CPU Frequency Monitor Question

[slackerj]

justin williams Wrote: 
> Hi I have a question about the CPU Frequency Monitor that is an add-on 
> for the gnome panel. I slowly trying out the different features of the 
> new gnome desktop, and added this feature to my panel. I'm a little 
> confused however about the reading I'm getting from it.
> 
> First let me say that I have a Dell Latitude D600 Laptop (ubuntu btw is
> 
> the only version of Linux to install with no major trouble or loss of 
> something important like sound, video, wireless, etc. and I've tried 
> pretty much every major distro multiple times since I purchased this 
> dell in May) with an Intel Pentium M 1400 MHz processor (it actually 
> listed at 1395.646 in the Device Manager, but I don't think that makes
> a 
> different). 
> 
> My problem is that the CPU Frequency Monitor is showing 600MHz most of 
> the time, only changing when I'm opening a new program up to rated 1.40
> 
> GHz, than it drops in this order, with exactly a 2 seconds between each
> 
> step. (Yes I actually did time it)
> 
> 1.40 GHz, 1.20 GHz, 1GHz, 800 MHz, and back finally to 600MHz where it 
> will stay until I open a new program.
> 
> Anyone have an idea as to why it is doing this...or what it means
> actually?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any help someone can supply.
> 
> Namo Dharma,
> Justin Williams
> 
> 
> 
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Hello Justin

What the CPU Frequency Monitor shows is the current frequience your CPU
is operating at, at any given time.

The reason why you are seing different clock frequiences and not just a
constant one; is because the system does not have to run at 1.4Ghz all
the time. What your CPU does is allocate only what the process requires
to operate with. Thats why when you are doing nothing, it hovers at
600Mhz. When you start to open new applications; the new process
require more processing power. And your CPU gives it accordinly.

This is done so your CPU is not running full tit when it does not have
to. Also makes the CPU a tad cooler and use less power. Which in a
laptop; might explain the wide range of frequiences reported. 

I think thats the gist of it. Hopefully the above answers your question
:)

slackerj


-- 
slackerj