Changing permanently the speed mode of you Intel Centrino.

On Linux (Debian):

# To see your actual scaling_governor
cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor
performance

# To see the available ones
cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_available_governors
performance userspace

# If the one you want is on the list, you can change the one in use doing
something like this:
echo -n performance > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor

# If it is not on the list, you have to load the necessary module
modprobe cpufreq_performance

# If you want to make the change permanently, then add to
/etc/modules.conf (in my case is /etc/modules-2.6.11-kanotix-11 )
# -- Check manuals to be sure this is the right place for you --!!!

# The line
speedstep_centrino
# And the line with the module you need
cpufreq_performance

# If everything works, on your next boot you will have loaded the one that was
loaded last.

After more of 4 years using my Centrino 1.66Ghz on 'userspace' mode I need a
bit more of performance, so I changed to the faster mode i.e. 'performance'.

It has 755Mb RAM and I think I won't increase it more, at least for the next 3
years. Having more than 1000 applications and using hundreds, dozens at the
same time, I think I am a demanding user and with this 'old' machine I have
more than enough.

Thit's one of the advantages of Linux, you may get old but not your computer.