[SOLVED]linux-ck-nehalem fails to load i8k kernel module

fungle · 2014-08-05 18:46:41

I have linux-ck-nehalem 3.15.8-1 installed from repo-ck and the i8k (dell laptop) kernel module fails to load from modules-load.d. Here is the relevant journal log from bootup:

Aug 05 11:21:37 dell-latitudeE6410 kernel: i8k: unable to get SMM Dell signature
Aug 05 11:21:37 dell-latitudeE6410 systemd-modules-load[142]: Failed to insert 'i8k': No such device
Aug 05 11:21:37 dell-latitudeE6410 systemd[1]: systemd-modules-load.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Aug 05 11:21:37 dell-latitudeE6410 systemd[1]: Failed to start Load Kernel Modules.
Aug 05 11:21:37 dell-latitudeE6410 systemd[1]: Unit systemd-modules-load.service entered failed state.

I use the i8k module with lm-sensors to get fan speed. I tried doing a

 modprobe i8k force=1

but that doesn't really work.
Here is the output of `sensors` without i8k loaded

+[evfung|~]$:> sensors
coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 0:       +51.0°C  (high = +95.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 2:       +54.0°C  (high = +95.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

nouveau-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
temp1:        +61.0°C  (high = +95.0°C, hyst =  +3.0°C)
                       (crit = +105.0°C, hyst =  +5.0°C)
                       (emerg = +135.0°C, hyst =  +5.0°C)

And here it is with i8k forced to load

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 0:       +50.0°C  (high = +95.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 2:       +57.0°C  (high = +95.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

nouveau-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
temp1:        +61.0°C  (high = +95.0°C, hyst =  +3.0°C)
                       (crit = +105.0°C, hyst =  +5.0°C)
                       (emerg = +135.0°C, hyst =  +5.0°C)

i8k-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
Right Fan:      0 RPM
CPU:          +56.0°C  
temp2:        +40.0°C  
temp3:        +44.0°C  
temp4:            N/A

I should also mention that all this works fine on the vanilla kernel. The i8k module loads and it shows the right fan speed.

Last edited by fungle (2014-08-05 21:41:28)

graysky · 2014-08-05 18:54:28

That is odd. Just curiously, if you use the ck-generic kernel, does it load?

fungle · 2014-08-05 21:03:35

graysky wrote:

That is odd. Just curiously, if you use the ck-generic kernel, does it load?

Just installed it and booted up. Indeed, the ck-generic kernel does load the i8k kernel module. Not sure why that is though, maybe a bug?

Also, thanks for you timely response graysky.

Edit: Oh and if you were wondering if I was using the right kernel optimized for my processor. Here is the output of -march from gcc:

gcc -c -Q -march=native --help=target | grep march
  -march=                     		westmere

It's technically not nehalem, but according to wikipedia westmere is just a die shrink of nehalem, I'm not sure if that is pertinent.

Last edited by fungle (2014-08-05 21:11:54)

graysky · 2014-08-05 21:18:59

Probably the issue... the nehalem packages are compiled with march=nehalem and ntune=nehalem. What you want is the westmere option (I do not package them on repo-ck, but you can build them yourself); see the kernel gcc patch for more.

% grep westmere enable_additional_cpu_optimizations_for_gcc_v4.9+_kernel_v3.15+.patch
+	  Enables -march=westmere
+                $(call cc-option,-march=westmere,$(call cc-option,-mtune=westmere))
+cflags-$(CONFIG_MWESTMERE)	+= -march=i686 $(call tune,westmere)

Last edited by graysky (2014-08-05 21:29:27)

fungle · 2014-08-05 21:41:01

Darn, I was hoping to avoid compiling. Oh well, thanks graysky.

graysky · 2014-08-05 21:41:50

fungle wrote:

Darn, I was hoping to avoid compiling. Oh well, thanks graysky.

You can use the ck-generic package pre-compiled if you wish. Remember to make as solved.

fungle · 2014-08-05 21:46:03

Yea that's my other option too is to just stick with generic.
Is there is reason why you don't have westmere in your repo? Not popular enough?

Last edited by fungle (2014-08-05 21:46:40)

graysky · 2014-08-05 22:10:58

Right, not popular enough.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-08-05 18:46:41

[SOLVED]linux-ck-nehalem fails to load i8k kernel module

#2 2014-08-05 18:54:28

Re: [SOLVED]linux-ck-nehalem fails to load i8k kernel module

#3 2014-08-05 21:03:35

Re: [SOLVED]linux-ck-nehalem fails to load i8k kernel module

#4 2014-08-05 21:18:59

Re: [SOLVED]linux-ck-nehalem fails to load i8k kernel module

#5 2014-08-05 21:41:01

Re: [SOLVED]linux-ck-nehalem fails to load i8k kernel module

#6 2014-08-05 21:41:50

Re: [SOLVED]linux-ck-nehalem fails to load i8k kernel module

#7 2014-08-05 21:46:03

Re: [SOLVED]linux-ck-nehalem fails to load i8k kernel module

#8 2014-08-05 22:10:58

Re: [SOLVED]linux-ck-nehalem fails to load i8k kernel module

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