[ltp] Re: tpfand configuration for an X200s

[Richard]

> Unless you *really* know better, using any sort of fan control to slow
> down the fan is never completely safe.  The thinkpad wanted the fan
> faster for a reason, and unless you actually are SURE that it was for
> a bad reason, there is risk in overriding it.

I'd always assumed that the most important reason is to avoid burning the 
user's legs. Even 40 degrees is uncomfortable if you use the machine as an 
actual laptop. Am I correct that 60-70 degrees is fine for the CPU, 
provided that you keep the machine on the table?


>
> So take it from me, the guy who writes the code that goes in the
> kernel to let you do fan control: do not do fan control for frivolous
> reasons.
>
> If your fan is noisy, get it fixed.  If it needs to run because the
> thinkpad is getting too hot, forcing it to slow down is the WRONG
> answer.

Is there any way to merge fan control with the ondemand governor? i.e.
   - normal use:  keep the CPU slow-ish to save power
   - spikes of a few seconds (eg application start): let the CPU have full
       power so that the user can benefit from having a fast machine.
   - long-term heavy loads (eg updatedb): keep the CPU throttled back
       just below the point at which the fan would get noisy.

Richard