[ltp] 2.6 kernel kills the CPU fan

[Helen Borrie]

At 09:43 AM 8/09/2005 -0400, Bert Haskins wrote:
>Normal behavior on all of my 390s is that the fan starts up about 4 seconds
>after pushing the on switch.
>It runs until post is completed and then stops at the beep.
>I think that this is normal for most if not all TPs
>as this is post checking the fan.

This is a good description of what mine does.

>If I run memtest-86 the fan will go on after several ( well over ten ) 
>minutes and then cycle off for a few minutes
>and then back on for a few minutes for as long as the test is run.

Just what mine is doing.  I've had memtest going now for about 2 hours and 
the fan is doing just as you describe.


>>>>The bottom of the case feels hand-hot when this occurs (i.e. about 
>>>>60-65 Celcius)
>Its normal for the bottom of the case to feel very warm even while the fan 
>is doing it's
>cycling thing.
>I have never had a shut down while doing this ( except for memory chip 
>problems ) even though
>memtest will work the cpu harder that just idling at the prompt.
>I also have never had a shutdown even when compiling a kernel.
>So I think that you must have some other problem.
>Have you run a memory test program?
>If so, does it start showing a bunch of errors just before the 390 shuts down?

Haven't had any shutdowns at all since I posted last.  I have shifted the 
390 to another power point that has surge protection.  Because I have the 
other machines on a UPS, I sometimes forget about our disgusting 
infrastructure here in rural Australia.  The power adaptor on my other n/b 
has built-in surge protection (and weighs more!).

Another thing I did was to stick the USB hub at the end of a cable.  The 
USB port on my 390 is a bit loose and I might have been causing the 
problems by bumping the hub in the fairly confined space where I had the 
machine.


>The next test is to have the TP on it's side with the memory cover off and a
>fan blowing on the memory chips.
>I have seen plenty of heat-sensitive memory chips in both desktops and 
>laptops.
>Some of these will run fine for over an hour and then head for the pits.

Hmmm, not a problem I've ever encountered before, even when the temp is in 
the high 30's.  (No aircon here!)  The memory modules are 2 X 128 Mb 
brand-new Kingston, so it would be disappointing if they were flaky.


>>>>and I think I can sometimes smell hot fumes (the latter could be my el 
>>>>cheapo gel mousepad, though, it's pretty smelly, even at 5 Celcius).
>>>
>>>
>>>That's definitely a bug.

Yep - in the adhesive of the mousepad.  I've thrown it outside and the 
fumes problem has gone away.  :-)

Thanks for these little comforts.  Much appreciated.

Helen