Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Thu, 18 Aug 2016 23:44:52 +0200
From:      David Demelier <demelier.david@gmail.com>
To:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Cc:        freebsd-x11@freebsd.org
Subject:   vt(4) not power friendly? (was: High CPU temperature and high fans level)
Message-ID:  <216b40cf-d13d-bc8e-8e39-4d1de2b31fb4@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <20160720214809.M324@sola.nimnet.asn.au>
References:  <mailman.101.1468756802.10563.freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> <20160718224548.T324@sola.nimnet.asn.au> <578F5688.8010207@gmail.com> <20160720214809.M324@sola.nimnet.asn.au>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On 20/07/16 15:20, Ian Smith wrote:
> On Wed, 20 Jul 2016 12:46:32 +0200, David Demelier wrote:
>   > Le 18/07/2016 15:41, Ian Smith a écrit :
>   > > In freebsd-questions Digest, Vol 632, Issue 8, Message: 21
>   > > On Sun, 17 Jul 2016 11:59:32 +0200 David Demelier
>   > > <demelier.david@gmail.com> wrote:
>   > >   > 2016-07-17 0:25 GMT+02:00 Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de>:
>   > >   > > On Sun, 17 Jul 2016 00:06:07 +0200, David Demelier wrote:
>   > >   > >> Hello,
>   > >   > >>
>   > >   > >> I was trying FreeBSD 10.3 on my laptop (hp probook 4510s) and was surprised
>   > >   > >> to see high CPU temperature and fans running high.
>   > >   > >>
>   > >   > >> No apps running, I get a temperature of 57C in dev.cpu.x.temperature and
>   > >   > >> fans run high (not able to get rpms).
>   > >   > >>
>   > >   > >> On a 4.6.3 Linux distro I get an average of 48C and fans are quite low.
>   > >   > >>
>   > >   > >> Both tests were kept in tty. No Xorg running just a boot and user login in
>   > >   > >> console.
>   > >   > >>
>   > >   > >> Do you have any clue?
>   > >   > >
>   > >   > > Did you enable powerd? It can slow down the CPU when the system
>   > >   > > is idle, and increase the CPU speed when needed. This should have
>   > >   > > an effect on CPU temperature and fan speed.
>   > >
>   > >   > Yes, I had powerd enabled, I tried -a adaptive, -a hiadaptive as
>   > >   > suggested by Erich but it seems that only -a min has some little
>   > >   > effect. I could get a temperature of 52C. I've tested back on Linux
>   > >   > and I got an average much lower (41C).
>   > >
>   > > We really need to see what speed the CPU is running at when idle.
>   > >
>   > > I think the fans running high - presumably from the sound and airflow? -
>   > > rules out the sort of sensor errors Arthur reported (ie below ambient :)
>   > > and I assume the box actually feels warmer .. 57C suggests a busy CPU or
>   > > two .. but then it is summer there; what background ambient temp. range?
>   >
>   > We have air-conditioning at work so ambient temperature is normal, somewhat
>   > between 24-28.
>
> Ok, just checking.  So the temperatures are indeed obviously excessive.
>
>   > >   > By the way the other sensors in hw.acpi.tz* are also much higher than
>   > >   > Linux (using lm_sensors). The highest value is my tz5 which is at 78C
>
> Isn't that tz2?  tz5 is only 55C in your listing (and not active), but
> tz2 is indeed 78C and working the fan moderately hard.
>
>   > >   > almost 5 seconds after boot while the maximum tz value in Linux
>   > >   > sensors is 55.
>   > >   >
>   > >   > I have no idea what's wrong. :(
>
>   > >   % sysctl hw.acpi
>   > >   % sysctl debug.acpi
>   > >   % sysctl dev.est	# assuming intel? if not, maybe dev.hwpstate?
>   > >   % sysctl dev.cpu	# best while idle, maybe plus when busier
>
>   > Thanks for your answer, here I posted the output of the sysctl variables you
>   > asked for:
>   >
>   > http://markand.fr/files/result.txt
>
> Thanks, that's a useful format.  Well, a couple of things ..
>
>   > I've ran them on a FreeBSD memstick, I needed to install a Linux distro until
>   > I can find a solution because this drains my battery a lot.
>
> But did you start powerd after the memstick boot?  From the CPU speed,
> assuming it was generally idle, I suspect not?
>
> The big surprise is that CPU frequency (at least when you asked) is at
> maximum (except for Turboboost mode) and that it's only using C1 state
> when halted.  C2 and C3 states provide a huge win for power consumption
> - and so proportionally less heat.  Alexander takes it to the limit at:
> https://wiki.freebsd.org/TuningPowerConsumption
>
> hw.acpi.cpu.cx_lowest: C1	# the 'master setting' for cx_lowest
>
> # ==> sysctl dev.cpu
> dev.cpu.1.cx_usage: 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% last 14427us
> dev.cpu.1.cx_lowest: C1
> dev.cpu.1.cx_supported: C1/1/1 C2/2/1 C3/3/162
> [..]
> dev.cpu.0.cx_usage: 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% last 13756us
> dev.cpu.0.cx_lowest: C1
> dev.cpu.0.cx_supported: C1/1/1 C2/2/1 C3/3/162
> dev.cpu.0.freq_levels: 2101/35000 2100/35000 1600/23888 1200/15000
> dev.cpu.0.freq: 2100
>
> Also noted that it's running on battery (which is good for this purpose)
> hw.acpi.acline: 0
