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Check CPU settings on newest PowerBooks System
This weekend I was installing CHUD (packaged with Developer Tools) on my brand new, just out of the box, 1Ghz PowerBook. When I went to use the CPU preference pane, I notice the 1mb L3 cache was not enabled. I tried to enable it but it wouldn't. I then downloaded SpeedRun and saw my benchmark numbers where lower than a 500Mhz G4. Something wasn't right.

After doing some searching on the Apple Developer site (thinking CHUD had a bug), I realized what was going on. It appears that Apple disables the L3 cache as part of its Energy Saving process on PowerBooks (perhaps iBooks as well). The problem is that the default install on my computer (I assume, having never messed with these settings) was for reduced processor performance both when running on the battery and when plugged in. Battery life is cut one-third when the L3 cache is enabled, so perhaps it makes sense not to have it enabled when running from a battery -- but when you're plugged in, too? The fix:
  1. Go to System Preferences -> Energy Saver
  2. Click on "Show Details"
  3. Select settings for "Power Adapter" from the the select menu
  4. Click on the "Options" tab
  5. Make sure the "Processor Performace" select menu has "Highest" selected
That's it. Benchmarks almost doubled after doing this. I hope this helps someone else.

[Editor's note: If someone wants to send me a 1ghz PowerBook, I'll gladly test this one myself!]
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Check CPU settings on newest PowerBooks | 21 comments | Create New Account
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L3 Cache secret
Authored by: jigordon on Jan 03, '03 10:31:23AM

ok... maybe I'm clueless... do I need to be logged in as root to get the Processor "select" menu?



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L3 Cache secret
Authored by: grease on Jan 03, '03 11:35:37AM

If you notice in the Energy Saver preference pane, there is a little lock icon in the bottom left. You may need to click that, then provide your password, assuming you are administrator authorized (not a problem if you are the only user on your machine). Then you can make changes. Remember to 'Show Details'.



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It's enabled on my iBook...
Authored by: kirkmc on Jan 03, '03 12:05:24PM

I just got a new iBook and my processor performance was set to Highest. I didn't have to change anything.

Kirk



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667DVI missing details?
Authored by: ssevenup on Jan 03, '03 01:07:22PM

I'm on a PB667/DVI and I have no Details button or processor speed select in my Energy Saver panel at all. My Admin botton is unlocked. I'm on 10.2.3 and I have had these options in the past. Sounds like another reason to do another clean install. My system has been suspect every since the 10.2.3 update. Every day I see more reasons to think that ANY other method of installing 10.2.3 other than clean 10.2 -> immediate 10.2.3 update (followed by Permission fix) is the only way to go.



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TiBook 1GHz ok
Authored by: nyroger on Jan 03, '03 01:16:02PM

Checked the settings on my TiBook 1GHz and Processor Performance was already set to Highest. I had previously changed the sleep mode to never and maybe that effected the setting. But a good tip if performance should suddenly decrease.

Roger



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Mac OS X 10.2.3?
Authored by: VEGx on Jan 03, '03 01:53:23PM

Is this valid hint for 10.2.3?
I can\'t see this option ANYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!
TiBook 667



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Mac OS X 10.2.3?
Authored by: porkchop_d_clown on Jan 03, '03 07:07:49PM

Go to energy saver, show details, options panel.



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Mac OS X 10.2.3?
Authored by: muzzymate on Jan 03, '03 08:14:08PM

Mine isn't there as well. I have a section called "Wake Options", one for the modem and one for the network. Underneath "Other Options", I have Restart automatically after a power failure and then a large blank space until the "You are using blah blah blah optimization" and the buttons. Even a fresh install of OS X.2 will not make the performance slider apear. Not sure why I can't get the option to show up on my Powerbook...



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Mac OS X 10.2.3?
Authored by: porkchop_d_clown on Jan 03, '03 08:54:30PM

Huh. I have the same layout, but under all the white space is a "processor performance" setting.



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Mac OS X 10.2.3?
Authored by: usa35 on Jan 05, '03 07:21:54PM

You have to have a Mac with an L3 cache, I believe, or something similar... not all models of the same systems - and definitely not all systems - have this option. Check the list below in Movieboy's comments to see which systems should get the option.


-usa35



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Mine was fine
Authored by: cyberbry on Jan 03, '03 02:33:54PM

My 1GHz PowerBook was set to highest performance out of the box.



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2 Hrs. + at full bore
Authored by: designr on Jan 03, '03 04:44:41PM

That's the first thing I did when I got my PB800/DVI last year. In fact, I set both Power Adapter AND Battery to highest performance. Running off the Battery at full bore, I can go for a full 2 Hrs. and still have 60%+ showing on the Battery level. I have never gone over 2 Hrs. on Battery because I have never needed to. Someday when I am bored, I will just leave it running...
-Designr



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L3 Cache and Energy Saver
Authored by: savagegibson on Jan 04, '03 12:36:28AM

I think the reason some of you might not have the option in your control panel is becuase your computers don't have L3 cache. The setting that is missing just kills the L3 cache to save energy.

