Could I possibly be thrashing my computer?
 

I have a 3.2 GHz core 2 duo at home with four gigs of ram. I have always run Prime95 at full capacity on that computer. About two days ago, the computer has started running my LL test with about 21% of the processor left to the System Idle Process. I checked whether other programs are starting up, but no other ones are. I checked whether I am filling up my RAM, but I'm not even reaching 1GB.

I can't for the life of me figure out why this LL test is suddenly running so slowly!

Help!!

Hmm...are you saying it's running an [i]LL[/i]? In that case, it's extremely unlikely that Prime95 is thrashing the computer, since the LL uses only a few MB of RAM. If you're doing P-1, that would be a different story; I'd listen to see if your hard drive is going bonkers with activity. That will tell you definitively whether the computer is thrashing.

If you are doing the LL and yet the HD is thrashing, then my guess would be that another process is causing the thrashing.

Did it drop a worker/core? Is it thermal throttling?

Check out by using [URL="http://download.cnet.com/Process-Explorer/3000-2094_4-10223605.html"]Process Explorer[/URL] (google for the latest version).
It will show some annoying processes much better.
It is possible that some malware or a service is starting frequently -- and Prime95, naturally, yields.

[QUOTE=Uncwilly;237371]Did it drop a worker/core? Is it thermal throttling?[/QUOTE]
It doesn't seem to have dropped a worker core. How can I check for thermal throttling?

[QUOTE=Batalov;237391]Check out by using [URL="http://download.cnet.com/Process-Explorer/3000-2094_4-10223605.html"]Process Explorer[/URL] (google for the latest version).
It will show some annoying processes much better.
It is possible that some malware or a service is starting frequently -- and Prime95, naturally, yields.[/QUOTE]

I will try this, though I haven't seen other effects of malware.

[QUOTE=dominicanpapi82;237447]It doesn't seem to have dropped a worker core. How can I check for thermal throttling?
[/QUOTE]

Install CoreTemp: [URL]http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/[/URL]

And check while running LL what happens to the frequency. If it goes down then the cpu is throttling. Do you often clean the cooler dust?

[QUOTE=em99010pepe;237448]Install CoreTemp: [URL]http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/[/URL]

And check while running LL what happens to the frequency. If it goes down then the cpu is throttling. Do you often clean the cooler dust?[/QUOTE]

I don't know how to clean the cooler dust. I'll check how online. I'll install that program tonight and let you know how that goes.

[QUOTE=em99010pepe;237448]Install CoreTemp: [URL]http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/[/URL]

And check while running LL what happens to the frequency. If it goes down then the cpu is throttling. Do you often clean the cooler dust?[/QUOTE]

got anything that will work for my pentium D as it says I'm not supported.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;237480]got anything that will work for my pentium D as it says I'm not supported.[/QUOTE]

That one doesn't have a heat sensor, you will have to check temps on BIOS.

[QUOTE=em99010pepe;237500]That one doesn't have a heat sensor, you will have to check temps on BIOS.[/QUOTE]

that sucks lol I didn't want to restart to find it. and I don't remember /have a clue how to access it.

[QUOTE=dominicanpapi82;237336]I have a 3.2 GHz core 2 duo at home with four gigs of ram. I have always run Prime95 at full capacity on that computer. About two days ago, the computer has started running my LL test with about 21% of the processor left to the System Idle Process. I checked whether other programs are starting up, but no other ones are. I checked whether I am filling up my RAM, but I'm not even reaching 1GB.

I can't for the life of me figure out why this LL test is suddenly running so slowly!

Help!![/QUOTE]

You might increase the priority of Prime95 by one. Sometimes IO-bound processes (like virus scanenr) slow down the overall system

[QUOTE=science_man_88;237480]got anything that will work for my pentium D as it says I'm not supported.[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php"]SpeedFan[/URL] will do the job for you...

