in temperature.

 

Turn your turbo ratio limits down. I'll share my setup with you later tonight when I get home. 38 will keep your CPU running at top speed. Also turn on C1E for more precise voltage stepping.

 

Why was it suggested in here to turn off C1E for the 9570?

 

It yields fewer voltage steps and sometimes increases system stability at the expense of consuming a bit more power and increasing power state switching latency.

 

Would you mind sharing your TS setup?
I'm trying to set the TS on my 9570 i7, but lots of these settings are just a big unknown for me, and I just left them at their default settings...
I value my battery life over the power, so as per your advice I left the C1E on.
Why turn down the turbo ratio limits? My turbo ratio limits are 41 for 1-2 cores, 40 for 3-4, and 39 for 5-6 cores, those are the unchanged default values.
Speedshift default values are Min 1 and Max 41.
Someone mentioned to turn off Clamp in Package Power Limits, so I turned it off.

 

Isn't C1E disabled by default on Dell PCs when MEinfo.exe is run? Atleast on AW C1E are disabled by Dell to get more R/W speeds for NVMe drives.

 

It showed as enabled in TS on my 9570 when I installed it.

Eidt: I just checked only the seq SSD speeds with C1E off and on (2 times each), and the read speeds were the same, but the write speeds were 30-40% faster with C1E ON.

 

MAX PERFORMANCE MODE (AKA Profile #1):


HIGH PERFORMANCE MODE (AKA Profile #2):


BATTERY MODE (AKA Profile #3):


LOWEST CPU MODE (AKA Profile #4):


I'll share more screens in my next post...

 

My only request is that you make them smaller. At 1080p those images are way too big. I can resize them if you need, but welcome you to do so yourself, lol.

*on edit* I have changed your attachment to thumbnails so users can click on them to get a larger image.

 

PROFILE #1:


PROFILE#2:


PROFILE #3:


PROFILE #4:


How is this @custom90gt ? I reduced the size by 50%. I forgot my 4k screenshots would be a PITA for 1080p screens. When did you become a moderator btw? It's been a while since I've been a regular on here I guess.

 

@Maleko48, thanks those images are much more reasonable.

I've only been a mod for a couple of weeks now, they just needed someone who was addicted to the Dell forums, lol. You need to hang around more, we could always use the help of enthusiasts like you.

 

Wow, that's cool. I moved across the country this summer and work a full time job now 60 hours a week. My little bit of free time these days goes to my family, dinner time, chores, maintenance, handyman tasks, helping family and friends, etc. I've been indulging my weekend spare time on Overwatch too which doesn't help. lol

 

While I won't ask you to take time away from family, overwatch can hang out for a few minutes while you post here

 

ADDITIONAL TS SCREENS:

 

The worst part is: I'm not even that good at Overwatch! lol. Oh yeah, I have also done quite a bit of boating and yard work here in Florida on the weekends this summer too. I also pulled a 6.0L Chevy Vortec LQ5 motor (related to the LS1) out of our neighbor's boat and tore it down and sent it off to the machine shop a couple of weeks ago. I'm expecting it to be ready to go back together soon, so that's another iron I've got in the fire too. My grandfather asked me to keep his 2006 Mustang driven for him too which is a little more fun than our 2008 Prius family car. I've been taking it to work a few days a week since his wife had surgery and can't drive for a while.

P.S.) I've been lurking in the shadows here since my move. I love when I have notifications to check out here on the forums. I pretty much visit these forums way more than I do my Facebook these days.

 

Thanks for the images.

2 questions:

1) Why don't you check the box for "Set Multiplier"? You seem to adjust the value but not tick the box

2) I see you undervolt the System Agent. What exactly is that and why should one UV that? Most people seem to suggest the Core, Cache, and iGPU.

 

2 ANSWERS:

1.) "Set Multiplier" is an antiquated setting for older processors and doesn't do anything for newer gen Intel CPUs afaik. The newer generation Intel CPUs are governed by more modern and efficient methods. I have those numbers adjusted mostly as a visual reminder of each profile's back page settings but I think I have messed with them since so they may not even be an accurate visual reminder at this point. The FIVR window settings are what actually matter with the way I have my machine set up. But if "Set Multiplier" works for your CPU what it does is lock your CPU in at a static clock speed, similar to a desktop processor. I'm not on my laptop right now so I may end up editing this response a bit once I double check the functionality again for myself since it has been a while since I have actively tweaked or messed with my ThrottleStop profiles and settings.

2.) System Agent is just another portion of your computing system / architecture that can have the voltage modified. The lower the voltage (while remaining stable!) the better off you are. It will conserve power and make less heat in all computing scenarios. I was under the impression all 4 were supposed to be adjusted together in sync in order to actually get the modified voltages to stick / change to the modified voltages. I could be wrong though, so I would recommend asking UncleWebb or searching around a bit over on the main Throttle Stop thread:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/the-throttlestop-guide.531329/

 

Hi All,

Thanks to all of the great write-ups in this thread I have been able to enable SpeedShift in the bios and it's working perfectly within windows. I've got a few questions about how throttlestop interacts with the power throttling feature that was introduced in one of the big windows updates a while back.

- From my understanding, the windows power slider sets the EPP value for speedshift, does the value set by windows override the value set by throttlestop?
- If I set the value in throttlestop and then move the slider, which value takes precedence? From what I have seen the power slider value seems to always win out.

I'd appreciate any input.

 

>> SpeedShift is CPU based and should take precedence over Windows power schemes in general but I don't have that power slider on my system so can't test.
​

You can just go into Windows PowerShell and look at EPP differences based on your slider. Use the following command:

powercfg -qh

For example, you might find something like:

Power Setting GUID: 36687f9e-e3a5-4dbf-b1dc-15eb381c6863 (Processor energy performance preference policy)
GUID Alias: PERFEPP
Minimum Possible Setting: 0x00000 000
Maximum Possible Setting: 0x00000 064
Possible Settings increment: 0x00000001
Possible Settings units: %
Current AC Power Setting Index: 0x 00000021
Current DC Power Setting Index: 0x 00000032

The red can change with your EPP adjustments

The scales are all over the place for EPP but don't let that confuse you. Above they are 0-64. In Intel and Throttlestop docs you see 0-255. In Windoze Power Options you might see 0-100. In those cases 64=255=100, respectively.

 

Thanks for the info, I just tried the powercfg /qh command and the output is always exactly what you posted above regardless of the whatever I put in throttlestop / the power slider. I know they are both working because if I set the EPP to 255 in throttlestop the CPU won't go to it's max frequency, similarly, if I set the power slider to 'battery saver' the cpu is very hesitant to increase it's clockspeed.

 

In ThrottleStop, are you sure SpeedShift is activated? If it is, you will see the letters "SST" in green on the main page.

In the FIVR page, can you confirm the EPP level in the white chart. Try both 0 and 255. And compare that to the powercfg outputs.

The only change you should see in the powercfg output will be:
Current AC Power Setting Index: 0x00000021
Current DC Power Setting Index: 0x00000032​

 

I've got the green SST and in FIVR I can now see the current EPP value. It seems my suspicions were correct, the windows power slider overrides the value set by Throttlestop unless you have the slider set to 'Best Performance' then the value from throttle stop takes over.

Another way to stop windows updating the EPP value is to change your performance plan to one that is not 'balanced' or based on 'balanced'. If you switch to the 'High Performance' power plan the power slider disappears and the value set in Throttlestop takes precidence.