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#1 2012-10-15 07:04:58

Markus00000
Member
Registered: 2011-03-27
Posts: 318

Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

After upgrading to Linux 3.6.2, the fan in my laptop spins constantly. After downgrading to 3.5.6, the fan rarely ever spins audibly.

Anyone else with this problem? Any solutions?

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#2 2012-10-15 09:27:05

stefanwilkens
Member
From: Enschede, the Netherlands
Registered: 2008-12-10
Posts: 624

Re: Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

Compare the output of dmesg and lsmod for both kernels, it could well be that a module has gone missing. please also post these files here so we can have a look. Use a service like http://paste.debian.net/ or https://gist.github.com/ to do so smile

It would help if we knew which model laptop you own.

Are you using any additional tools to control the fan speed, lm_sensors, a DE tool of some kind, or does it automagically work with 3.5.x


Arch i686 on Phenom X4 | GTX760

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#3 2012-10-15 13:39:03

Markus00000
Member
Registered: 2011-03-27
Posts: 318

Re: Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

Thanks for the guidance.

  • It's a Dell Latitude e6520.

  • I've installed lm_sensors but didn't configure anything and only used it to display temperatures.

  • laptop-mode-tools is installed and running. As soon as the CPU governor is set to ondemand, the fan only spins under heavy load and instantly stops afterwards. (That is with Linux < 3.6 at least.)

  • No desktop environment. Just xmonad.

  • Apart from that, I haven't consciously installed any fan related packages.

lsmod 3.5.6: https://gist.github.com/3892468
lsmod 3.6.2: https://gist.github.com/3892470
dmesg 3.5.6: https://gist.github.com/3892473
dmesg 3.6.2: https://gist.github.com/3892479

Last edited by Markus00000 (2012-10-15 13:41:03)

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#4 2012-10-16 18:21:32

eduedix
Member
Registered: 2011-02-08
Posts: 35

Re: Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

same problem here, no solution yet.

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#5 2012-10-16 22:47:09

KaiSforza
Member
Registered: 2012-04-22
Posts: 133
Website

Re: Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

Check your cpu frequency with powertop. It is probably the same issue we are having in the Kernel 3.6.2 Power Regression thread. I urge you to post your information there if that is the case so we can help narrow down what our issues are.


Thinkpad T420 | Intel 3000 | systemd {,--user}
PKGBUILDs I use | pywer AUR helper

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#6 2012-10-17 06:16:12

Markus00000
Member
Registered: 2011-03-27
Posts: 318

Re: Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

I've looked at the CPU frequencies with both kernels and the situation is the same: All four cores stay at 800 MHz most of the time.

In case that it matters, I didn't use powertop for the readings but Conky and /proc/cpu.

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#7 2012-10-18 08:50:28

KaiSforza
Member
Registered: 2012-04-22
Posts: 133
Website

Re: Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

Markus00000 wrote:

I've looked at the CPU frequencies with both kernels and the situation is the same: All four cores stay at 800 MHz most of the time.

In case that it matters, I didn't use powertop for the readings but Conky and /proc/cpu.

This my be the same problem we ran into. Try checking your frequencies using

 # cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu[0-3]/cpufreq/cpuinfo_cur_freq

because sometimes programs read this file

/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpuX/cpufreq/scaling_cur_freq

instead of the cpuinfo_cur_freq file, the scaling_cur_freq showing the value it should be scaled at, and the cpuinfo_cur_freq showing the value it is actually at.


Thinkpad T420 | Intel 3000 | systemd {,--user}
PKGBUILDs I use | pywer AUR helper

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#8 2012-10-18 12:40:09

eduedix
Member
Registered: 2011-02-08
Posts: 35

Re: Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

i think there is a bug in wireless driver : 03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6205 [Taylor Peak] (rev 34)

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#9 2012-10-18 13:21:06

Markus00000
Member
Registered: 2011-03-27
Posts: 318

Re: Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

KaiSforza, you are spot on.

 # cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu[0-3]/cpufreq/cpuinfo_cur_freq

This returns 2500MHz under 3.6 and 800MHz under 3.5.

Note: The thread KaiSforza mentioned is Kernel 3.6.2 Power Regressions (Sandy Bridge).

Last edited by Markus00000 (2012-10-18 13:26:04)

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#10 2012-10-24 12:59:40

Markus00000
Member
Registered: 2011-03-27
Posts: 318

Re: Linux 3.6.2: Fan spins constantly

This issue is not fixed in 3.6.3. Hopefully this will save others some time. :-)

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