The same happens for me using Kubuntu 10.04 on my Thinkpad T43 with the 1.86 GHz processor (using the latest BIOS). While using Ubuntu 9.10 the PHC-kernels solved the problem for me too.
$ cpufreq-info
cpufrequtils 006: cpufreq-info (C) Dominik Brodowski 2004-2009
Report errors and bugs to <email address hidden>, please.
analyzing CPU 0:
driver: acpi-cpufreq
CPUs which run at the same hardware frequency: 0
CPUs which need to have their frequency coordinated by software: 0
maximum transition latency: 20.0 us.
hardware limits: 800 MHz - 1.87 GHz
available frequency steps: 1.87 GHz, 1.60 GHz, 1.33 GHz, 1.07 GHz, 800 MHz
available cpufreq governors: conservative, ondemand, userspace, powersave, performance
current policy: frequency should be within 800 MHz and 800 MHz. The governor "performance" may decide which speed to use within this range.
current CPU frequency is 800 MHz.
cpufreq stats: 1.87 GHz:2,10%, 1.60 GHz:0,00%, 1.33 GHz:0,00%, 1.07 GHz:0,00%, 800 MHz:97,90% (3)
jes@padden:~$
The same happens for me using Kubuntu 10.04 on my Thinkpad T43 with the 1.86 GHz processor (using the latest BIOS). While using Ubuntu 9.10 the PHC-kernels solved the problem for me too.
$ cpufreq-info
The governor "performance" may decide which speed to use
within this range.
cpufrequtils 006: cpufreq-info (C) Dominik Brodowski 2004-2009
Report errors and bugs to <email address hidden>, please.
analyzing CPU 0:
driver: acpi-cpufreq
CPUs which run at the same hardware frequency: 0
CPUs which need to have their frequency coordinated by software: 0
maximum transition latency: 20.0 us.
hardware limits: 800 MHz - 1.87 GHz
available frequency steps: 1.87 GHz, 1.60 GHz, 1.33 GHz, 1.07 GHz, 800 MHz
available cpufreq governors: conservative, ondemand, userspace, powersave, performance
current policy: frequency should be within 800 MHz and 800 MHz.
current CPU frequency is 800 MHz.
cpufreq stats: 1.87 GHz:2,10%, 1.60 GHz:0,00%, 1.33 GHz:0,00%, 1.07 GHz:0,00%, 800 MHz:97,90% (3)
jes@padden:~$