[QUOTE=Commaster;237530][URL="http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php"]SpeedFan[/URL] will do the job for you...[/QUOTE]

okay how exactly do I get it without paypal ? also it doesn't have a cpu temperature sensor in mine from what he said.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;237559]okay how exactly do I get it without paypal ? also it doesn't have a cpu temperature sensor in mine from what he said.[/QUOTE]
It's a free download--the link (also available from the Download page reachable from Commaster's link) is:

[URL]http://www.almico.com/speedfan442.exe[/URL]

[QUOTE=mdettweiler;237570]It's a free download--the link (also available from the Download page reachable from Commaster's link) is:

[URL]http://www.almico.com/speedfan442.exe[/URL][/QUOTE]

which sent me to what he originally pointed to. as they don't want you to download it as it may get stuck and unless you mirror it off a website it says the php is where you find it.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;237571]which sent me to what he originally pointed to. as they don't want you to download it as it may get stuck and unless you mirror it off a website it says the php is where you find it.[/QUOTE]
Say, you're right...I skimmed that text the first time around and didn't think of that. You can download the link directly, though, from the website. See the following text on the Download page:
[quote]
The latest version is [B]SpeedFan 4.42[/B]. Some tools (like Norton Internet Security or ZoneAlarm) may interfere with the download process. Basically, the REFERER field must be properly sent to SpeedFan's web server. Download won't work if any tool blocks it. For web masters: if you do not want to mirror the download locally to your website, please link to [url]http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php[/url] and not to the direct download as it won't work. Thank you for your cooperation.
[/quote]
If you click on the link labeled "SpeedFan 4.42" (bolded here for emphasis) that will get you the direct .exe download.

In the original post it is stated that Suddenly 21% goes to the System Idle (pseudo) process. This means that no thermal throttling is involved. I suspect that the FFT size has increased and that the information shared by the two cores does not fit in cache any more...

Jacob

[QUOTE=mdettweiler;237573]Say, you're right...I skimmed that text the first time around and didn't think of that. You can download the link directly, though, from the website. See the following text on the Download page:

If you click on the link labeled "SpeedFan 4.42" (bolded here for emphasis) that will get you the direct .exe download.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=speedfan 4.42]IT8712F support was improved.
Please, have a look at CONFIG / ADVANCED and read the help file about how to configure Advanced Options.[/QUOTE]

I don't even know what this is lol.

one temp says 38 C one says 58 C one says -128 C and apparently only 2 of fans are on lol.

one thing I found by playing is that I have 3 fans not 2 and only one is above 59% in use unless I now control it, and the one that's in use is set to 100% and I can't hear it really but the others sound like they are trying to cut something lol.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;237613]I don't even know what this is lol.

one temp says 38 C one says 58 C one says -128 C and apparently only 2 of fans are on lol.[/QUOTE]
The error looks safe to ignore. As for the temps, you're getting three different readings because the program is trying three different ways to check the temperature; one of them is going to be correct. If you have Prime95 or another such program using 100% of the CPU, the 58 C figure sounds about right; if it's mostly idle, then the 38 C figure. At any rate, your CPU temp is right where it should be.

Edit: Also, SpeedFan doesn't just read the CPU temp, it reads the hard drive temp as well. What are the three temp figures labeled? (I would assume HD0, Core 1, and Core 2 if my copy is any indication, in which case it's not reading the second core properly. That's fine, the cores are usually about the same anyway, so the Core 1 figure should suffice.)

[QUOTE=mdettweiler;237653]The error looks safe to ignore. As for the temps, you're getting three different readings because the program is trying three different ways to check the temperature; one of them is going to be correct. If you have Prime95 or another such program using 100% of the CPU, the 58 C figure sounds about right; if it's mostly idle, then the 38 C figure. At any rate, your CPU temp is right where it should be.

