Solution S-XPS 1645/1647 Throttling Issues

SapienZ · 03-02-2010, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbe

1647 i5-520m | A04 BIOS | RGBLED

No Throttling anymore with those two apps (Multi just a tad under 19 in TS, CPU-Z shows Multi x18 - x20).

Sure? Look at GPU-Z. GPU throttling is still there. The thermal design of 1647 is not good enough for powerful GPUs.

kiseki_o_o · 03-02-2010, 08:54 PM

I think all these part numbers are referring to the same 130w adapter we are getting for our 1645?

Part numbers: 330-1829, 330-1830, D232H, PA-4E, X408G

Turbe · 03-02-2010, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SapienZ

Sure? Look at GPU-Z. GPU throttling is still there. The thermal design of 1647 is not good enough for powerful GPUs.

I have GPU-Z running the entire time today (doing all day stress test).. what do you want me to specifically check in GPU-Z? Perhaps it's about the 84C temp limit.

Owners with with same config except 6GB/8GB actually do better on some GPU tests...

EDIT: Ok, I saw your test posted Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by SapienZ

expectedly , it's still throttling with my 90w PSU. With ThrottleStop I also noticed Radeon throttling at +84C. It seems like XPS thermal design isn't that good to handle discrete GPU's

ThrottleStop OFF
GPU: +80C, core Clk: 675, Mem Clk: 796
CPU: +62C, Multi: x10

ThrottleStop ON
GPU: +74C/+84C, core Clk: 300/675, Mem Clk: 499/796
CPU: +77C, Multi: x20

Ouch, your Core/Mem on that test is awful (looking at your attached pics).

I set my Multi to 18, checked the other two and enabled TS. My temp was around 82C most of the time, but even at 83-84C (couple times) it didn't spike like that. No change in Core/Mem. I'm running 10.3 Preview Drivers.

EDIT 2: I have furmark (with prime95 to) running for 25 minutes so far, most of the time Temp is still at 82C, I have seen 6 spikes like you show for Core/Mem in GPU-Z (temp appears to hover at 84C for a little bit first) but there is between 50 -90 seconds between them. Nothing close to yours.

The 84C limit (or even lower on some models) doesn't appear to be Dell specific, it looks like over with the Asus', there is a Register that can be changed to a specific value to increase this limit on theirs. I thought I saw Unclewebb post something about adding this option to TS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclewebb

Toggle1FC
http://www.sendspace.com/file/07d762

The guys over on the Asus G51J forum have found an interesting bit in the CPU. By disabling this bit in their Core i7 CPUs, they don't have any throttling anymore of their GPU when it hits about 80C.

They are using Nvidia GPUs but I'm not sure if that will make a difference. This little trick is allowing them to draw some BIG power numbers out of their 120 watt adapters so be careful when testing.

When the box in this new tool is cleared, it's open season for the Asus guys. No more throttling but their GPU can hit 100C so keep an eye on your temperatures when playing.

If this trick is useful for more than just Asus owners then I will likely add it to ThrottleStop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclewebb

When this bit in the Core i7 is set in the Asus G51 laptop, they throttle. When this bit is cleared, they don't throttle the GPU any more. I don't know why this happens but I thought it's a very interesting discovery. Intel does not publicly document this bit so I can't say for sure what it actually controls or whether the bios sets it or what.

When you first start up Toggle1FC, is the box checked or cleared? If it is cleared then I guess this is not the method that Dell uses. If it is checked then it would be worth unchecking it and see if the GPU throttling issue can be controlled with this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclewebb

danp224: Is your GPU throttling or just your CPU?

If this new trick can be used to get rid of GPU throttling then ThrottleStop can be used to help reduce the CPU throttling that you are seeing.

GPUs are designed to run at over 100C before down clocking. Any down clocking before this is being done by the bios. It would be nice to find an option for users so they can decide if they want to turn this "feature" off.

The Asus guys can run with the GPU at over 90C with no throttling of either the CPU or GPU. It would be nice if Dell set their design goals a little higher than barely adequate.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...Fire/1fc-3.jpg

A multiplier of 19.84 on the hardest working core is something to be proud of.

Maybe there is a similar bit that can be disabled for ours.

SapienZ · 03-02-2010, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbe

EDIT 2: I have furmark (with prime95 to) running for 25 minutes so far, most of the time Temp is still at 82C, I have seen 6 spikes like you show for Core/Mem in GPU-Z (temp appears to hover at 84C for a little bit first) but there is between 50 -90 seconds between them. Nothing close to yours.

