The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Compal JHL90 (Sager NP2096) Linux Log

    Discussion in 'Linux Compatibility and Software' started by archer7, Jan 31, 2009.

  1. archer7

    archer7 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    289
    Messages:
    647
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    This is a short compatibility log for the Compal JHL90 under linux. My particular machine came with the following specs:

    nVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT w/512MB
    Intel® Core™2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz Processor w/3MB L2 Cache (25W) - 1066MHz FSB
    Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
    4GB (2 SODIMMS) DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory
    320GB SATA II 3Gb/s 5,400 RPM Hard Drive
    Combo Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW CD-R/RW Drive
    4-in-1 Memory Card Reader (MS/MS PRO/SD/MMC)
    Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 5100 802.11a/g/n
    Built-in Bluetooth Wireless

    The host system is Arch Linux using the latest stock kernel (version 2.6.28 at the time of this writing).

    <HTML><HEAD></HEAD><BODY TEXT="#000000"> <COLGROUP><COL WIDTH=217><COL WIDTH=149><COL WIDTH=573></COLGROUP>
    Compatibility Log
    Component Status Comment
    Intel P8400 CPU Functional frequency scaling requires acpi-cpufreq module
    GeForce 9600M GT Functional OpenGL/3D works well with proprietary driver
    Intel 5100 AGN Functional uses iwlagn module; needs iwlwifi-5000-ucode (firmware)
    Keyboard Functional OTB
    Touchpad Functional simple functions OTB
    Audio Functional hda_intel; autodetected
    Bluetooth Functional hci_usb module; autodetected
    Fn Keys (Media) Functional needs supporting media player; works OTB with Sonata
    Fn Keys (Brightness) Functional works without an OS
    CD-DVD Burner Functional OTB
    Built-in Webcam Functional OTB
    <!-- ************************************************************************** --></BODY></HTML>
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 12, 2015
    archer7, Jan 31, 2009
    #1
  2. archer7

    archer7 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    289
    Messages:
    647
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    How to undervolt C2D processors under Arch Linux

    This is mainly for Intel Core2Duo processors using the acpi_cpufreq frequency scaling module. No kernel patching is necessary, and I'm assuming you're using the stock kernel26-ARCH.

    The acpi-cpufreq-phc patch is only available through AUR, courtesy of fs4000 and Army. You can install it easily with yaourt:
    Code: 
    $ yaourt -Sy acpi-cpufreq-phc
    This package will give you a patched version of the acpi_cpufreq module. To enable it, reboot your system (cleaner), or manually reload the module.
    Code: 
    # rmmod acpi-cpufreq
# modprobe acpi-cpufreq
    Once the module is running properly, take a look at /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq.
    Code: 
    [16:28] joshua ~ $  cd /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq
[16:29] joshua /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq $  ls
affected_cpus         phc_fids                       scaling_driver
cpuinfo_cur_freq      phc_version                    scaling_governor
cpuinfo_max_freq      phc_vids                       scaling_max_freq
cpuinfo_min_freq      related_cpus                   scaling_min_freq
phc_controls          scaling_available_frequencies  scaling_setspeed
phc_default_controls  scaling_available_governors
phc_default_vids      scaling_cur_freq
[16:29] joshua /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq $
    If the phc* files don't exist, then the patched module is not working correctly. You can control the CPU VIDs with the phc_controls file. The phc_controls file is of the format
    Code: 
    9:39 72:33 6:23 134:17
    where the the number before the colon represents the FID and the number after the colon represents the VID at each step. The numbers in the far left correspond to the highest frequency step, and the rightmost numbers correspond to your processor's lowest frequency step. Only play with the VIDs (it's safer, I think).

    I was able to lower my voltage from
    Code: 
    9:39 72:33 6:23 134:17
    to
    Code: 
    9:20 72:20 6:17 134:15
    with no noticeable negative effects. The positive effects, though, have been great (~18°C lower CPU temperature maintained under 100% stress).

    Once you have a phc_controls setting that you like, you can have it restored at each reboot by adding echo lines to /etc/rc.local.
    Code: 
    #!/bin/bash
#
# /etc/rc.local: Local multi-user startup script.
#

echo "9:20 72:20 6:18 134:15" > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/phc_controls
echo "9:20 72:20 6:18 134:15" > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpufreq/phc_controls
    Remember to add a line for each of your cores.

