Amilo Xi 3670 - System works in Slow Mo. from Time-to-Time

[creative.artworks]

Hello there.
For over a year I got myself a brand new Amilo Xi 3670 from Germany.

Generally I'm pretty happy, pretty good Laptop (price/performance).
Right from the start, I got myself Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit) (the Vista 32-bit OS that was preinstalled, was not the right one for my work). Downloaded all the right and required drivers from the official FS Website (all drivers for the Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit OS), installed everything ok and got myself a nice clean configuration/system.

The last couple of months I'm using this laptop on everyday base to do all my work stuff (I'm a web programmer) and I mostly use Apache, PHP, MySQL ( a lightweight WAMP Installation for the development of Internet Applications, no ready made WAMP Server, all packages separate installations and configured to work together). Other Software I'm using is Microsoft Office (mostly Outlook), Opera/Chrome/Firefox/Safari Web Browser, EmEditor & phpDesigner for writing all my code, and finally iTunes (64-bit). Nothing else, no Sidebar stuff, no extra auto loading software, no WUSB (disabled), no hybrid graphics (configured via BIOS to work only with the NVIDIA Graphics Card), no nothing.

Even with this configuration, from Time to Time, the system seems to “freeze”. For example, when I'm trying to Open the Explorer window, the window comes up, but in slow motion (it is hard to describe), not right away. When iTunes is running in the background, sometimes (for example opening the Explorer Window), the sound comes out broken, it plays but sounds broken.

Someone would get the idea that the system is running out of resources but when I checked the CPU load it was between 3% and 10% and the RAM at 1.3 GB, so normally not heavy loaded.

I have read somewhere (not quite sure where, and also not sure if this source is reliable) that even if the Graphic Card has 512 MB on its own, it uses a part of the RAM (up to 2 GB, if needed). But to be honest, this cannot be the case, since I found out that the Graphic Card uses between 80 MB and 150 MB from its own 512 MB.

When I contacted the Fujitsu Help Desk they said I should go back to Windows Vista 32-bit, since this is the OS that came with the Laptop. Did that (even if I was actually unhappy with their suggestion, but if this would fix the problem, OK), but the result was the same, spend over one week to get all my stuff together, but the problems where the same. Scenarios I did where: Left everything the way it came with the laptop, used the Hybrid Graphics Solution etc. I also run a diagnostic tool provided by Fujitsu, no errors (hardware) where found. I even went from RAID (500 GB & 500 GB HD to 1 TB) to 2 single HD configuration.

Did anyone had similar problems? Is there a way to make my system run smooth? To be honest, it is a waste of time (and of money) if the system cannot run smooth.

Thank you in advance (and sorry for my long post)

Jan

[sabrex]

Start with a stable base. install Os and drivers.
establish unit is stable and there are no signs of what you are experiencing.
Next - important - run ALL WINDOWS UPDATES before you have installed anything else.
Start with your first 3rd party app. I would suggest anti virus app. test it is functioning and there are no signs of what you are experiencing.


once you narrow it down to the app that is causing the problem you can then attack the problem correctly by either removing the said application or posting in the relevent software developer site.

could be itunes google search is littered with posts
iTunes 9.x 64 Bit Random Freezes, ...‎ - 1 post - 29 Jul 2010
Random Freezing ...‎ - 15 posts - 5 Apr 2009

[creative.artworks]

hello sabrex, thank u for your reply.
unfortunately, i did that as well. did a few test the last couple of days by myself. and came to the conclusion that the problem is the drivers for the NVidia GeForce GT 130 M. Either the Drivers provided by Fujitsu or the latest Drivers from the NVidia Site (Using ONLY the Nvidia and not the Hybrid system).
The Throttling is of the GPU is the problem (causes the problem)

Using the Intel Graphics Gard, no problems at all. But its a shame to use the Intel, when someone got a NVidia, right ?

So to be honest, if i can't find anything that stops the GPU from going from 600MHz down to 169MHz in miliseconds, and needs then a lot of seconds to reach 600MHz again, any other solution would be not right. Tried a few Overclocking Utilities (even some from NVidia). All of them got functions to OC but not one of them got a selection to keep the clock at the same frequency.

[sabrex]

I think you have come across what seems to be not a hardware problem but the way the unit managers itself as a portable.
Intel implements what it calls "speed step technology" at the processor chip level and cannot override it.. Its appears to be normal for nvidia and intel speedstep and unfortunately it appears to be something you cant "turn off" or possibly from bios but unlikely any option on notebooks/laptops as they are portable.

There is no solution it seems as it is by design for all portables.
references : http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/cs-028855.htm
All Nvidia cards have thermal throttling ability, its built into all the GPUs.