On a different note, I just got at Superdrive Powerbook and I think it may be the best computer ever made, definitely the best laptop I've ever owned by far. You must have been awfully unimpressed with the original performance of your powerbook and I'm glad you got it fixed.



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I found a fix...
Authored by: MovieBoy on Jan 04, '03 04:58:57AM

It appears that, at least in my case, Carbon Copy Cloner does not "reset" the OS to recognize the new hardware. I could see this by running Apple System Profiler. (My new TiBook was showing the Machine Model as PowerBook3,5 (version = 3.2) while a TiBook with a clean install of OS X would show it as a PowerBook G4.)

I had to remove the file 'com.apple.PowerManagement.xml' from /private/var/db/SystemConfiguration/ to get the Processor Performance option to show up. (I then had to reboot to get it to enable the L3 Cache the first time)

You can run the following command from the Terminal to do this:
sudo rm /private/var/db/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.PowerManagement.xml

Also, according to Apple, only the following models will have this option available:


* PowerBook G4 - see Note.
* PowerBook G4 (DVI)
* iBook (Special Edition)
* iBook (Dual USB)
* iBook (Late 2001)
* iBook (14.1-inch LCD)
* iBook (16 VRAM)
* iBook (14.1 LCD 16 VRAM)

Note: This feature is not available on PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet) computers.




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I found a fix...
Authored by: usa35 on Jan 05, '03 07:19:05PM

I'm assuming that my Powerbook G4 667 did not have the L3 (since it wasn't the DVI model), I don't remember ever seeing the processor option before... But, Movieboy, it's good to see that I'm not the only one who used cccloner to move to a new system! :-)

I followed your advice on my new 1Ghz PB, and it works correctly! SpeedRun values doubled, and I get the processor pop-up in Energy Saver. Thanks!

--

As for the guy who asked about Airport reception, It appears that my new 1Ghz does get better reception - but I have not tested this thoroughly, yet. My 667 definitely had problems, and this 1Ghz seems better - that's for sure. So, there is some improvement, but I have no idea how much.


-usa35



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One note about the fix...
Authored by: MovieBoy on Jan 04, '03 05:01:55AM

This will NOT change the Machine Model that is reported by Apple System Profiler (I haven't found where that information is kept...)



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CPU preference pane?
Authored by: VicF on Jan 04, '03 05:29:20AM
amutti said:
When I went to use the CPU preference pane, I notice the 1mb L3 cache was not enabled.

What's a CPU preference pane?


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CPU preference pane?
Authored by: amutti on Jan 04, '03 04:57:16PM

You need to download CHUD from Apple. It is currently packaged with December 2002 Developer tools. It use to be availible seperately, but you still needed the develper tools installed.

Tony



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CPU preference pane?
Authored by: lucidsystems on Jul 10, '06 04:27:05AM
This link may help you.

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OS X Energy Saver Unintiutive?
Authored by: rsnyder on Jan 04, '03 01:17:01PM
This thread points to general problem I have with the Energy Saver PreferancePane as implemented in OS X (Don't get me wrong--I am glad to have it back after loosing for so long in the early OS X releases).

The most counter intuitive element--and most dangerous--is that when you select one of Apple's preset options (Highest Performance, DVD Play Back, Longest Battery Life, etc.) this change locked in for BOTH the battery and power adaptor modes. The older energy saver just implemented the change to the selected mode--not both.

For example when personalizing my powerbook for the first time, I would go to the Energy Saver panel, select "Power Adaptor" and then select the "Highest Performance" option. Next I would select "Battery" and choose "Longest Battery Life." Quitting out of System Preferences, I would expect that when I was on the charger I would get best performance, and if I unplugged, Energy Saver would toggle to longest battery life.

However, if you look closely at the Energy Saver panel, when you select one of the Apple Presets, the text at the bottom of the panel says (with no bolding or other fan fare):

These settings are optimized for [insert setting name] whether the computer is plugged in or not.

Note the final clause in the sentence--the place of least emphasis. How many of us have missed this subtle, but important notice only to wonder why our systems are not runnig as well as expected on the charger or our batteries are not lasting as long as expected, though we thought we selected for the battery saver option when on the battery?

Worse, if you select Automatic, it does toggle, but not between best performance/longest batter, but between some other level of setting for each.

Is this just me, or does this less than the usual Apple level of usability?

FYI: You can copy one of the Apple presets by selecting it, going to the mode (batter or charger) that you want, then selecting Custom. The settings will stay the same, but if you go the alternate mode and try to do the same thing to copy a different setting for that mode, you will find that the mode that had been custom is now changed to the one you tried to implement on the alternate mode--just plane weird to me.


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Do you test the Airport Card performance?
Authored by: sjedt on Jan 05, '03 06:47:54PM

I've plan to buy a new TiBook too, but i'm afraid about airport signal that very low in previous TiBook.

What's about Ti 1GHz?



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