    To easily set the VIDs through GUI while figuring out your settings, you can use the phctool available in AUR.
    Code: 
    $ yaourt -S phctool-svn
    Load the msr module and run it as root.
    Code: 
    $ sudo modprobe msr
$ sudo phctool
    To check system stability, you can stress the processor using stress.
    Code: 
    # pacman -Sy stress
$ stress -c 8
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2015
    archer7, Jan 31, 2009
    #2
  3. archer7

    archer7 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    289
    Messages:
    647
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Undervolting works wonders! Haha, I'd forgotten about it after God knows how many reinstallations, and I had to look back at this thread to remember how to even do it. The results are no bull, though. Without the undervolt, my cores hit 75C after 3 minutes of 100% stress. After the undervolt, they're holding at 58C after half an hour of the same stress.

    The process is ridiculously easy to apply. You don't even have to reboot. I highly encourage all you linux laptop users to do it. The process has changed since I posted this guide (at least for Arch), but it's documented pretty well by the PHC article in the Arch Wiki.

    I could rework the above guide too if it's necessary.

    EDIT: Maybe I should make a linux undervolting thread...
     
    archer7, Jul 25, 2009
    #3
  4. splashpants

    splashpants Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    8
    Messages:
    218
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    hey archer,

    I have the same machine with almost same specs. I am assuming this can be done under ubuntu quite similarily to what you have done here. My CPU I am not so worried about. Under Full load it generally stays at about 48-52. Its more the GPU I'm worried about. It can get up to 85-92 pretty quickly when gaming or the like.

    I will look into undervolting. thanks!
     
    splashpants, Jul 25, 2009
    #4
  5. archer7

    archer7 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    289
    Messages:
    647
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Yeah, the nvidia 9600 is a hot plate. Undervolting will make your system quieter and give you more battery life, but it won't help the GPU temps. In any case, undervolting in linux will only affect linux. It won't affect your Windows at all. My suggestion is not to undervolt the OS that you game in, because you want to make the CPU hot so the fans will kick in sooner and help cool the GPU.
     
    archer7, Jul 25, 2009
    #5
  6. Baserk

    Baserk Notebook user

    Reputations:
    2,503
    Messages:
    1,794
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    First of all, thanks for posting this Archer7.
    I've wondered though looking at the FID/VID values in post 2.

    Are these values; 9:39 72:33 6:23 134:17 and 9:20 72:20 6:17 134:15 to be interpreted like this?;
    Multiplier 1 (134): 1.17v. -> 1.15v.
    Multiplier 2 (006): 1.23v. -> 1.17v.
    Multiplier 3 (072): 1.33v. -> 1.20v.
    Multiplier 4 (009): 1.39v. -> 1.20v.

    I've undervolted my C2D T7200 easily in Windows using RMClock and I guess I could use those undervolt settings also for linux.
    However, RMClock will give me 8 multipliers where as acpi-cpufreq will only show me 4 multipliers.
    Did you come across this and if so, how did you handle it?
    Cheers.
     
    Baserk, Jul 26, 2009
    #6
  7. archer7

    archer7 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    289
    Messages:
    647
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    You're very welcome. :D

    I don't think that the VIDs can be translated that easily. What I've read about the FIDs and VIDs is that they mean different things to different processors, and it would take an algorithm to read them as voltages. You might still be right, but I can't really say either way. The VIDs do follow a sequence, but the FIDs look totally arbitrary. The important thing to remember about the phc_controls is that Left is the highest frequency step.

    I did try RMClock once, but it made no sense to me (lol), so I really can't say for sure. I've never heard of a processor that has 8 speed steps, though. It's usually only 3 or 4. In my case the steps are 800MHz, 1.6GHz, 2.26GHz, and 2.27GHz. I've found this to be true in Windows as well. Perhaps RMClock is listing intermediary steps?

    I really don't have much knowledge about processor voltages, so I'm afraid the technicalities are beyond me.
     
    archer7, Jul 26, 2009
    #7