SpeedStep Problem

I have a Toshiba A55-326 Satellite notebook.

1.6 GHz Processor
512 MB RAM
Windows XP Home SP2

I recently noticed what seems to be a pretty common problem. The processor should be running at 1.6 GHz, but is, in fact, running at about 598 MHz. I looked through the various threads for this problem and still have not solved the problem. I have tried the following:

1. Updating my BIOS
2. Checking the BIOS settings. The only seemingly applicable one deals with battery power settings, which are set to "Full Power"
3. Changing my power options to ALWAYS ON
4. Updating to SP2 and downloading all available XP patches
5. Downloading SpeedSwitchXP and trying to change the settings that way
6. Reinstalling Toshiba's Power Management Software

After all this, I have reverted to the standard ALWAYS ON setting in my power options, but I am still running at 598 MHz. Any additional ideas?

 

get cpu-z and see what it says. sometimes the os and the bios report false readings.
download from: http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php
If this says you're running at 600MHz, then you probably do have a problem indeed. BTW try to load the CPU with this ftp://pi.super-computing.org/windows/super_pi.zip while you try and detect its speed. All this progy does is try to calculate pi to a specified number of significant figures, 2 million should do the trick, since that will require your system to overload the cpu for a bit over 2 minutes.

Oh and if you have Speed switch still on set it at either dynamic or best performance (or what ever is equivelent to that)
I am assuming you have a pentium M processor, right?
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N6010: P4M 3.2G, 512MB Dual 333MHz, 60GB 7200RPM, ATI 9700M, 17" WXGA+
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Have you tried either updating or reinstalling the processor drivers??

Compaq Presario R3340US
AMD Athlon 64 3200+, 512MB, 80GB 5400rpm
15.4" Brightview Widescreen.
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Compaq Presario V2000
Intel P-M 725, 14" Brightview Widescreen
60gb 5400rpm, 512MB RAM.

 

Make sure you have enabled SpeedStep in the BIOS. If you disable this, your CPU will only run at 598MHz. I did this on the HP NX7000 I used to have and the CPU was locked at that speed even if I changed the setting to Always On in the Power Management settings.

You should also try using Intel's Frequency ID utility, this will give you an acurate reading of your CPU's speed. Both max speed & actual speed.

http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/

-Vb-