[ltp] Re: The neverending fan problem

Uwe Bonnes linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org
Wed, 4 May 2005 20:54:35 +0000 (UTC)


Ignacio Fern?ndez Galv?n <jellby@softhome.net> wrote:
> Hi all,

> I have an R51 with Mandrake 10.1 installed. Until last week, the fan  
> switched on at 45-50 C (I don't have ibm-acpi, so I don't know which  
> temperature that is), and it turned off usually at around 35 C. So, with  
> normal usage, I enjoyed some silent periods.

> These last two days, however, I'm finding the temperature doesn't go below  
> 37 C, and that means the fan doesn't turn off. I have not updated the  
> kernel or made any "suspicious" configuration change. The only two things  
> I can think of are:

> 1- I have connected an usb mouse... but disconnecting it doesn't seem to  
> change anything.

> 2- It's May, I'm in Southern Spain, the weather is warmer (I only have the  
> computer since January)... Right now, this room is at 23-24 C, a couple of  
> weeks ago it could be 18-20 C (just guessing). Could this be the reason?  
> Is the cooling so weak it can't get under 14 C over room temperature? I  
> should probably try some further tests at night, with open windows...

> PS. It seems my X server/driver doesn't support DynamicClocks. Maybe when  
> I upgrade I can get a lower temperature?

That's the way to go.

Get and load the ibm-acpi module with the "experimental=1" argument. Watch the
temperature of the Video chip. It's seems that the video chip is a
significant part in IBM's algorithm for the fan. However the fan has no
great impact on the Video chip temperature...

-- 
Uwe Bonnes                bon@elektron.ikp.physik.tu-darmstadt.de

Institut fuer Kernphysik  Schlossgartenstrasse 9  64289 Darmstadt
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