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#1 2019-12-09 23:25:59

mr.buffed
Member
Registered: 2018-10-05
Posts: 19

[SOLVED] Fan almost always on after kernel update (5.4.2-arch1-1)

Hi there,

I recently updated my system with

$ pacman -Syu

and installed the newest kernel 5.4.2-arch1-1 on my Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon (6th Gen). Since the update my fans are almost always running, when connected to my dock, although my CPUs are almost idle. For example, right now I've got 4.82% of my CPU busy, but the temperature is at 58.0C° and my fans are spinning. Even when they are spinning for some minutes, the temperature doesn't decrease, such that they turn off again. Instead, they are continuously running. Here's the current sensors output:

$ sensors

iwlwifi-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:            N/A  

pch_skylake-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:        +58.0°C  

BAT0-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
in0:          12.78 V  

acpitz-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
temp1:        +58.0°C  (crit = +128.0°C)

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0:  +58.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 0:        +54.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1:        +54.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 2:        +57.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 3:        +55.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)

thinkpad-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
fan1:        4473 RPM
temp1:        +58.0°C  
temp2:            N/A  
temp3:         +0.0°C  
temp4:         +0.0°C  
temp5:         +0.0°C  
temp6:         +0.0°C  
temp7:         +0.0°C  
temp8:         +0.0°C  
temp9:         +0.0°C  
temp10:        +0.0°C  
temp11:       +66.0°C  
temp12:        +0.0°C  
temp13:        +0.0°C  
temp14:        +0.0°C  
temp15:        +0.0°C  
temp16:        +0.0°C  

Before the update, I didn't have this problem. I've been monitoring htop for the last couple of days / hours, and there's no process consuming considerable amounts of my CPU. Obviously, when connected to the dock, the displaylink process is consuming roughly 5-15% of my CPU. However, before updating, the situation was the same, but without the fans on.

Since there is no process consuming high amounts of my CPU, I am a little bit lost about what to check in order to find out the reasons for my fans spinning permanently. Thus, I'd like to ask you whether you have any suggestions what to check or where to look for some causes?

Thanks and cheers
mr.buffed

Last edited by mr.buffed (2019-12-11 22:41:28)

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#2 2019-12-10 15:24:45

squalou
Member
Registered: 2018-06-04
Posts: 112

Re: [SOLVED] Fan almost always on after kernel update (5.4.2-arch1-1)

Hi,

I can't help you but I'm facing the same behaviour.
I'm running a 2 years old XPS 13.

With 4.19-LTS kernel : fan almost never running. (I mean : yeah, when required, when CPU works, compiling something, or heavy browser use)
With 5.4 : fan on really often.

On my side I noticed what look slike wrong temperature records, with PC idle  (cpu < 5% use, no interaction, some apps opened but that's all)

5.4 : sensors will tell 71°

watch -n 1 sensors

shows weird 'leaps' from 71 to 90 or more, just once every few measures.

quick reboot on 4.19-LTS
-> 55°, steady, no leaps.


Somehow, either temperature is wrong, (more likely, a cpu would'nt loose 20 degrees in a simple rebbot, does it ? Seems unlikely but who knosw), or kernel 5.4 heats up the cpu ... without cpu use showing up, which seems very, very unlikely.


I reverted back to kernel 4.19-LTS, works fine


Maybe you could try installing linux-lts in parallell and see if the problem persists for you

Last edited by squalou (2019-12-10 17:15:42)

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#3 2019-12-10 18:32:45

squalou
Member
Registered: 2018-06-04
Posts: 112

Re: [SOLVED] Fan almost always on after kernel update (5.4.2-arch1-1)

hmm

interestingly enough, with 4.19

tlp-stat shows

+++ Temperatures
CPU temp               =    74 [°C]
Fan speed              = (not available)

while sensors say

Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0:  +57.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 0:        +56.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1:        +56.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)

pch_skylake-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:        +52.5°C  

so maybe 5.4 is accurate, then ... why fan are roaring. ...

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#4 2019-12-11 19:04:51

mr.buffed
Member
Registered: 2018-10-05
Posts: 19

Re: [SOLVED] Fan almost always on after kernel update (5.4.2-arch1-1)

Hi squalou,

thanks for your answer! I monitored my CPU temperatures during the last days and found out that I only got my fans spinning permanently when my laptop is connected to my dock (as linked above). If my laptop is not connected to my dock, my fans behave completely normal (i.e. are turned off almost all the time). Thus, I suggest I have to refocus my research and target the two packages I'm using in order to connect my laptop to the dock:

(1) displaylink and
(2) evdi

By any chance, do you use these packages in order to connect your laptop to a dock, too? Probably they are the reason for the misbehavior of the fans?

Cheers,
mr.buffed

Last edited by mr.buffed (2019-12-11 19:05:12)

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#5 2019-12-11 21:19:49

squalou
Member
Registered: 2018-06-04
Posts: 112

Re: [SOLVED] Fan almost always on after kernel update (5.4.2-arch1-1)

Hi,
great to see these additional info, as I also have to connect to a D6000 station sometimes, using evdi and displaylink.


Guess what : I did a evdi-4.19 aur package in case you want to test, since latest evdi requires kernel 5.4+ to compile


Additionally : note that on my laptop, when in charge, the charge-circuitry is heating (I can sense it whith the fingertips), and it often leads to fan being active (mke sense somehow).
This all depends on the dock I'm using (kensington / wD15, d6000), current input probably.


regards,
squalou

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#6 2019-12-11 21:32:22

mr.buffed
Member
Registered: 2018-10-05
Posts: 19

Re: [SOLVED] Fan almost always on after kernel update (5.4.2-arch1-1)

HI squalou,

so, did the downgrade of evdi fix your fan problem?

Cheers,
mr.buffed

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#7 2019-12-11 22:04:30

squalou
Member
Registered: 2018-06-04
Posts: 112

Re: [SOLVED] Fan almost always on after kernel update (5.4.2-arch1-1)

Well, in my case, downgrade kernel to 4.19 did the trick.

The evdi thing is not really a downgrade, it's the same core version as regular evdi package (1.6.4-2) , only with one compilation patch removed. (patch that makes compilation works with 5.4+ kernel. You can check on aur the PKGBUILD file of evdi, yo'll see a small additional patch
https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/ … LD?h=evdi)

So, I had to
- install linux-lts (to be honest I already had it installed)
- uninstall displaylink, evdi
- install evid-4.19, and displaylink again


But obviously on the long run it's not a solution, rather a workaround

Last edited by squalou (2019-12-11 22:05:32)

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#8 2019-12-11 22:41:14

mr.buffed
Member
Registered: 2018-10-05
Posts: 19

Re: [SOLVED] Fan almost always on after kernel update (5.4.2-arch1-1)

Hi squalou,

thanks for your reply. I'll be downgrading my kernel as well and check whether its a working workaround for me as well. I'll guess on the long run, I'll just get rid of my dock, instead getting a solution without displaylink.

Cheers,
mr.buffed

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#9 2019-12-12 07:37:01

squalou
Member
Registered: 2018-06-04
Posts: 112

Re: [SOLVED] Fan almost always on after kernel update (5.4.2-arch1-1)

In case you need advices about 'docking' , my best  solution is to use usb-C monitors + usb-ethernet adapter plugged on the monitor (to avoid useless wifi)

you can even chain two monitors

This is the more reliable setup I've came accross. Works out of the box with regular Xorg and intel drivers.

Slight drawback : input power is too low for 'big' laptops, so when under heavy use, battery will discharge even when plugged. I suppose it depends on the monitors (mine are D3LL u2419hc)

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