You are not logged in.

#1 2012-10-07 21:38:10

rptynan
Member
Registered: 2012-10-07
Posts: 9

30 minutes battery life on new Install?

So I installed Arch this weekend, after a friend suggested I should probably move to a more technically-orientated distro than Ubuntu. I've been on linux for a while, so I managed the install without any major problems. I have GNOME3 running with GDM as well. I have a slightly over 2 years old Acer Aspire 5738ZG laptop which is also dualbooting Windows. On Windows, I'd get about 2-3 hours with light use. On Ubuntu I got slightly less (maybe 30 minutes to an hour). However on my fresh Arch install, it lasts about 30 minutes from full charge.

I have no idea where to start here, so any ideas or help?

Thanks!

Offline

#2 2012-10-07 21:41:17

2ManyDogs
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-01-15
Posts: 4,645

Re: 30 minutes battery life on new Install?

Welcome to Arch. You will find the answer to many commonly asked questions in the wiki. Check out this topic: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Power_Management


How to post. A sincere effort to use modest and proper language and grammar is a sign of respect toward the community.

Offline

#3 2012-10-07 22:22:54

rptynan
Member
Registered: 2012-10-07
Posts: 9

Re: 30 minutes battery life on new Install?

I have followed all the guides in that wiki page, including making the pm-utils scripts. I didn't modify the CPU frequency scaling, because I think that's already done by default? Is that true?

I just checked powertop, it says (while my battery is apparently at 85%):
"The battery reports a discharge rate of 34.5 W
The estimated remaining time is 0 hours, 32 minutes"

Offline

#4 2012-10-12 14:29:57

mac1202
Member
Registered: 2011-05-24
Posts: 33

Re: 30 minutes battery life on new Install?

No there is no cpu scaling by default you need to install cpupower.
If you have a nvidia graphics chipset use the proprietary driver the open source doesn't perform well in powersaving.
Search on the Load_Cycle_Count harddrive problem to prevent hard drive failure.

Offline

#5 2012-10-12 15:40:01

Stebalien
Member
Registered: 2010-04-27
Posts: 1,237
Website

Re: 30 minutes battery life on new Install?

mac1202 wrote:

No there is no cpu scaling by default you need to install cpupower.

No. Arch now uses the ondemand governor by default as recommended by upstream.

Last edited by Stebalien (2012-10-12 15:40:22)


Steven [ web : git ]
GPG:  327B 20CE 21EA 68CF A7748675 7C92 3221 5899 410C
Do not email: honeypot@stebalien.com

Offline

#6 2012-10-12 15:42:05

cybertorture
Member
Registered: 2010-05-05
Posts: 339

Re: 30 minutes battery life on new Install?

Actually cpu freq driver is "ondemand" by default, at least with 3.5 linux kernel

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_DEFAULT_GOV_ONDEMAND=y

edit: powned by Stebalien big_smile

Last edited by cybertorture (2012-10-12 15:43:01)


O' rly ? Ya rly Oo

Offline

#7 2012-10-12 18:28:03

Hspasta
Member
Registered: 2011-12-24
Posts: 189
Website

Re: 30 minutes battery life on new Install?

Do you have a dedicated graphics card?

Offline

#8 2012-10-13 23:24:43

rptynan
Member
Registered: 2012-10-07
Posts: 9

Re: 30 minutes battery life on new Install?

Hspasta wrote:

Do you have a dedicated graphics card?

I have a separate ATI Mobility Card, HD 4570, currently opensource driver.

I think I'm going to try the propriety driver anyway.

Offline

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB