[ltp] Z61p GPU Thermal Issue

Brian D. Ropers-Huilman linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org
Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:57:12 -0500


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> On Montag, 17. September 2007, vjaneczko wrote:
> > From what I can find, there's no way to set the fan to a max speed -
> > at least in the XP world.  If anyone has heard of any way to
> > effectively improve the fan operation or help keep it cool, just pass
> > it along.

I'm not sure what utility you're using in Windows to monitor temperature,
but it sounds to me like it's CPU temperatures. If you're measuring exhaust
air temperature on the left-side of the Z61p (either directly on the side
near the back or under the screen/lid) you're simply measuring ambient air
temperature within the enclosure, not directly at the GPU.

My understanding is that the /proc/acpi/ibm/thermal interface under Linux is
providing readings from a thermistor either in-silicon on the GPU or
somewhere "very near" or "on" the GPU. I just switch over and took a look
and I'm running @ 106 C on the GPU right now (my CPU is at 51 C), which is
much cooler than I've seen it (I'm currently running Fluxbox while
disconnected from direct power [running off batteries] and my CPUs are only
running at 1 GHz right now).

On 9/17/07, Frank Fiene <ffiene@veka.com> wrote:
> One thing with GPU: be sure you don't use two screens, this stresses the
> GPU very much.

I'm not, nor have I.

> Fan operation you can change with tp-fancontrol script, i am using for
> my Z61p. http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ACPI_fan_control_script

I've downloaded this script some time in the past, but it really doesn't
seem to have any effect. For example, here's a quick dump:

bropers@isohel:~$ ./tp-fancontrol -t
./tp-fancontrol: Dry run, will not change fan state.
> Starting dynamic fan control
L=?->7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(47 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=0+12066_1_,133,_
> Changing fan level: ?->7  (temps: 47 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(47 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+12066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(46 49 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(46 49 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3370 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3371 T=(46 48 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3371 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 49 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3375 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3375 T=(46 48 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(47 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+12066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(47 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+12066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(47 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+12066_1_,133,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 53 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,132,_
L=7->7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
> Shutting down, switching to automatic fan control
> Shutting down, switching to automatic fan control

(sorry for the HTML, I just wanted to format the output for those "other"
readers). Frank, are you running the fglrx drivers? What are your typical
GPU temperatures.

I never did all those tests I mentioned I would do before, I simply didn't
have time. I'll do my best to follow-up on those. In the meantime, I'm still
open to suggestions.

Thanks again,

-- 
Brian D. Ropers-Huilman

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&gt; On Montag, 17. September 2007, vjaneczko wrote:<br>&gt; &gt; From what I can find, there&#39;s no way to set the fan to a max speed -<br>&gt; &gt; at least in the XP world.&nbsp;&nbsp;If anyone has heard of any way to<br>&gt; &gt; effectively improve the fan operation or help keep it cool, just pass
<br>&gt; &gt; it along.<br><br>I&#39;m not sure what utility you&#39;re using in Windows to monitor temperature, but it sounds to me like it&#39;s CPU temperatures. If you&#39;re measuring exhaust air temperature on the left-side of the Z61p (either directly on the side near the back or under the screen/lid) you&#39;re simply measuring ambient air temperature within the enclosure, not directly at the GPU.
<br><br>My understanding is that the /proc/acpi/ibm/thermal interface under Linux is providing readings from a thermistor either in-silicon on the GPU or somewhere &quot;very near&quot; or &quot;on&quot; the GPU. I just switch over and took a look and I&#39;m running @ 106 C on the GPU right now (my CPU is at 51 C), which is much cooler than I&#39;ve seen it (I&#39;m currently running Fluxbox while disconnected from direct power [running off batteries] and my CPUs are only running at 1 GHz right now).
<br><br>On 9/17/07, Frank Fiene &lt;<a href="mailto:ffiene@veka.com">ffiene@veka.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br>&gt; One thing with GPU: be sure you don&#39;t use two screens, this stresses the<br>&gt; GPU very much.<br><br>I&#39;m not, nor have I.
<br><br>&gt; Fan operation you can change with tp-fancontrol script, i am using for<br>&gt; my Z61p. <a href="http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ACPI_fan_control_script">http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ACPI_fan_control_script</a>
<br><br>I&#39;ve downloaded this script some time in the past, but it really doesn&#39;t seem to have any effect. For example, here&#39;s a quick dump:<br><br><span style="font-family: courier new,monospace;">bropers@isohel
:~$ ./tp-fancontrol -t<br>./tp-fancontrol: Dry run, will not change fan state.<br>&gt; Starting dynamic fan control<br>L=?-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(47 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=0+12066_1_,133,_<br>&gt; Changing fan level: ?-&gt;7&nbsp; (temps: 47 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ )
<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(47 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+12066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(46 49 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(46 49 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3370 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3371 T=(46 48 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3371 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 49 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3373 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3372 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_
<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3375 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3375 T=(46 48 36 107 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(47 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+12066_1_,133,_
<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(47 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+12066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(47 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+12066_1_,133,_<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(46 49 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 53 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,132,_
<br>L=7-&gt;7 EC=80 RPM=3374 T=(46 48 36 106 50 _ 34 _ , 42 54 54 , _ ) Z=6+02066_1_,133,_<br>&gt; Shutting down, switching to automatic fan control<br>&gt; Shutting down, switching to automatic fan control<br></span><br>
(sorry for the HTML, I just wanted to format the output for those &quot;other&quot; readers). Frank, are you running the fglrx drivers? What are your typical GPU temperatures.<br><br>I never did all those tests I mentioned I would do before, I simply didn&#39;t have time. I&#39;ll do my best to follow-up on those. In the meantime, I&#39;m still open to suggestions.
<br><br>Thanks again,<br><br>-- <br>Brian D. Ropers-Huilman<br>

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