Minimum processor state not working in Power Settings

Kreeep · 28 Feb 2023

Minimum processor state in advanced power settings does not make any difference in Windows 10/11 no matter what I set it to or what plan is active. Changing the Maximum processor state works just fine. I'm currently running Windows 11, but I had the same issue when using 10, so I imagine the solution would be the same. I have no idea how to fix this one. I'm dual booting with Windows 7 and it functions just as it should there.

I'm not too familiar with what might need to be adjusted in the BIOS to give Windows control of this, if that is even the issue. I heard enabling C1E support might do the trick, so anything that pertains to C-States I enabled, but no luck. I also heard AMD Cool n' Quiet might help, but that's not an option in my BIOS. I have PSS enabled, which might be equivalent.

Any help would be appreciated for this one! Thanks.

Megahertz · 28 Feb 2023

Did you check if BIOS is set properly. It may be set to only work at the high frequency.

Try3 · 28 Feb 2023

I suggest you first check whether or not the changes you make in the user interface are carried through into the power plan by reviewing the results of this command:-
[Use a path of your own instead of my sample path. The quotes are only needed if your path contains a space or a special character but they do no harm even when they are not needed.]

Code:

PowerCfg -qh >"F:\Results\PowerCfg-AllProperties.txt"

If you want to list power plan properties, always use the poorly documented -qh switch not just -q
- qh includes hidden properties.
- There appears to have been no logic used in deciding which properties are hidden and which are not. So omitting -qh might fail to reveal a property that you happen to be interested in.
- In your current case, Minimum processor state would be listed anyway because it is not a hidden property.

My entry is this and your results will be in the same pattern [you can ignore my Current ... setting lines, they were set by the processor / computer maker]:-

Power Setting GUID: 893dee8e-2bef-41e0-89c6-b55d0929964c (Minimum processor state)
GUID Alias: PROCTHROTTLEMIN
Minimum Possible Setting: 0x00000000
Maximum Possible Setting: 0x00000064
Possible Settings increment: 0x00000001
Possible Settings units: %
Current AC Power Setting Index: 0x00000005
Current DC Power Setting Index: 0x00000005

And do notice that the values shown are in base 16.

Best of luck,
Denis

Kreeep · 01 Mar 2023

Megahertz said:

Did you check if BIOS is set properly. It may be set to only work at the high frequency.

I've tried resetting everything to optimised defaults, enabling and disabling a lot of different power settings. No luck unfortunately

As I said though, Windows 7 doesn't seem to have any issues with the Minimum power state being adjusted.

Try3 said:

I suggest you first check whether or not the changes you make in the user interface are carried through into the power plan by reviewing the results of this command:-

Thanks for the suggestion. Okay. So, I can't even get that far. Even with CMD opened as Admin, I get an "Access is denied". Powershell gives slightly more info:

Minimum processor state not working in Power Settings-access-denied.png

I'm experimenting with unlocking hidden power settings to see if I can solve this. I'll report back.

Try3 · 01 Mar 2023

What is that X:\ drive?
That's your problem.

Denis

Kreeep · 01 Mar 2023

X:\ is one of my actual designated drive letters. I tried C:\ too and same error.

Try3 · 02 Mar 2023

I found typos in my previous post about this and have corrected them.

Assuming that you can write to files in X:\ & that the subfolder X:\Results exists, you should also notice that you did not identify an output file.
e.g. PowerCfg -qh >"X:\Results\PowerCfg-AllProperties.txt"
or
PowerCfg -qh >"X:\PowerCfg-AllProperties.txt"

Denis

Kreeep · 02 Mar 2023

Ahh, that's better. I thought you listed "PowerCfg-AllProperties" as a sub-directory and it would automatically generate a file of its own making. Done. Here are my current results:

Power Setting GUID: 893dee8e-2bef-41e0-89c6-b55d0929964c (Minimum processor state)
GUID Alias: PROCTHROTTLEMIN
Minimum Possible Setting: 0x00000000
Maximum Possible Setting: 0x00000064
Possible Settings increment: 0x00000001
Possible Settings units: %
Current AC Power Setting Index: 0x00000000
Current DC Power Setting Index: 0x00000005

The Current AC Power Setting Index does change when I adjust the Minimum processor state in Power Options.

Try3 · 02 Mar 2023

In that case your user interface is doing its job so the limitation must either be in the Bios or the processor design.

I don't know if the processor design can cope with no load at all, i.e. your current minimum 0x00000000. Perhaps the designer set a different minimum state.

All the best,
Denis

Kreeep · 04 Mar 2023

I've tried resetting everything to optimised defaults, enabling and disabling a lot of different power settings. No luck unfortunately

As I said though, Windows 7 doesn't seem to have any issues with the Minimum power state being adjusted, so does that rule out a setting messing with things in the BIOS for Windows 10/11?

I do currently have Performance Boost Overdrive enabled in the BIOS, which is enabled by default anyway. Having it off or on doesn't make a difference to lowering clock speed at idle or Minimum power state being adjustable. The CPU seems to always just clock at its maximum set speed.

I thought maybe I had the Minimum processor state set too low. Regardless what I choose though, no difference. I've asked a few friends to test out adjusting their Minimum processor state, and I've had three reports back of it not working for them either. Such a strange one!