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Compaq Presario V3837TU Notebook PC Troubleshooting

Determining the Processor Speed in Windows

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This document pertains to HP Notebook PCs with Windows 7 and Vista.
When viewing System Properties, the processor (CPU) speed reported may be less than the maximum speed. To view the System Properties, click Start , right-click the Computer icon, and then select Properties . System Properties shows the speed at which your CPU is running, or current speed. The speed advertised is the fastest speed at which the CPU is capable of running, or maximum speed. It is normal to see a difference between what System Properties reports and the maximum speed of your CPU.
Notebook PCs with Intel and AMD mobile processors use processor throttling to control the speed of the processor. Your processor may slow down due to user-defined “Power options," whether the unit is running on alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC), and the demand of any system processes and applications that are running. Processor throttling is intended to extend battery life when running on DC power by only supplying the amount of power needed at any given time. Intel notebooks use the SpeedStep technology, AMD systems use PowerNow!.

View Maximum Speed using Microsoft System Information

To use the Microsoft System Information utility to view the maximum speed of the processor, follow the steps below.
  1. Click Start and enter Run in the search field. Select Run when it becomes available, and type msinfo32 in the Run window when it appears.
    Alternately, click Start and type System Information in the search field. Select System Information when it becomes available, and the System Information window will appear.
  2. Processor information including maximum speed is shown in the System Information utility box.
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View Current and Maximum Speed using HP Support Assistant

To use HP Support Assistant to view both the current and maximum speed of the processor, follow the steps below.
  1. Click Start and then Help and Support . When the Help and Support window appears, select Learn .
  2. Under Specifications , The name of the system processor and maximum speed information appears.
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Control the Power Settings for Performance

If you have selected maximum battery life while your computer is unplugged, the processor power runs at a slower speed than as if it were plugged in. To control the processor adjustment through Power Options in the Control Panel, follow the steps below.
  1. Click Start , enter power in the search field and then select Power Options from the list.
    Alternately, right-click the power icon in the system tray beside the clock and select Power Options .
  2. After the Power Options window appears, there are three plans from which you can choose:
    • HP Recommended
      Provides a balance between power conservation and performance.
    • Power saver
      Use Power saver mode when a wall outlet for DC power is unavailable.
    • High performance
      Use High performance mode for the best processor responsiveness while plugged into a wall outlet (AC power).
To customize any of these power plans, click Change plan settings .
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