[ltp] WARNING: Lenovo ThinkPads and 65W power supplies

[Florian Manschwetus]

This is a cryptographically signed message in MIME format.

--------------ms090108060002070803090903
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-15
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Are there Infos or experiences about using T60 90W supplies with W510
(normally 135W supply)?
Especially the effect on battery charging?
Maybe someone has an idea how much additional power drain the battery
could produce while charging?

Florian


Am 05.11.2010 03:46, schrieb Henrique de Moraes Holschuh:
> This is a warning to owners of any Lenovo ThinkPads that own 65W AC pow=
er
> adaptors.
>=20
> Apparently, the 65W power supplies alone are NOT sufficient to power th=
e
> notebook in all scenarios.  The battery can be used to supply power
> during demand peaks that the external power supply cannot meet, and the=

> firmware knows this.
>=20
> As a safety measure, the firmware attempts to identify whether you have=

> a underpowered power supply or not, and will attempt to limit CPU power=

> usage (by limiting its maximum allowed clock frequency) if you try to
> use such a power supply WITHOUT a battery.
>=20
> We know for sure the Z61, T60 and T410 are affected.  That means there
> is a very high probability that just about every recent Lenovo ThinkPad=

> have the same limitation, except maybe the ones with ultra-low-voltage
> processors.
>=20
> In order for the protection mechanism to work correctly, it is required=

> that the operating system correctly process the PPC ACPI mechanism, and=

> that cpufreq support is active and working.
>=20
> You are advised to:
>=20
>   1.  Use high-powered power supplies (90W seems enough) with your
>       Lenovo ThinkPad during high power-draw workloads (i.e. loads wher=
e
>       there is heavy demand of the CPU or discrete GPU).  This allows
>       the ThinkPad to operate on its higher speeds during the entire
>       workload.
>=20
>   2.  Never use the 65W power adapter *WITHOUT* a battery, just in case=

>       the operating system is not doing its job properly;
>=20
>   3.  ALWAYS use the latest firmware (EC and BIOS) available.  You have=

>       been warned.
>=20
> If your usage patterns does include the use of a 65W power adapter
> *WITHOUT* a charged battery:
>=20
>   1.  Use the latest Linux stable kernels, as there were recent fixes
>       to the ACPI PPC handling;
>=20
>   2.  Make sure the CPUFREQ system is working (i.e. cpu frequency limit=
s
>       are available), ACPI is operational (NEVER operate any ThinkPad
>       manufactured in the last 5 years with ACPI deactivated), and if
>       at all possible, that CPUIDLE (ACPI C states) are also working.
>       "powertop" will show both CPUFREQ and CPUIDLE operation.
>=20
>   3.  Never *EVER* tell the kernel ACPI drivers to ignore the ACPI PPC
>       method in a ThinkPad (i.e. never use the ignore_ppc=3D1 kernel
>       parameter).  If you have any PPC-related problem, *report a bug*,=

>       don't just try to work around it.
>=20
> It is worth noting that, if the operating system does its job correctly=

> (and you did not braindamage it on purpose by using certain kernel
> parameters) your data is NEVER in a dangerous situation, as the laptop
> firmware will take steps to make sure it will have enough power to
> operate properly.
>=20
> This has been brought to our attention due to a bug in the Linux kernel=

> ACPI handling of the "_PPC" method which interacted badly with the T410=

> firmware.  I am not sure what the situation with very old kernels is,
> but for 2.6.32 and later kernels, you are strongly advised to use the
> latest stable kernels, which have been fixed to handle _PPC correctly.
>=20
> As a general rule, don't use any recent Lenovo ThinkPad with a 65W powe=
r
> adapter without a battery.  These boxes really want a high-power (90W o=
r
> more) power adapter.
>=20



--------------ms090108060002070803090903
Content-Type: application/pkcs7-signature; name="smime.p7s"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="smime.p7s"
Content-Description: S/MIME Cryptographic Signature
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--------------ms090108060002070803090903--