The "Undervolting" Guide

Excellent information. I'm wondering if somebody can help me with a problem I am having. This isn't my laptop but I reformatted it from xp home to xp pro. It was running super slow so I checked the processor in my computer and it was running at 200 mhz instead of 1.73. So I found this thread and subsequent threads. I got cpu-z and RightMark and I've got it running up to 450 mhz with RightMark at x13 multiplier. Problem is the FSB is running at 36. It should be running at 133.

Instead of listing the technical info I just took screenshots. Here yah go.

 

Here's more info on my problem. While windows is starting it goes black then goes back into windows, as if the graphics card is doing something to the display. Also, the fan for the cpu may be having issues because recently I booted up the laptop and it was whining like it couldn't get going. I've been into the Bios and tried disabling Speed Step and that didn't do anything, so I am just keeping Speed Step enabled so that Right Mark can clock it up to 450 mhz and make it somewhat functioning. It's been as low as 100 mhz when I don't use Right Mark.

 

Could you check your temperatures using HWmonitor? It could be overheating causing it to cut off the FSB

 

Strange.


I didn't think to check, but the hw monitor isn't picking much up as you can see. Also the temps don't change at all when watching hw monitor like they do in my desktop. Something is fishy for sure.

 

Weird, after a restart my idle temperatures went from a 28 to a 35ish.

 

Well looking at that, its overheating causing the FSB to drop. Could be a faulty sensor but check that your fans are working first.

Desktop temps dont really move since the fan is always on.

More CPU load on startup

 

It's been 40 minutes and it's still at 35-38. Very weird. Nothing changed.. Could it be that other things such as my GPU or HD are not working that much so my fans are not working that much therfore not keeping my CPU super-cool.

 

Yeah the fan is on for sure I can feel the air moving out. Do you recommend that I open it and look physically at the CPU? I've plenty of experience with desktop but not laptop hardware. I can probably thermal paste the thing again and take a look at how bad the fan is.

 

I ended up undervolting with RMCLOCK and I did not end up liking it. I uninstalled it and removed the registry edits. Is everything back to normal like I got my CPU?

 

Update: I opened the bottom of the laptop and checked the processor, apparently this model has it located where you can access it without having to remove the shell. So I booted windows with the plastic pulled off and felt along the heatsink and it never got hot at all. My guess is it can't be overheating, if it was putting off 180 degree fahrenheit I'd feel something on the heatsink? So what can I narrow this down to now?

 

First of all, thanks for a well-written and immensely useful guide.

My first attempt at undervolting has been a huge success! My M4400 has an Intel T9600 (2.8GHz@1066MHz,rated for 1.05v-1.175v). I did the pre-RMclock 10-minute Orthos test, and got a relatively low 69°C. A few hours of fiddling has given me a 0.1375v reduction and lowered the temps to 63°C. Even better, I just turned off RMclock management, and reran the Orthos stress test, and saw temps of up to 80°, meaning I've achieved a reduction of 17°! Can't ask for much more than that

But I'm confused by the multiplier, and by RMclock's lack of support for half multipliers. Here's the deal - unmanaged, my system runs at about 2792MHz. Managed and forced to 8x, it runs at 2234MHz. This corresponds exactly to the 10x and 8x multipliers. But my system has a 10.5 bus/core ratio - doesn't this mean my max multiplier would be 10.5?

Edit: CPU-Z confirms a 10.5x multiplier at max speed, and a 6.0x multiplier at minimum (1596.2MHz). Interestingly enough, CPU-Z tells me that, when restricted to the 8x multiplier, my system is NOT running at 2234MHz, it's running at 2128MHz! I guess RMclock is not to be trusted (at least, not it's clock speeds). Going back to RMclock's 10x setting shows me I'm underclocked by 133MHz.

Anyone know of any undervolting utilities that correctly support half multipliers?

Edit 2: So now I'm doubting who's right and who's wrong... CPU-Z is reporting that my VID is 1.15, where RMclock says it's 1.0375. Additionally, I found where RMclock is giving me the correct speed - the Throttle field shows ~2660MHz at 10x, ~2128MHz at 8x, the correct values.

 

Someone was talking about a registry edit to enable RMClock to use 12.5. How do I go about doing this, and is it a good idea? Is it inreversable?

 

I tested it out (same OC) with the max multiplier several notches higher. The result, my laptop hard rebooted even faster than before. Once I kicked down a couple notches (below what I originally had) I saw the telltale BSOD in-game.

