Member Avatar for DenisOxon

Morning All,

I have a customer who has bought a computer with Athlon iix4 Model 635 on a Biostar GF8200E motherboard. This cleaverly alters the processor speed dependant on useage to save energy.

The problem is that customer needs to fix the processor speed for a music application he is running.

Anyone know how to fix the speed please ? It can be any speed above 1.6.

Thanks for your heklp

Denis

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As described, the problem is frequency scaling: the CPU reduces clock during idle/work transitions and that breaks software that depends on a fixed CPU rate. was right to think of “speed‑stepping” behaviour, and is on the right track — the permanent fix is to stop the processor from changing its multiplier/state, and to make the OS keep the CPU at full performance.

Practical checklist (do these in order):

  1. BIOS: look for AMD power‑saving options (Cool’n’Quiet, C1E/C‑state, Global C‑State or CPU power saving). Disable those options and, if present, set the CPU multiplier/clock ratio to a fixed value. If the BIOS does not expose a multiplier lock, some vendor tools (or AMD OverDrive on older systems) can pin the clock inside the OS — use with care.
  2. Windows: choose the High Performance power plan and set Processor Power Management → Minimum processor state = 100% (and Maximum = 100% if you want an absolute lock). Path: Control Panel → Power Options → Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings.
  3. Audio app/system tuning: use ASIO or low‑latency drivers, raise the audio buffer if you still see glitches, give the audio process higher priority, and pin it to a dedicated core if the app supports it. Run a latency tool (e.g., LatencyMon/DPC tester) to check whether drivers or IRQs are the real cause of audio timing faults.

Notes and cautions: fixing voltage alone will not reliably fix clock rate — frequency is controlled by multiplier/states, voltage just affects stability. Disabling power saving increases heat and power draw; verify cooling and watch temperatures. After changes, validate the result with a frequency monitor (CPU‑Z or similar) and stress the audio workflow to confirm timing is stable.

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Member Avatar for caperjack

hi, i read the manual thinking might be something in it ,but not,some setting in the bios maybe , one would think it would up the speed when/if its needed ,the laptop im on right now does, im using win7 and have a side bar gadget[just right click on sidebar and go more gadgets ] that shows my cpu and ram usage ,and shows when speed goes up and down

Member Avatar for DenisOxon

I've hunted manual, etc.

You are right speed does vary, but we don't want it too. Music generation program require same speed of working to perform accurate calculations.

Speed during statup is 1.6, then drops to 700 at end of bootup.

Member Avatar for caperjack

Speed during statup is 1.6, then drops to 700 at end of bootup.

yeah,and one would assume that when the programs need more it should increase.maybe someone who actually know will see the post and have solution,in the meantime i'll keep looking with you for an answer

Member Avatar for caperjack

didn't come across a definitive answer ,seems speed stepping is a common name for the function with an intel cpu .also seems that disabling it will result in it running at a lower speed and not the higher one,not sure about that ,but i think left alone the cpu will spike when needed, mine does,maybe the music software isn't written well enought to take advantage of his 4 cores,a lot of software isn't !!

my hp/compag laptops bios a virtulisation setting for running multiple virtual machines .,but recommended no to run it all the time ,i set to enable ,and ram win7 and xp mode ,cpu still jumped from 950 -1900 mhz when doing things in both at the same time .

Edited by caperjack because: n/a
Member Avatar for DenisOxon

Thanks for your help, so far.

It is not a question of software being written badly. It needs very accurate timings which you don't get if processor speed alters. I now wonder if I am going to have similar problem with real time systems I support, how do you get accurate timing if cpu speed alters ....... ??

I have found a bios setting for the board which fixes the voltage. I know if one increases voltage one increases clock speed, so if voltage fixed is cpu speed fixed ?

Edited by DenisOxon because: n/a
Member Avatar for crunchie

Go in to the bios and disable cool and quiet :)

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