Re: Why do CPUs run hotter...?
- From: John Larkin <jjlarkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2006 16:09:14 -0700
On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 17:27:39 -0400, "mc"
<look@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Why does a Pentium CPU run hotter when "working hard" (executing complex
software) than when the OS is idling?
It is always executing *some* instruction, and in that sense, is never idle.
Most sensible CPUs have a "WAIT" instruction that idles most resources
until an interrupt ocurrs. Pentiums are not sensible CPUs, but they
have something like that, too. If you run a DOS app on a Pentium, that
usually keeps it on hard, since most DOS apps loop all the time.
Windows will show you per-cent CPU utilization, and it's probably
running a low-power wait instruction during most of the idle time.
Yup, just tried it: Win XP averages about 2% CPU load until I start an
old DOS program, at which time it jumps to about 85%.
John
.
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