My computer (Dell Inspiron 1150) has recently suffered a big decrease
in performance. It has a P4 2.8 GHZ processor and 512 ram. I used to
use it for video editing, but recently it hasn't even been able to play
YouTube videos without skipping every few seconds. When I check the
task manager it shows my CPU running at about 50% then it will spike to
100% then go back down.

I have recently reformatted my hard drive and reinstalled Windows XP
SP2 and that has had no effect. I have just run a benchmark test that
shows my processor is running at 1.6 GHZ. I have read into my problem
a little a came across the possibility of it being set wrong in the
bios. My CPU can run at 2.8GHZ or 1.6GHZ and I'm assuming that the
1.6GHZ is for the power saving feature.

Wouldn't a benchmark program check everything for maximum capability?
Is my computer somehow stuck in 1.6HGZ mode? My control panel/system
shows that it's running at 2.8GHZ, but there is clearly something
wrong. Any ideas? I'm confused and frustrated as it's putting my
video editing on hold.

Here are some numbers the benchmark program gave me that I don't
understand.

MDIPS Comparison-2,421 which put it between an AMD Thunderbird 850MHZ
and Thunderbird 900MHZ

MWIPS Comparison-566 Which put it between an Intel Celeron 700MHZ and
AMD Duron 800MHZ

Speed Comparison-1,600 which put it between a P4 1.6 and AMD Athlon XP
2000+ 1.67GHZ

It seems to me that my CPU should have rated much higher in all of
these categories. Any ideas or nudges in the right direction would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> My computer (Dell Inspiron 1150) has recently suffered a big decrease
> in performance. It has a P4 2.8 GHZ processor and 512 ram. I used to
> use it for video editing, but recently it hasn't even been able to play
> YouTube videos without skipping every few seconds. When I check the
> task manager it shows my CPU running at about 50% then it will spike to
> 100% then go back down.
>
> I have recently reformatted my hard drive and reinstalled Windows XP
> SP2 and that has had no effect. I have just run a benchmark test that
> shows my processor is running at 1.6 GHZ. I have read into my problem
> a little a came across the possibility of it being set wrong in the
> bios. My CPU can run at 2.8GHZ or 1.6GHZ and I'm assuming that the
> 1.6GHZ is for the power saving feature.
>
> Wouldn't a benchmark program check everything for maximum capability?
> Is my computer somehow stuck in 1.6HGZ mode? My control panel/system
> shows that it's running at 2.8GHZ, but there is clearly something
> wrong. Any ideas? I'm confused and frustrated as it's putting my
> video editing on hold.
>
> Here are some numbers the benchmark program gave me that I don't
> understand.
>
> MDIPS Comparison-2,421 which put it between an AMD Thunderbird 850MHZ
> and Thunderbird 900MHZ
>
> MWIPS Comparison-566 Which put it between an Intel Celeron 700MHZ and
> AMD Duron 800MHZ
>
> Speed Comparison-1,600 which put it between a P4 1.6 and AMD Athlon XP
> 2000+ 1.67GHZ
>
> It seems to me that my CPU should have rated much higher in all of
> these categories. Any ideas or nudges in the right direction would be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks.
>
This program will give info about hardware speeds.

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

I'd use Task Manager and see what tasks are running on the
machine. Maybe one of them is a runaway process, and is
using up cycles ?

Paul

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> My computer (Dell Inspiron 1150) has recently suffered a big decrease
> in performance. It has a P4 2.8 GHZ processor and 512 ram. I used to
> use it for video editing, but recently it hasn't even been able to play
> YouTube videos without skipping every few seconds. When I check the
> task manager it shows my CPU running at about 50% then it will spike to
> 100% then go back down.
>
> I have recently reformatted my hard drive and reinstalled Windows XP
> SP2 and that has had no effect. I have just run a benchmark test that
> shows my processor is running at 1.6 GHZ. I have read into my problem
> a little a came across the possibility of it being set wrong in the
> bios. My CPU can run at 2.8GHZ or 1.6GHZ and I'm assuming that the
> 1.6GHZ is for the power saving feature.
>
> Wouldn't a benchmark program check everything for maximum capability?
> Is my computer somehow stuck in 1.6HGZ mode? My control panel/system
> shows that it's running at 2.8GHZ, but there is clearly something
> wrong. Any ideas? I'm confused and frustrated as it's putting my
> video editing on hold.
>
> Here are some numbers the benchmark program gave me that I don't
> understand.
>
> MDIPS Comparison-2,421 which put it between an AMD Thunderbird 850MHZ
> and Thunderbird 900MHZ
>
> MWIPS Comparison-566 Which put it between an Intel Celeron 700MHZ and
> AMD Duron 800MHZ
>
> Speed Comparison-1,600 which put it between a P4 1.6 and AMD Athlon XP
> 2000+ 1.67GHZ
>
> It seems to me that my CPU should have rated much higher in all of
> these categories. Any ideas or nudges in the right direction would be
> greatly appreciated.

Since a clean install (and you did install all the drivers from Dell, didn't
you?) didn't help, look to the hardware. Check and see if your hard drive
is in PIO mode. Here is information from MVP Hans-Georg Michna about that:

http://www.michna.com/kb/WxDMA.htm

If the drive *is* in PIO mode right after a clean install (and installing
all the drivers) and won't get into the correct DMA mode, then I'd download
a diagnostic from the hard drive mftr.'s website and do a full test. You
will create a bootable cd/floppy with the file you download. Boot with this
media and do a thorough test. If the drive fails any physical tests,
replace it.

There may be other hardware components failing, but that's where I'd start.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User