On Windows 7 you have the ability set the System cooling policy to passive. What does that actually do?
Windows – What does the the “System cooling policy” under “Processor power management” on Windows 7 do
power-managementwindows 7
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Very simply: It means that Windows will try to tell your CPU to lower the clock to 1.00 Ghz.
But that's only assuming your CPU supports it; if it doesn't, it'll clock down to the nearest value.
You can use different tools to see how much your computer is actually clocking down:
(Built-in, GUI): Resource Monitor: Go to Task Manager->Performance->Resource monitor, and you can see the
% Maximum Frequencythat it's displaying.(Built-in, Console): Go to the command prompt and type in
WMICand thenCPU, and take a look at theCurrentClockSpeedandCurrentVoltagecolumns.(Third-party, GUI): Download Speccy, it'll give you more information than you ever even wanted to know. :)
Don't forget that each device in Device Manager can also have power management. For example, go to the properties of a network adapter and you might find a Power Management tab
I have experienced issues where secondary power managers, like the Lenovo Power Manager, will greatly conflict with the configuration of Windows power settings - ensure you have no other power management software installed.
You should alter your power settings based on your needs. Many will suggest not to use Windows hybernate, as it does not always recover.
Best Answer
System Cooling Policy lets you change the cooling mode of your system.
Active increases the fan speed before slowing the processor to maintain cooling, while Passive slows down the processor before increasing the fan speed. Passive saves a lot more power as it reduces the clock on your processor, hence giving your more battery time.
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