AMD Cool & Quiet shock!

[Kage]

If you have an AMD Athlon that has Cool & Quiet technology and your motherboard's bios supports it. It rapidly cools down temps when you aren't using the computer, or even if you are.

I heard bad things about it, so never tried it, and you know what my temps were like.

Well, I turned it on, and nothing. No change or anything.

I realised, I had to set Power Management to Minimal, and download this:

AMD Athlonâ„¢ 64/FX Processor Driver for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Version (x86 and x64 exe) 1.3.2 here (its about half way down the list) - http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_871_9706,00.html

I then restarted the system with Cool & Quiet set to on in BIOS.

TEMPS:

Instead of my temperatures being about 45 degrees idle on the CPU, they are now 33 degrees C idle (Room temp: 28 degrees C)

Instead of a load temp of 55 degrees C, load now is about 49 degrees C.

I believe, my motherboard works better with it (ABIT AV8), instead of having it off.

I was very surprised at the temp drop, but it seems to work very well, and doesn't go above the 30's now, unless I'm doing something really intensive,

and it doesn't slow down my PC (at least noticably, and even if it did, when I'm only doing things like Internet and MSN, its really cool and isn't needed). I thought it would, but it doesn't. It just makes sure my systems much cooler, and I don't know why.

Before, I swear my system was running at almost full all the time.
My external USB hard drive doesn't rise temps anymore either like it used to, like the CPU had to work really hard.

I'm really happy now

 

[prosser13]

You do know what Cool and Quiet is I hope? It drops down the speed of the processor by reducing the multiplier when the system is idle - as soon as you start using again, it kicks it back up to full speeds.

The difference in temperatures is because the CPU stops working so hard for a while and gets cooler (I think C&Q might also reduce voltages) which in turn allows your system temperatures to reduce again.

 

[Kage]

Yeah, but I've never had my temps drop below 40's before, and never expected it to go as low as 33 degrees C.

It doesn't slow down my PC though noticably, and keeps it cooler when using MSN, etc, and it hasn't even gone as heavy in temps as it used to when using it alot.

33 Degrees C to 49 Degrees C is a massive drop.

With my motherboard (as it has Uguru stuff), its helped it, rather than degrade performance (even though I know it must be in some way).

AMD POWER READER:

I just checked the AMD power reader, and it is dropping to about 1000mhz (1.1v) when not using it, and when I am, it goes to 1800mhz, and then if i'm doing intensive stuff, it shoots to the full 2200mhz (1.4v). I'm happy with that, as long as its going up when I need it.

I've selected to have it on before, and its never done anything, but once you do the above, it kicks in, and does its job.

Because with it off, my CPU was working overtime when it shouldn't have been, and even a USB hard drive would shoot up the temps to unbelievable levels. Now I can plug it in, not having to worry that its going to do anything.

So it seemed to not be able to control it right on this motherboard with it off for some reason.

 

[prosser13]

I must apologise

Thanks for making this topic - I just bothered to install it. The steps:

Download the driver Kage linked to and named and install it, and also download DashBoard from the same page.

Install both the driver and the Dashboard, in that order, and when prompted restart.

Load back up Windows, and go onto Control Power --> Power Options, and choose Minimal Power Options from the drop down list.

And it works I'm at 1ghz at the moment, from 1.8ghz - CPU-Z, my Abit uGuru software AND AMD Dashboard all report that And I haven't noticed any differences!

I've also found that my CPU fan isn't spinning as fast, my VRMs are lower (called PWMs in uGuru) and my system temperature is also lower! My voltage is now at 1.1V too!

So, Kage, have some rep points and cheers mate!

 

[Kage]

Told you!

It does help. If you don't install them programs, the Cool & Quiet technology doesn't kick in.

Whats the point it running at full (and making mistakes in when to run full), when you can be doing simple things and have it much quieter and cooler? I mean, most of the time I'm on Internet/msn and listening to music. I don't need all that speed, making things louder.

CPU - 33 degrees C idle, System - 28 degrees C, PWR - 30 degrees C (And my system with all the new cooling, is soo quiet now )

Downloading that AMD power reader tells you for instance, that if you do decide to do more intensive things, it is highering the voltages/core speed, at the right times, and isn't slow at doing it, so I don't think you'll notice any slow down what so ever.

Do a test though for me?

Just do a really intensive thing. Do your temps shoot as high as they did previously? I've found not, but the core/voltages are going back up to normal.

RivaTuner:

To decrease noise even more, I set the 2D fan speed to 25% of my graphics card, making it whisper quiet, making the core about 60 degrees C.

I then decreased the 3D speeds a bit too of my graphics card (and also lowered the low power 3D speed (i.e 3D Studio Max)), and loaded a game up. Temps of the core reached 69 degrees C. Not bad.

 

[alvino]

Yeah, Cool & Quiet supposedly clocks the CPU depending on the task you're doing. So if you're just going online etc, it clocks down your computer which then runs cooler. It sucks if you're going to overclock though, which is why you should turn it off if you're going to do so.

 

[Kage]

Yeah, but you only really need overclocking potential when doing intensive tasks (gaming etc, which shoots the settings to full anyway).
Theres no point allowing an overclock when listening to music, etc.

It does clock it down, to about 1000mhz (2200mhz default) when its idle, or hardly doing anything. As soon as you do something it goes to 1800mhz, and then 2200mhz on intensive tasks.

No difference what so ever though, because the CPU doesn't need to be that fast to run idle type programs.

UGURU:

Anyone with Uguru will definietly get a boost from it. Considering the fact it can do overclocking straight from Windows simply, even from a program switch function, which overclocks on certain programs, when needed.

So, the Cool & Quiet wouldn't affect people with this as much.

 

[alvino]

For normal users, Cool & Quiet is good. For overclockers, who like to push their CPU's to the limit and see how far it can go, it's a no-no.

 

[joe pic]

would this work with the x2 4200?

 

[alvino]

All AMD processors should have Cool & Quiet. It's enabled through your motherboard's BIOS.