Processor running at half speed.

[TG2]

Look on the processor for a SPEC Code so that you can look it up at Intel ...

examples:
http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=27438

With the spec, you can also double check your mother board maker to see if that specific chip is supported.

If you don't find the answer with those two, please post back your motherboard manufacturer and version(s) so the pair (mb & cpu) can be looked at for issue.

I would suspect an older PC and maybe a bios update for the bios to handle the processor better, if at all. Other thoughts would be SpeedStep issues (try turning off / disabling in bios) which again would point back to the bios.

Although.. taking a second look at your CPUZ info .. it appears you're running an HP Vectra VL420 ....

and this may be the processor you have:
http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id...QP,SL6S9,SL6SR

one of those spec codes to the right on that page (or at the end of the URL) If not one of those, then that maybe the problem.

*If* after disabling the speedstep it shows only 2.4 ... then the 1.2/2.4 reading would be normal ... showing you the range of speeds it could run. The idea being if your just browsing through email and web, you don't need 2.4 GHz speed (and conversely the heat and energy it uses) .... but when you go to do more serious work or try to play a game, the processor shifts into higher speeds.. etc..

note the processor specs above mention *Enhanced* Speedstep where this processor doesn't have the "Enhanced" version it has the oringinal speedstep techology.