The 84C limit doesn't appear to be Dell specific, it looks like over with the Asus', there is a Register that can be changed to a specific value to increase this limit on theirs. I thought I saw Unclewebb post something about adding this option to TS.

interesting! Maybe i5-520M vs 540M makes a difference?

I agree with you, 84C limit isn't Dell specific. But with my Dell 1647 it is too easy to exceed that limit.

And.. it is not a hot summer day today.

Turbe · 03-02-2010, 10:15 PM

EDIT: I updated my post above, I see you posted before my last update.

yes, yours is just crazy.. what ATI Driver version are you running? I have the 10.3 Preview ones running from strags.com

I suppose the thermal compound was applied differently between ours.

The one thing I regret was the $60 upgrade to the 540m.. Not sure why I went cheap there, my system was only $1339 anyways, $60 should have been an easy decision.

SapienZ · 03-02-2010, 10:24 PM

For now, I'm using regular ATI Driver from dell-website. But thank you for the advice. I'll try 10.3 Preview and report my results later.

danevin · 03-02-2010, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SapienZ

For now, I'm using regular ATI Driver from dell-website. But thank you for the advice. I'll try 10.3 Preview and report my results later.

Running the normal drivers from dell and using a 90w adapter, I can verify your findings.

I get GPU throttling when running Prime95 and Furmark.

Highest temp 84C; if it was approaching 81-84C, it would then throttle down to 300mhz core and 499mhz memory to compensate.

Quote:

Date/Time Core Mem Temp Load GTmp Memtmp

2010-03-02 23:00:50, 675.0mhz, 796.5mhz, 84.0C, 98%, 82.0C, 80.0C

2010-03-02 23:00:51, 675.0mhz, 796.5mhz, 82.0C, 97%, 82.5C, 80.0C

2010-03-02 23:00:52, 300.0mhz, 499.5mhz, 85.0C, 99%, 83.0C, 81.0C

2010-03-02 23:00:54, 300.0mhz, 499.5mhz, 77.0C, 38%, 77.0C, 75.0C

2010-03-02 23:00:54, 300.0mhz, 499.5mhz, 80.0C, 100%, 79.5C, 77.5C

2010-03-02 23:00:55, 675.0mhz, 796.5mhz, 79.0C, 0%, 80.5C, 78.5C

CPU throttled a little bit (although I did have turbo boost disabled) it stayed for the most part at a rock solid 16x.

Sucks if you ask me. If they don't get this bs solved, I will be returning it. It is pretty damn sad, rock solid build quality, terrible research quality. Typical to see from Dell these days, sadly.

Turbe · 03-02-2010, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danevin

Running the normal drivers from dell and using a 90w adapter, I can verify your findings.

I get GPU throttling when running Prime95 and Furmark.

He has the 130w Adapter: http://forum.notebookreview.com/show...81#post5945081

He is getting severe GPU throttling, even with 130w.. I am not.... hopefully he will update to 10.3 Preview and see if that helps.

Other manufacturers have put a temp limit on their ATI GPU similar to ours.

The 90w is not adequate at all, you need to email Dell support and get the free 130w.

What CPU do you have, how much main memory and what BIOS version do you have?

Since it looks like the CPU Throttling issue is resolved (1647 with 130w and A04), perhaps an option to raise the 84C will be found.

danevin · 03-02-2010, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbe

He has the 130w Adapter: http://forum.notebookreview.com/show...81#post5945081

He is getting severe GPU throttling, even with 130w.. I am not...

The 90w is not adequate at all, you need to email Dell support and get the free 130w.

I pmed Bill_B but didn't get anything back, unfortunately.

I must have gotten him confused with someone else; I thought he was on the 90w. Well even so, switching to 130w isn't going to lower the temps, is it?

Ci5-430m, Bios A04, 4GB.

error-id10t · 03-02-2010, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbe

He is getting severe GPU throttling, even with 130w.. I am not.... hopefully he will update to 10.3 Preview and see if that helps.

No, it won't. Existing BIOS / 130W adapter / 10.3 Preview drivers have nothing to do with the GPU throttling. You experienced it yourself and even said so, it just happens that you had temps only reaching this here and there.

But everytime it hit it, it happened to you. Dell have also said this happen because of their own limit set to that. It happened on Studio 15 and previous m15x laptops also until they raised the limit via BIOS update.