background image

Vol. 3B 14-21

POWER AND THERMAL MANAGEMENT

On processors introduced after the Pentium 4 processor (this includes most Pentium M processors), the method 
used to enable TM2 is different. TM2 is enable by setting bit 13 of IA32_MISC_ENABLE register to 1. This applies to 
Intel Core Duo, Core Solo, and Intel Core 2 processor family.
The target operating frequency and voltage for the TM2 transition after TM2 is triggered is specified by the value 
written to MSR_THERM2_CTL, bits 15:0 (Figure 14-22). Following a power-up or reset, BIOS is required to enable 
at least one of these two thermal monitoring mechanisms. If both TM1 and TM2 are supported, BIOS may choose 
to enable TM2 instead of TM1. Operating systems and applications must not disable the mechanisms that enable 
TM1or TM2; and they must not alter the value in bits 15:0 of the MSR_THERM2_CTL register.

14.7.2.4   Performance State Transitions and Thermal Monitoring

If the thermal control circuitry (TCC) for thermal monitor (TM1/TM2) is active, writes to the IA32_PERF_CTL will 
effect a new target operating point as follows:

If TM1 is enabled and the TCC is engaged, the performance state transition can commence before the TCC is 
disengaged. 

If TM2 is enabled and the TCC is engaged, the performance state transition specified by a write to the 
IA32_PERF_CTL will commence after the TCC has disengaged. 

14.7.2.5   Thermal Status Information

The status of the temperature sensor that triggers the thermal monitor (TM1/TM2) is indicated through the 
thermal status flag and thermal status log flag in the IA32_THERM_STATUS MSR (see Figure 14-23). 
The functions of these flags are:

Thermal Status flag, bit 0 — When set, indicates that the processor core temperature is currently at the trip 
temperature of the thermal monitor and that the processor power consumption is being reduced via either TM1 
or TM2, depending on which is enabled. When clear, the flag indicates that the core temperature is below the 
thermal monitor trip temperature. This flag is read only. 

Thermal Status Log flag, bit 1 — When set, indicates that the thermal sensor has tripped since the last 
power-up or reset or since the last time that software cleared this flag. This flag is a sticky bit; once set it 
remains set until cleared by software or until a power-up or reset of the processor. The default state is clear.

Figure 14-21.  MSR_THERM2_CTL Register On Processors with CPUID Family/Model/Stepping Signature Encoded 

as 0x69n or 0x6Dn

Figure 14-22.  MSR_THERM2_CTL Register for Supporting TM2

TM_SELECT

Reserved

31

0

Reserved

16

63

0

Reserved

15

TM2 Transition Target