From what I've read, it seems my gpu is infact overheating. Increasing the cpu voltage causes the hard reboots to come faster and I'm inclined to think it's due to heat because the gpu and cpu share the same cooling pipe on this laptop. What I've done now is kicked my cpu multiplier down one notch and slightly decreased the overclock. I haven't had time to test it out enough but hopefully this will be stable.

Do you guys think my conclusions are correct regarding the hard rebooting and voltage/heat? I'm puzzled as to why it's hard rebooting because the max temps go slightly over 80C, and I don't consider that to be "overheating". It seems my laptop likes to think the mid eighties is a good shutdown temperature instead of 95C or 100C. Is there a way to change that? I know higher temperatures = decreased life, but I don't really mind since I most likely will have a new laptop by the time this one dies.

 

There is something not right. I undervolted a lot but I am not loosing temperature. It only works when my CPU stays at a multiplier for a few seconds and if it doesnt it does not use the voltages I set.

 

PLEASE! i need help!

my notebook overheats even when i set the 11.0x multiplier voltage to default. When i dont use rmclock and do a stress test, the temps go to 90! but when i apply the default voltages using rmclock it overheats within half a minute! somethings wrong or i'm not doing it rite!

Please help.
Thanks in advance.

 

Does it overheat when it's set to default? If so then you need to address the overheating instead of trying to fix the problem with undervolting, just my opinion though.

 

ya it overheats upon stress test and shuts down when RMClock is set to default voltages. i'll be applying AS5 as soon as i get my hands on some. but what i cant understand is why it overheats when the voltages in rmclock are set to the default voltages; but doesn't overheat when i'm not using RMClock.

 

It doesn't overheat when you're not using RMclock? Then don't use it. What are you trying to do, lower the temperatures by voltage?

 

Did you follow all the steps in the original posting, or is there a chance you did not notice the following:

Not doing this may have caused RMClock to load incorrect defaults when you had it load them before stress-testing.

 

In my experience CPU-Z doesn't ever display proper voltage. Some programs display what it thinks your CPU voltage is, some displays a real time reading (Subject to Vdroop), others are just wrong. RMClock tends to be fairly accurate in my experience.

 

Ya i did change it to 'Mobile'. But the notebook's still overheating. I dont know wat i'm doing wrong.

 

one day my "high performance" just turned into RMClock Performance Management.. is there something wrong? or is it normal

 

I don't see the Advanced tab either. And it does not recognize my cpu. I guess I can't undervolt it? This is my info:

There's no other program to use, if not rmclock?

I'll try with my gateway now.

 

This thread in the Rightmark forum might indicate that someone is thinking of picking up the RMClock development.

If people get over there and make some contributions then it might encourage something to happen.

John

 

There, registered and replied

 

I'm still not able to undervolt! The notebook just overheats and shuts down.
i jus played GTA 4, and i've never experienced smoother sailing thru the game! it ran perfectly, till the cpu overheated and the comp shut-down!
i need help.

 

When's the last time you cleaned out your fans?

 

Hmm, it's said that undervolting won't impact on performance.

But it just noticed something when running SuperPi, when i run my T7600 @ 2.33Ghz with 1.05v i get 23.4sec on the 1M test. When i set it on standard-voltage which is 1.1625v @ 2.33Ghz i get 22.8sec on the 1M test. Isn't this strange?! I've run the test for like 10 times on each setting, and it's about the same every time.

Sure it's not a big drop in performance and definately not anything i do notice overall, but there is still a performance drop, which i think is strange.

 

Thats cause RMclock taxes abit of resources when throttling. It has nothing to do with the voltage.
Set it to max performance profile

 

a week back!
i think my only option now is to add AS5.

 

It makes it worse, 24.xxx secs then!

When i manually set it to max voltage at max speed it works fine, it's the same as my low voltage profile but with higher maxvoltage.. So it should take up exactly the same resources when i have it on either setting.

 

Great guide Flipfire, now running at .95v 6x - 11x, .975v 12x and 1.025v for 13x on my T3400. Idle temp is around 11-13C with full load from a stress test for 6 hours not breaking 49C. I have also picked up about 10-20 mins of battery life.

 

Unless your laptop is in a refrigerator it's not idling at 54 F. I think your temperature sensors are off.

