Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

cu3edweb · 2008-02-03 16:44:25

I installed laptop-mode-tools and it just seems to be kinda sporadic. The temp is around 39 - 43 c but the fan turns on for a minute and then turns off for about 30 second and then the fan turns on again. Also when ever the fan is kicking back on the computer pauses for a second. So if I am typing and the fan kicks on and what I am typing pauses for a second before catching up. It is kind of annoying.

Is this normal?

Is it bad to not use laptop-mode-tools? When I don't use it the fan runs all the time but it runs quitely and the temp stays around 43 - 46 c.

buttons · 2008-02-03 17:43:13

I have a vostro, and I loathe laptop-mode-tools. Also, I believe what you're experiencing isn't the fan but the hard drive spinning up, causing the pause. This obviously makes coding intractable.

Plus for some reason laptop mode makes turning off hard drive advanced power management difficult. Regardless of what I have it set at in the conf file, it seems to ignore it and go back to 128, and killing my hd.

cu3edweb · 2008-02-03 18:32:46

So do you not use it then? Or do you have another option?

buttons · 2008-02-03 19:25:43

cu3edweb wrote:

So do you not use it then? Or do you have another option?

Nope. I gave up on all power management (including screen dimming) except cpufreqd. I still get 2.5-3 hours (with any recent nvidia driver), depending on the wifi kill switch.

I've been quite happy without it.

cu3edweb · 2008-02-03 19:34:43

My screen dimming works fine. I also have the 9 cell battery and get 5 to 6 hours depending on what I am doing.

Is it a problem if the fan is running all the time?

What is too hot for the temp?

Last edited by cu3edweb (2008-02-03 19:36:23)

buttons · 2008-02-03 20:24:57

Too hot is when it burns *you*

In all honesty, I'm not sure what too hot would be. Mine doesn't have the fan problem you describe. It seems to turn on when the computer is doing lots of work, and turn off when it isn't. A good rule of thumb for any desktop PC is to try to keep it under 55C under load.

Allan · 2008-02-14 02:41:36

I had a similar problem with a Dell Latitude D520 and fan control. I tried all options including dellfand in AUR and none worked. Talking to the developer of dellfand it appears that my bios fan control was not being disabled by the software and was trying to take over the fan.

What type of processor do you have? Mine sits at mid 40'sC (intel core 2 duo 2GHz) and I have been told that is not too bad... not sure what to believe tough

arunvragh · 2008-02-14 07:30:01

Hmmm very decent temperatures , I should say. My Nvidia thermal monitor puts my core temperature at between 69-71 C and says the threshold limit is 131 C.

I am from India of course

On a Compaq Presario v 3000

iphitus · 2008-02-14 12:13:15

Sure it's the fan and not the hard drive spinning up and down?

Pauses/freezes are a symptom of the hdd spinning up for read requests when it's been spun down. IIRC the laptop mode defaults are fairly aggressive.

cu3edweb · 2008-02-14 13:15:11

iphitus wrote:

Sure it's the fan and not the hard drive spinning up and down?
Pauses/freezes are a symptom of the hdd spinning up for read requests when it's been spun down. IIRC the laptop mode defaults are fairly aggressive.

Yeah that was my mistake it is the hdd. It isn't that big of a deal. What is a better setting then the defaults?

cu3edweb · 2008-02-14 13:17:17

Allan wrote:

I had a similar problem with a Dell Latitude D520 and fan control. I tried all options including dellfand in AUR and none worked. Talking to the developer of dellfand it appears that my bios fan control was not being disabled by the software and was trying to take over the fan.
What type of processor do you have? Mine sits at mid 40'sC (intel core 2 duo 2GHz) and I have been told that is not too bad... not sure what to believe tough

Yeah I noticed that the dellfand does nothing. Mine probably sits between high 30's c to mid 40's c regularly.

Tib05 · 2008-04-12 10:27:11

I have a Dell Inspiron 6400. I haven't noticed any fan problem, but my HDD is going to die because of spins up ...
I set the laptop mode, it s running, but my HDD spins up all the time ...
Someone managed to make these things change ?

fwojciec · 2008-04-12 15:32:53

Tib05 wrote:

I have a Dell Inspiron 6400. I haven't noticed any fan problem, but my HDD is going to die because of spins up ...
I set the laptop mode, it s running, but my HDD spins up all the time ...
Someone managed to make these things change ?

I don't understand what the problem is -- laptop-mode-tools is extremely configurable. You can either prevent it from managing hd powersaving features, or you can use it to "manage" them by disabling them completely (which is probably a better option since a lot of laptop hds have powersaving enabled in firmware by default). Just read the comments in the configuration file and man hdparm (-B and -S switches are especially relevant).

Arch Linux

#1 2008-02-03 16:44:25

Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#2 2008-02-03 17:43:13

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#3 2008-02-03 18:32:46

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#4 2008-02-03 19:25:43

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#5 2008-02-03 19:34:43

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#6 2008-02-03 20:24:57

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#7 2008-02-14 02:41:36

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#8 2008-02-14 07:30:01

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#9 2008-02-14 12:13:15

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#10 2008-02-14 13:15:11

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#11 2008-02-14 13:17:17

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#12 2008-04-12 10:27:11

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

#13 2008-04-12 15:32:53

Re: Laptop-mode-tools Dell Vostro 1500

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