Re: /proc/cpu lists CPU MHz: 0.0000

[Sønke Lorenzen <solorenzen@gmail.com>]

On Apr 11, 2005 8:37 PM, mmpub@rubberspoon.com <mmpub@rubberspoon.com> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm running Sarge with 2.6.8-2-k7 kernel, and /proc/cpuinfo shows my clockspeed
> (CPU MHz) to be 0.0000.
> 
> My system is an Athlon XP 2600+.
> 
> Is this a configuration problem? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> Marc
> 
> Here's the complete output from /proc/cpuinfo:
> processor : 0
> vendor_id : AuthenticAMD
> cpu family  : 6
> model     : 10
> model name  : AMD Athlon(tm) XP  2600+
> stepping  : 0
> cpu MHz   : 0.000
> cache size  : 512 KB
> fdiv_bug  : no
> hlt_bug   : no
> f00f_bug  : no
> coma_bug  : no
> fpu       : yes
> fpu_exception   : yes
> cpuid level : 1
> wp        : yes
> flags     : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov
> pat pse36 mmx fxsr sse syscall mmxext 3dnowext 3dnow
> bogomips  : 1900.54
> 
> 

Your system seems to be running at 1 GHz according to the bogomips
value. This is most probably caused by the powernow feature that most
new AMD processors have to control the cpuspeed.
The kernel seems to have been confused by the fact that the cpuspeed
has changed, thus the incorrect MHZ value.

Depending on if you want this feature to save power or not you have
several options.

Disable it in the bios if possible.

Install the needed programs to have it properly supported. 
On my amd64 running sid from the 64bit port at alioth i have the
following modules loaded to support powernow:

powernow_k8 (should be powernow_k7 for your system)
freq_table
cpufreq_userspace

and these programms running:
powernowd ( a daemon that controls the speed according to the cpuload)
emifreq-applet ( an applet for gnome2 that shows the speed and also
allows one to change it manually)

There are some alternatives that might work as well, try to search for
powernow and freq to find some of them.

I do not know how well 2.6.8 supports this, you may have to upgrade to
a newer kernel, 2.6.10 and 2.6.11 work for me, I have not tested it on
older versions.

The cpuspeed is changed very fast, so you will not notice it running
unless you look at the applet, but your powerbill will probbaly be
lower and your system temparature too.

Regards, Sønke