Setup cpufreq and keep your laptop cool

[Yankee]

I have just installed PCLinuxOS KDE 2010.07 and think  I  need to also slow the CPU as mentioned but can't find an option to check the temperature. From using another Linux OS I know the LapTop has a tendency to run hot.

PC by the way is a Compaq Presario 2500  and uses a Pentium 4 known to have a problem.

Thanks.

Definitely install the most current ISO.    Gkrellm has an excellent temp monitor,
package available from the repo.   Then be sure cpufreq or eventually cpuspeed
(still in package request) is installed.    Configuration files are in /etc/sysconfig

cpufreq-info run in root terminal will give the freq's available for downsizing the
CPU speed in the configuration file to an appropriate level.   Type the level
desired in the configuration file (no GUI yet).

Read those over, ask further question then.   Once set they're set.

Also, check with the manufacturer's website for a BIOS upgrade for thermal control.
Shouldn't normally run hot.  Follow their instructions to install that.   

Should be all set then.

[Myakka1]

I've started to explore doing this on my HP laptop because it definitely has issues with overheating -- especially when lots of graphics are involved.

It has a AMD Turion Dual-Core RM-75 cpu.

On putting cpu-info into a root terminal I received the following message:
no or unknown cpufreq driver active on CPU0 
and ditto for CPU 1.

On putting "cpufreq driver" HP into a search engine I found the following page:

http://www.novell.com/support/kb/doc.php?id=7007251

It showed the following information:
"On HP hardware it may appear that the utilities in cpufrequtils are not working as no driver is loaded.  The command cpufreq-info gives output similar to:

cpufrequtils 004: cpufreq-info (C) Dominik Brodowski 2004-2006
Report errors and bugs to http://bugs.opensuse.org, please.
analyzing CPU 0:
  no or unknown cpufreq driver is active on this CPU
analyzing CPU 1:
  no or unknown cpufreq driver is active on this CPU"

AND suggests the following resolution:
 "In such a case,  the reason may be that the Power Regulator value in RBSU (ROM Based Setup Utility) is set to HP Dynamic.  The following HP document may be useful:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02011017/c02011017.pdf

On page 3:

"HP Dynamic Control of P-states resides with the firmware. This mode allows the firmware to change the Pstate of the processor to match the server load. It is the default mode on HP ProLiant G5 and later servers."

Changing the Power Regulator BIOS setting to "OS Control", will allow a driver to be loaded.  For instance the powernow-k8 will load as the P-state driver on AMD-based ProLiant servers (such as the BL685c G7)."

Unfortunately, I am still at a loss as to how to make the change suggested here, and am wondering if doing that will then let me make the change in frequency suggested so as to keep my laptop from overheating.

What do you suggest?

[Yankee]

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,110514.msg944252.html#msg944252

The above thread has some useful info.    Got
a quad core intel to run at cooler speeds.

It looks like you need to enter into the BIOS screen at boot
and make the change they recommended on page 3 to allow a driver
to load.    It should load automatically then.

[agmg]

Thanks for this tip, Texstar!

Works perfectly on my laptop

But what about the middle frequencies?

For example, my Intel T6600 supports these frequencies: 2200000 1600000 800000
We set min and max values in cpufreq.
What about the middle frequency (1.6GHz)?
Will the CPU ever work in this frequency or it is up to the CPU and cpufreq settings have nothing to do with it?


Never mind, the widget shows at moments that my CPU runs at 1.6GHz

[sling-shot]

It has a AMD Turion Dual-Core RM-75 cpu.

For this CPU I believe you need the powernowd package which is in the repository but not installed by default.
Get it and reboot. Check with cpufreq-info again.

[Myakka1]

Thanks for that suggestion, slingshot -- even though installing that package and restarting didn't change anything. 

BUT because of your suggestion I have noticed that there is another package right after powernowd called powersave that mentions AMD -- synaptic is insisting on removing the first when I tell it I want the latter  (This insistance kinda confirms the notion I had that they are almost the same thing.)  -- gonna see now if that is any better.

[Myakka1]

That did the trick.   

[root@localhost ~]# cpufreq-info
cpufrequtils 008: cpufreq-info (C) Dominik Brodowski 2004-2009
Report errors and bugs to cpufreq@vger.kernel.org, please.
analyzing CPU 0:
  driver: powernow-k8
  CPUs which run at the same hardware frequency: 0
  CPUs which need to have their frequency coordinated by software: 0
  maximum transition latency: 1000 ns.
  hardware limits: 550 MHz - 2.20 GHz
  available frequency steps: 2.20 GHz, 1.10 GHz, 550 MHz
  available cpufreq governors: ondemand, powersave, userspace, performance
  current policy: frequency should be within 550 MHz and 2.20 GHz.
                  The governor "ondemand" may decide which speed to use
                  within this range.
  current CPU frequency is 550 MHz (asserted by call to hardware).
analyzing CPU 1:
  driver: powernow-k8
  CPUs which run at the same hardware frequency: 1
  CPUs which need to have their frequency coordinated by software: 1
  maximum transition latency: 1000 ns.
  hardware limits: 550 MHz - 2.20 GHz
  available frequency steps: 2.20 GHz, 1.10 GHz, 550 MHz
  available cpufreq governors: ondemand, powersave, userspace, performance
  current policy: frequency should be within 550 MHz and 2.20 GHz.
                  The governor "ondemand" may decide which speed to use
                  within this range.
  current CPU frequency is 550 MHz (asserted by call to hardware).

Now to figure out the next step.

[Devra]

I can't believe I came across this thread.

My laptop (unavailable at the moment) overheats and shuts down constantly.  I'd like to keep the vista on there for only a few things, can I come in and install pclos and push the vista to the side in a small partition so I can then deal with the overheating issue?  Or do I have to install over it?  I have no disk for vista, so I couldn't come back in.

just wondering....

[OMSkates]

This was helping me for a while but software can only do so much when hardware just needs some maintenance.  I'm thinking I need to replace the fan assembly on my laptop and apply new thermal paste to the CPU heat sink.