Edit: Also, SpeedFan doesn't just read the CPU temp, it reads the hard drive temp as well. What are the three temp figures labeled? (I would assume HD0, Core 1, and Core 2 if my copy is any indication, in which case it's not reading the second core properly. That's fine, the cores are usually about the same anyway, so the Core 1 figure should suffice.)[/QUOTE]

they are lanbeled temp1,temp2,temp3 but in charts I think I can see more lol.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;237654]they are lanbeled temp1,temp2,temp3 but in charts I think I can see more lol.[/QUOTE]
Ah, right, that's probably because the Pentium D doesn't have as flexible an interface for getting the temperature reading from the motherboard. In that case, Temp 2 would be your CPU. (Temp1 [i]might[/i] be your hard drive, but I couldn't say for sure. Temp 3 is clearly useless.)

the attached image is it at rest with a few idle applications in the back and the OS.

this one is while actually using PARI in th background. I stopped it after the picture about 1 minute 30 seconds into the calculation.

Interesting. It would seem, then, that the 58 C figure was obtained while the CPU was essentially idle--in which case it's rather high. In the PARI example, only one core is being used, so it's still not a good test of how hot the CPU [I]can[/I] get under maximum load.

Do you by chance have Prime95 set up? (Perhaps a safe bet, since this is the mersenneforum?) If so, try running it on both cores and an hour later (with Prime95 still running) check SpeedFan again.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;237658]this one is while actually using PARI in th background. I stopped it after the picture about 1 minute 30 seconds into the calculation.[/QUOTE]I believe that the -128 reading is because there is no sensor there. You can configure the interface to not show that one.

[QUOTE=mdettweiler;237659]Interesting. It would seem, then, that the 58 C figure was obtained while the CPU was essentially idle--in which case it's rather high. In the PARI example, only one core is being used, so it's still not a good test of how hot the CPU [I]can[/I] get under maximum load.

Do you by chance have Prime95 set up? (Perhaps a safe bet, since this is the mersenneforum?) If so, try running it on both cores and an hour later (with Prime95 still running) check SpeedFan again.[/QUOTE]

I've got it down to 55 with all fans running on full but I may need to clean my vents to make it work better I do have prime 95 in fact I believe I have the newest version beta lol. okay i thought i did lol.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;237661]I've got it down to 55 with all fans running on full but I may need to clean my vents to make it work better I do have prime 95 in fact I believe I have the newest version beta lol. okay i thought i did lol.[/QUOTE]
For this it doesn't matter which version you have; any Prime95 will sufficiently stress the CPU when run on both cores.

[QUOTE=mdettweiler;237663]For this it doesn't matter which version you have; any Prime95 will sufficiently stress the CPU when run on both cores.[/QUOTE]

I'm actually getting a version as apparently I didn't have it installed lol says 24 minutes left in the download.

not so helpful before I left I had it down to about 41(with all fans at full) when I got back it was up to 55 and when I ran even the first part of the torture test it got up past 61. also it seems to wobble for that one.

[QUOTE=science_man_88;237670]not so helpful before I left I had it down to about 41(with all fans at full) when I got back it was up to 55 and when I ran even the first part of the torture test it got up past 61. also it seems to wobble for that one.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, the CPU temp usually wobbles a little bit when under full load--that's normal. I don't know the exact threshold at which your CPU begins thermal throttling, but most modern Intels (P4 or newer) have a threshold somewhere above 70 C, so anything below that should be safe. (It's expected that the full-load temp will be significantly higher than the idle temp; the important thing is that both are within spec.)

[QUOTE=mdettweiler;237671]Yeah, the CPU temp usually wobbles a little bit when under full load--that's normal. I don't know the exact threshold at which your CPU begins thermal throttling, but most modern Intels (P4 or newer) have a threshold somewhere above 70 C, so anything below that should be safe. (It's expected that the full-load temp will be significantly higher than the idle temp; the important thing is that both are within spec.)[/QUOTE]

I may clean out the openings more than I have because i haven't in while before now.

How can you sleep with THAT -12V Voltage of yours?O.o
Now back on the case: You should try looking on the Exotics tab for something more informative :)

[QUOTE=Commaster;237695]How can you sleep with THAT -12V Voltage of yours?O.o
Now back on the case: You should try looking on the Exotics tab for something more informative :)[/QUOTE]

I'd rather not crash my computer with my inexperience. I can easily do that without messing around.

also I did try and it didn't tell me too much more it told me frequency(2797 MHz) and an uptime which I don't get along with most of the rest.