On Sun, Dec 01, 2002 at 12:14:57AM -0500, Dan Christensen wrote:
> "Karl E. Jorgensen" <karl@jorgensen.com> writes:
>
> > On I4000 (bios A16):
> > fn+# Toggle CPU speed
>
> For the record, with a US keyboard this is fn+\ (backslash, above
> the enter key). I didn't reboot with the slow setting, but based
> on some timings, this seems to switch my I4150 from 2 GHz to about
> 450 MHz.
I didn't reboot either. I've an aversion against reboots - like having
to log in again...
> However, it doesn't cause the temperature to be any lower,
> and apm doesn't seem to think my battery is going to last any longer.
I don't see any change in the temperature either (I hadn't checked
before now). Odd - this means that the CPU generates proportionally
*more* heat (=wasting battery) when on low speed!?
> Karl, does apm predict better battery life for you, or did you test
> it by running the battery down?
I don't trus APM's predictions - ibam's preditions seem to be more
accurate (but not exact either).
Just for the sake of it I ran the battery down (this time with only one
battery present):
%Full
100 *****+--+--+------------+--+---+------*****-+--+--+-----------++
| **** + * *** +
+ : *** : * : *** +
| : ** : * : *** |
80 ++.........**.........................*............***........++
| : * : * : *** |
+ : * : * : * +
| : * : * : * |
60 ++..........*.........................*.................*.....++
| : * : * : * |
+ : * : * : * +
| : * : * : * |
40 ++...........*........................*..................*....++
| : * : * : * |
+ : * : * : * +
| : * : * : * |
20 ++...........*...............**********..................*....++
| : * ******** : * |
+Battery % ****** ***** : : * +
| + * **** + + **** +
0 ++---+--+--+-***--------+--+---+------------+--+--+-----------**
12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00
01 Dec 01 Dec 01 Dec 01 Dec
The first discharge cycle is at "high" speed : ca 30 minutes, the second
at "low" speed : ca 55 minutes (log available on request).
Oddly enough I forgot to plug it in again after the last discharge, and
the machine ran for 25 minutes with zero percent charge in the battery
(yep: it was complaining like mad, but I was busy elsewhere...).
I don't seem to get as much benefit from it as I did a month ago, but
I'm pretty sure that both of the following are true:
- My battery ageing - not very gracefully
- My BIOS is buggy - it has great trouble measuring the charge while on
AC
I'm seriously beginning to doubt my BIOS now - I thought it was "sort
of" OK, but 25 minutes on an empty battery!?
YMMV
--
Karl E. Jørgensen
karl@jorgensen.com http://karl.jorgensen.com
==== Today's fortune:
Fanaticism consists of redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim.
-- George Santayana
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