 

I agree with that, but before I undervolted they would read a max of like 80C under load which seems reasonable and the temps do increase when under load to reasonable levels, plus the laptop is like a week old so I don't think the temp sensor have gone bad just when I undervolt. I have felt the air that blows out of the vent and it isnt really any different (or doesnt feel it) over my ambient room temp which is 60F.
I just ran a quick Otrhos with and without RMClock running and it looks like my temp sensors are working.

With RMClock Running


Without RMClock Running

Plus with it running my fan barely its 1/4 speed (based on noise) without it running I can feel the temp difference and the fan is 2-3 times louder.

 

Can someone tell me if RM clock is working properly? I did the necessary changes but it keeps giving me the maximal reading, and rm is red, meanings it running full power right? how do i get it back to gray?

EDIT: Everytime i turn on performance on demand profile, the cpu load increases! rep+ for anyone that can solve this issue

 

Do you have all the check boxes for the multipliers checked under the: Profiles>Performance On Demand Tab? Normally the red gear is a sign that its locked at the highest multiplier

 

yes, except the last one, which has to do with IDA, i turned that off. I tried checking everything and turn on IDA and stil the same issue

 

Hi, guys. I am new in undervolting and I am trying to find the best setting for me.
I have a obscurity, so I want to ask u.

My MIN possible voltage is 0.950 V and MAX is 1.1375 V
I have T9500 and I am currently testing the 11.0 x multiplier..at the lovest 0.950 V and the Orthos test run without error for more than 90 minutes.
Now the question is..
DO I NEED TO TEST THE LOWER MULTYPLIERS (10 , 9 , ...) IF THE 11th PASSED TEST UNDER LOWEST VOLTAGE 0.950 V ?
- according to what I found in GUIDE :
The lower the multiplier #, the less voltage is needs!





and the 2. question: can the same profile be used on the same PC but under different Operation System , or it has to be tested again?

 

is it normal if cpu z and rmclock is reporting different vids?
cpu z is showing a vid of 1.1, after i undervolted to 0.9875v in rmclock.
i think rmclock is reading the vid wrong, i can't believe my chip would run at such a low v.

EDIT: the undervolt does work, load temp has gone down by over 10C, i just want to know the real vid.

 

Then you can change the lower multipliers without a problem to 0.95v also.

CPU-Z doesn't read mobile chipsets correctly. CPU-Z version 1.41 is the only one which shows/reads the correct VID-values on mobile intel cpu's AFAIK. The others will show higher values.
So your RMclock is most certainly reading it just fine.

 

So does anyone know why my icon is red everytime i change it to performance on demand?

 

wow, thanks for pointing me out.
i guess i got a nice chip then. will push it down a little further.

 

You can change the color of the icon to any color you want if you want too
The most logical in this case seems that the icon gets red when performance on demand is used.
Why is the color red, red?

No problem Glad to help out!

And yes, so it seems! I had a T5600 before that ran on the lowest voltage (0.95v), when standard was 1.3v (IIRC). The temps dropped by 20C on load, which was very very nice

I wish you the best of luck and i hope that your does 0.95v without any issues

 

lol thats true, but everytime i run RM clock, it's CPU load increases, thats the problem im having, it stays locked on a high multiplier. So how would i undervolt using RM clock while the voltages aren't locked on a high multiplier

 

Read the guide once again, as it says this kind of thing in the guide Otherwise i'll explain it to you here in short:

One way (the easiest and best) is to run orthos while undervolting, because you don't wanna undervolt when idle, as that is useless.
When you're running orthos you set load to the cpu = it uses the highest multiplier by default due to speedstep.

Otherwise you can unclick the other multipliers so it only uses the highest multiplier. But then you have maxpower at all times and the undervolting isn't that nessecary as you're losing batterylife running at maxspeed all the time But i guess you aint gonna do that. hehe.

 

The icon displays in red for two reasons:

1. It is locked to the highest multiplier

2. You have right clicked on the gear icon and unchecked "show performance level in main icon"

 

I did follow the guide, and did everything you just said, The problem was when i started up RM clock the icon was red (Usually meaning its locked in the highest mulitplier) I think i didn't clearly my problem clearly, my bad . Reps for you replying

Ok #2 was the problem, thanks jak! reps for you!!!

 

nice guide, I will use it in a few days

 

Cool guide, nice to have.

 

okay another little problem. every time i reboot, in porfileselection under the profile main page, the program would choose no management as default instead of performance on demand. so i have to choose performance on demand in the drag down menu every time i boot my computer.
i must have unticked something i wasn't supposed to, just can't figure out what.