Intel Core Duo USB Issue: A Mischaracterized Bug
by Anand Lal Shimpi on February 13, 2006 1:40 PM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
The Notebooks
In order to test this issue thoroughly, we looked at five notebooks:
ASUS W5A (Sonoma/Pentium M)
The USB Devices
We tested with three USB devices:
Kingston Data Traveler Elite (USB 2.0)
The Test
We standardized on Mobile Mark's Reader 2002SE test simply because that test is hardly CPU intensive, giving it a lot of time to spend in lower power states and potentially giving the asynchronous scheduler bug a good chance to impact battery life.
In order to test this issue thoroughly, we looked at five notebooks:
ASUS W5A (Sonoma/Pentium M)
The USB Devices
We tested with three USB devices:
Kingston Data Traveler Elite (USB 2.0)
Not that this device is entirely externally powered
The Test
We standardized on Mobile Mark's Reader 2002SE test simply because that test is hardly CPU intensive, giving it a lot of time to spend in lower power states and potentially giving the asynchronous scheduler bug a good chance to impact battery life.
ASUS W5F |
ASUS W5A |
Dell Inspiron E1705 | Lenovo Thinkpad T60 | Lenovo Thinkpad T43 | |
| CPU: | Intel Core Duo T2400 (1.86GHz) |
Intel Pentium M 750 (1.86GHz) |
Intel Core Duo T2600 (2.16GHz) |
Intel Core Duo T2600 (2.16GHz) |
Intel Pentium M 780 (2.26GHz) |
| Chipset: | Intel 945G |
Intel 915G |
Intel 945G |
Intel 945G |
Intel 915G |
| Chipset Drivers: | Intel 7.2.2.1006 |
Intel 7.2.2.1006 |
Intel 7.2.2.1006 |
Intel 7.2.2.1006 |
Intel 7.2.2.1006 |
| Memory: | 1 x 512MB (DDR2-533) |
1 x 512MB (DDR2-400) |
2 x 512MB (DDR2-667) |
2 x 512MB (DDR2-533) |
2 x 512MB (DDR2-533) |
| Graphics: | Intel Integrated 945G Graphics |
Intel Integrated 915G Graphics |
Intel Integrated 945G Graphics |
Intel Integrated 945G Graphics |
Intel Integrated 915G Graphics |
| Video Drivers: | Intel 14.18.2 |
Intel 14.18.2 |
Intel 14.18.2 |
Intel 14.18.2 |
Intel 14.18.2 |
| Desktop Resolution: | 1280 x 768 |
1280 x 768 |
1920 x 1200 |
1400 x 1050 |
1024 x 768 |
| Battery Capacity: | 50 WHr |
50 WHr |
80 WHr |
56 WHr |
51 WHr |
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krwilsonn - Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - link
I just read their new article and apparently they were tipped off by some "insider" about the problem and then went ahead and "discovered" and published it. That is what it says at the end of their article, anyway. Their forum thread that is linked has some comments from an editor or someone that are also interesting. I'm sure everyone is checking it out but for those that haven't you should for the sheer humor of it.mino - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link
1.) Installed new hp6220 custom configured an hour ago.Platform i915G - Sonoma
Provided Perfmon detects C3 correctly (showing curve around 98% at idle) this system may not bee affected.
I've installed HP's "System Enhancements Disk" package, so some workaround by HP may have been included. (the regfix is not present)
However I have no way to prove Perfmon is correct.
2.) nx6125 I've upgraded from home to Pro last week so it is HP install just a little sripped one
the system spend around 96% of its time at idle in C1, seems wierd to me. No time is spent in C3 also. Maybe somne HP stuff keep the CPU busy.
Both systems are used with Bluetooth mouse via an integrated adapter.
mino - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link
Just now I observed on nx6125 that the moment Intellimouse Explorer for Bluetooth goes into power save mode (after ~1 minute of inactivity) Turion goes from 96% in C1 to 96% in C2.Strange as it may seem nothing like this happens on Sonoma platform. I sense ATI SB400 does have something say about it.
Another thing is that the moment CPU starts using C2 intensively, the idle power consumption goes from ~15.6W to 13.2W which is pretty serious amount of power wasted.
Anand, I suggest you do not waste your time by testing battery life when you revisit this issue, to prove assumptions you may use Perfmon's Battery Drain counter.
HMM, funny is, the nc6220 does not show the battery counter present in Perfmon.
mino - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link
WE MISS EDIT !sripped == stripped
;D
artifex - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link
as soon as you get an MBP in for testing :)zsouthboy - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link
Not that its as big a deal for desktops, but mine seems to be doing the same thing when my USB 2.0 mouse/kb is plugged in...krwilsonn - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link
Are you being serious??kmmatney - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link
Yeah, I've noticed my Prescott's been running a little hot as well. Damn USB 2.0!blwest - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link
Yay, yet another "feature". If you run Microsoft Winders, we gurantee shorter battery life.dualathlon - Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - link
Hi, i own an dell inspiron 9300, pen M 760, geforce 6800go. When i enable that registry key, i experience heavy pointer delay when playing Counter Strike Source. I tried both logitech mx510 (wired) and logitech mx900 (bluetooth wireless, paired with dell internal BT and logitech hub as well).I see no delay in office apps, FYI. I haven't test battery life with that key though.