> hw.acpi.battery.info_expire: 5
> hw.acpi.battery.units: 1
> hw.acpi.battery.state: 1
> hw.acpi.battery.time: 91	# can likely be doubled of better
> hw.acpi.battery.life: 79
>
>   > The average temperature was 50C, a bit less than the installed version on
>   > hard drive where I have seen higher values. This is interesting. I will
>   > double check if something else makes the CPU more busy.
>
> Well you need to duplicate basic conditions when booted from memstick;
> after boot, as root you should be able to:
>
>   # service powerd onestart
>   # sysctl hw.acpi.cpu.cx_lowest=Cmax
>
> and then observe dev.cpu.0.freq and dev.cpu.0.cx_usage ..
>
> Though whenever you plug it in, or unplug it, you'll have to set the
> sysctl again, unless you update the settings in /etc/rc.conf (possible?)
>
> Which should a) have it drop back to 1200 MHz and b) allow it to use C2
> and probably C3 .. you might check dmesg for any mention of 'C2' or 'C3'
> as certain combinations of chosen timecounter can limit C3 or even C2
> use, and will say so (usually to do with use of the TSC as timecounter)
>
> On 9.3 one still had to explicily set these:
> !grep cx /etc/defaults/rc.conf
> performance_cx_lowest="HIGH"    # Online CPU idle state
> economy_cx_lowest="HIGH"        # Offline CPU idle state
> !grep cx /etc/rc.conf
> performance_cx_lowest=C3
> economy_cx_lowest=C3
>
> But on head sources from a couple of months ago:
> !grep cx /usr/head/src/etc/defaults/rc.conf
> performance_cx_lowest="C2"      # Online CPU idle state
> economy_cx_lowest="Cmax"        # Offline CPU idle state
>
> So you might want to check what is there for 10.3?  Setting both 'Cmax'
> (or at least to C2) should be safe, the head defaults above are likely
> more conservative for a few boxes that aren't happy with C3 and higher.
>
> If that works, with powerd running CPU at 1200 MHz, it should save lots
> of power and run plenty cooler.  Good luck!
>
> Warner Losh has suggested disabling Turbo mode on these if having heat
> problems, by adding (in your case) '-M 2100' to powerd_flags, but that
> might be something for later.  Meanwhile go for C2 and C3+ if possible.
>
> As for fans, tz2 and tz0 are the only ones with 'active' cooling, though
> tz2 is the only one also with passive cooling, so is most probably the
> CPU/s - see acpi_thermal(4).
>
> This one doesn't turn on passive cooling (ie slowing the CPU) until only
> 3C below critical shutdown temperature, which seems a bit close to me.
>
> At that moment it was above 45C and below 62C, so running at level 3.
>
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2._TSP: 300
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2._TC2: 2
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2._TC1: 1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2._ACx: 84.0C 74.0C 62.0C 45.0C 38.0C 30.0C -1 -1 -1 -1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2._CRT: 108.0C
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2._HOT: -1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2._PSV: 105.0C
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2.thermal_flags: 0
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2.passive_cooling: 1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2.active: 3
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz2.temperature: 53.0C
>
> This fan is also active at level 3 (0-based, so above 72C, with 3 higher
> speeds to go).  It can be hard to tell what TZ matches what 'device'.
>
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0._TSP: -1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0._TC2: -1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0._TC1: -1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0._ACx: 105.0C 96.0C 87.0C 72.0C 64.0C 57.0C 30.0C -1 -1 -1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0._CRT: 108.0C
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0._HOT: -1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0._PSV: -1
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0.thermal_flags: 0
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0.passive_cooling: 0
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0.active: 3
> hw.acpi.thermal.tz0.temperature: 78.0C
>
> That one seems pretty high.  I'd suspect the GPU(/s?) but you're not
> running X, so hmmm .. definitely not CPU though.
>
> cheers, Ian

Hello all,

Sorry for this late response, I was in vacation.

I've spent some time into this problem again, and I think I have found 
the culprit. I first disabled completely the new console driver vt(4) to 
use the old syscons and the CPU coretemp temperature immediately fell.

Running with vt(4) and radeonkms loaded: average of 47°, no X, just a 
plain tty with nothing running.

Running with syscons: average of 38°.

That's why I've CC'ed to freebsd-x11@,

Is there power issue in the new vt(4) driver? I've also tried with 
textmode with the same results.

Regards,

-- 
David Demelier



Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?216b40cf-d13d-bc8e-8e39-4d1de2b31fb4>