Ritter197 wrote:
> It is the CPU, it test the lowest and brings the overall test results
> down to its lowest level.
>
OK, you have two options.
1) Go into the BIOS and disable EIST (Intel SpeedStep).
SpeedStep allows the processor to go from "high multiplier" to
"low multiplier" to save power.
2) If you cannot find such an adjustment in the BIOS, go into Windows
and visit the control panels. There should be a panel for "Power Management"
of some sort. It has "power schemes" in it. At least one of the schemes
will be a "high power" scheme. The "Always ON" one is the one I'd select.
Make note of the current setting, then switch to "Always ON" and run the
benchmark again.
You can also verify the system frequencies, using CPUZ. You can use the
"no-install" version here. Check both the CPU frequency, and see if the
memory settings are giving abnormally low results.
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php
CPUZ is supposed to update the processor frequency value, on the fly. So
if you went from "low multiplier" to "high multiplier", the speed of the
processor shown, should be seen to change as well. If you use the "Always ON"
power scheme, to disable SpeedStep, then CPUZ should stay at the rated CPU
speed at all times. Even when the computer is idle. While the PassMark is
running, keep an eye on the CPUZ window, and it should stay at the
top speed.
The Q8200 is listed here as 2.33GHz at FSB1333. 1333/4 = 333. 2330/333 = 7.
So 7 is the high multiplier. I expect the low multiplier is probably something
like 6, and 6*333=2.0GHz. So when I think about it, SpeedStep really shouldn't
make that much difference to the benchmark. The high and low settings of
your processor, are pretty close together.
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLB5M
If you go to Task Manager (control-alt-delete), do you see four performance
graphs ? That implies four cores.
http://img.techpowerup.org/080221/quad.jpg
There can be a couple reasons for seeing only one graph in Task Manager. There
is a preference setting in Task Manager, to display the utilization of the
quad core, as one graph. But the other reason, is the OS is only using one
core at the moment, rather than all four. It is possible for the OS to only
be using one of the cores, leaving the other three idle.
So, your next place to visit. would be Device Manager. Check the "Computer"
entry. If you click the (+) next to the word "Computer", underneath it,
you should see the HAL (hardware abstraction layer) type. Mine right now,
reads...
"ACPI Multiprocessor PC"
as I have a dual core Core2. If I had only one core, then the word
Multiprocessor might be replaced by Uniprocessor. The Uniprocessor
HAL supports the operation of a single core.
Windows allows easily changing the "driver" for that item. Using only
a driver change from the available drivers, you can switch from
"Uniprocessor" to "Multiprocessor", and thereby you will get four
graphs in Task Manager.
Some other HAL transition cases, are not as easy. For example, if the
"Computer" entry in Device Manager said "Standard PC", then you're in
much worse shape. That may not be fixable using a simple driver upgrade.
"Standard PC" makes no reference to ACPI, and means that ACPI is not
working. If you were to attempt a shutdown in WinXP, with the Computer
being a "Standard PC", then you would not be able to "soft off" the
computer. You'd see the old Win98 "It is Safe to Turn Off This Computer"
kind of message on the screen instead.
In terms of ACPI compliance, it is possible for a computer BIOS to be
so broken, as to prevent ACPI installation. On my retail motherboards
here, I have an option in the BIOS to select "ACPI 2.0 compliance", but
I doubt that setting is really important. Another setting in the BIOS
I've seen, is "MPS Standard" of either version 1.1 or 1.4. Switching
to version 1.4, may make it possible for an older dual core computer,
to assume its "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" role in Windows.
Since you have an HP, I doubt any of that is relevant to you, as they
would have set everything up right. But at least you can poke around
in Device Manager and Task Manager, and see what's up.
Paul
