Random CPU "underclock" from 2.2 GHz to 2.0 GHz

Now before you say that it's Intel's SpeedStep technology that kicking in... I highly doubt it is. When the actual clock speed in the BIOS changes... It's something totally different.

Anyways, I have a Inspiron 1520 running an Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T2750 originally clocked at 2.0 GHz with a maximum clock speed (according to BIOS) of around 2.2 GHz (I don't remember the exact frequency). Oddly enough, this morning, I booted up... Everything seemed fine until I opened up some programs which took longer than usual. Knowing me, I start to investigate... I just defragged yesterday... And all the RAM is seated properly... The only thing left is the CPU. So I boot up System Properties, which only tells you the CPU name and the manufacturer set clock speed... So I boot up Core Temp (very good program by the way) and at first it said something like 789 MHz was the clock... I couldn't believe it and thought it was acting up... So after running a different benchmark... 789 MHz was the confirmed clock speed. It was odd because it never ran this low before... I didn't do anything to it... (Intentionally at least)... No underclocking or overclocking on this system at all... (It's a laptop, you're not supposed to overclock it right?) So what else could be the matter. So after a little short panic, I finally shut down, took out the battery, and after breakfast, (and a little researching and troubleshooting) I turned it back on, it seemed a lot snappier and after checking Core Temp it said that is was back to around 2.0 GHz (SpeedStep of course made that a little lower). I was a little relieved... I also read during troubleshooting that the BIOS may have been messed up or worst of all, erased. So I went back into the BIOS and everything seemed normal until I saw that the processor section said this...

Current Clock Speed: 2.0 GHZ Minimum Clock Speed: 1.5 GHz Maximum Clock Speed: 2.0 GHZ

All these were grayed out because Dell really screws you over on the BIOS.

Now I know for a fact that the minimum and max clock speed are off... It should say Minimum Clock Speed: 1.8 GHz and Max: 2.2 GHZ (or around that) like it did before...

Any ideas? It's really no big deal, as long as my Current Clock Speed is back to normal. It just bugs me a little.

Now as a secondary note, I render with Sony Vegas around once a week and the processor does reach temps of around 150-155 degrees F despite using an external cooling pad and cleaning out the dust within the case.

I appreciate any help and thanks for reading this... I hope you have a Merry Holiday.

And after this entire thing happened, I did find a program designed for Dell Laptops that speeds up the fan... And since then, my temps were around 90 degrees F on idle and 132 F on 100% load.