[Ti] sysctl hw.cpufrequency - PROBLEM

Alex alex at fotomotion.net
Sat Jan 17 04:13:27 PST 2004 

Hi Barry and Luke

This topic has been covered in depth in various other forums

Have a look at:
http://www.macosxhints.com/ 
comment.php?mode=display&sid=20031127211855401&title=Display+your+CPU%27 
s+true+speed&type=article&order=&pid=32823

and the list related to it

Alex

> In the recent past, my 867 TiBook also has reported 667 through the  
> sysctl hw.frequency command. I too heard that this was normal - that  
> the command reports incorrectly. I just happened to do a PMU reset  
> yesterday, so I ran the command a few minutes ago and....it reports  
> 867. My machine booted faster yesterday as well. And it runs  
> noticeably faster. Apparently, mine is doing exactly what you  
> describe. So I guess your not alone. Interesting.
>
>
>
> On Jan 16, 2004, at 1:40 PM, etyrnal at ameritech.net wrote:
>
>> hello...
>>
>> In the recent past (couple months) my 867MHz TiBook (machine specs.  
>> at end) has started feeling frustratingly sluggish...
>>
>> as a quick aside - I always thought to myself "I would NEVER put it  
>> past a modern manufacturer to build in to their product a 'urge  
>> customer to buy a new model feature/bug" - especially if they thought  
>> they could hide it or get away with it...
>>
>> Well...
>>
>> In the article i heard some people discussing the "sysctl  
>> hw.cpufrequency" terminal command...
>>
>> if you open your terminal and execute that command it reports your  
>> CPU speed...
>>
>> well - my Eight Hundred Sixty Seven Mega Hertz TiBook was telling me  
>> that it is a 667MHz machine...
>>
>> So i started searching around and found another article saying that  
>> if you reset the PMU it will return it to the advertised speed...
>>
>> Sure enough...  i reset the PMU and the machine boots to "sysctl  
>> hw.cpufrequency" reporting 867MHz - and it boots NOTICEABLY faster -  
>> and runs noticeably faster...
>>
>> I've heard some people CLAIM that this command does not report the  
>> correct speed...
>>
>> This makes no sense...  I would estimate that if the command did, in  
>> fact, report incorrectly that it would doone of the following odd  
>> behaviours:
>>
>> 1.) ALWAYS report one wrong speed - regardless of any changes.
>> 2.) Report a VERY wrong speed - eg: 0MHz or 439.7256497537 MHz or  
>> some other 'broken' sounding number.
>>
>> But this is not the case for me...
>>
>> I installed "GEEK TOOL" (pretty cool app) to monitor this "sysctl  
>> hw.cpufrequency"...
>>
>> so at all times geek tool is displaying the results of this command  
>> floating above everything else being displayed at the lower right of  
>> my lcd screen...
>>
>> If i do a Startup immediately after a PMU reset - it always shows  
>> 867MHz...
>>
>> If i do a NORMAL Restart and let it boot normally - it comes up as  
>> 667MHz...
>>
>> NOW - all of this is ESPECIALLY strange to me as it was my  
>> understanding that the 867MHz models do NOT do Processor Speed  
>> Changes at all...  it was my understanding that the main method of  
>> on-battery power-savings was achieved via disabling the L2 and or L3  
>> cache memory...  and possibly by the user disabling unnecessary ports  
>> eg: modem, airport, enet, irda, etc...
>>
>> So for a machine that is supposed (by me at least) to NOT change it's  
>> speed - i find it funny that mine changes...
>>
>> ...especially considering that this machine is ALWAYS on the Power  
>> Charger/Adapter - i use it as my desktop machine.
>>
>> Also i forgot to mention that once the machine has switched itself to  
>> 667MHz - it NEVER switches back automatically - i am FORCED to do a  
>> PMU reset to get it back...
>>
>> Also it only takes about a day to a day and a half for the machine to  
>> Switch Itself from 867MHz to 667MHz in and of its OWN Accord...
>>
>> I need a really good explanation on why i should NOT call up Apple  
>> and SCREAM at them...
>>
>> My frustrations over how SLOW this machine has bees running recently  
>> have affected my peace of mind greatly.
>>
>> What am i overlooking...
>>
>> What causes this?
>>
>> IS there a way to find out if there is any App that may be issuing a  
>> command to force my machine to do this?
>>
>> Am i wrong about the 867MHz TiBook not supposed to be a cpu-speed  
>> switcher?
>>
>> And if even so - if this machine is ALWAYS on the Adapter ( and i  
>> mean ALWAYS ) then why would it switch??
>>
>> I have my energy setting set to Maximum performance...
>>
>> HELP.
>>
>>
>> - Luke
>>
>>
>> 867MHz TiBook (once in a while), 512MB Ram, 40GB HD, Older 15.2" LCD,  
>> OS X.2.8 (and holding - X.3 slowed the kids 17" iMac to a crawl),  
>> also bootable to OS 9.2.2...
>>
>>
>>
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>>
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> Barry
>
>
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> Mac ISP Serious Mac Internet Solutions From NineWire!    
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>
> RoadTools $30 PodiumPad available at Apple retail stores, $20 Traveler  
> CoolPad at Staples. Both in white for iBooks at <http://roadtools.com>
>
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