Arch Linux

navi_se

Member

Registered: 2015-07-06

Posts: 135

Heat issues [SOLVED]

Having installed arch a while ago, I am a little concern with heating issues running KDE.  I am currently working on a very minimal setup: a second screen to my laptop via VGA, chrome open with a few tabs, terminology and if relevant 4 workspaces.

My computer has both a intel graphic card and an ATI radeon. Due to previous issues on ubuntu, I have not bothered installing the drivers for this yet.

Currently, if I run sensors I get:

$sensors
acpitz-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:        +67.0°C  (crit = +104.0°C)
temp2:        +67.0°C  (crit = +104.0°C)

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Physical id 0:  +65.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 0:         +63.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 1:         +63.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 2:         +65.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 3:         +65.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

radeon-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
temp1:            N/A  (crit = +120.0°C, hyst = +90.0°C)

this is not too bad (maybe), but is definitely higher with respect to when I was running Ubuntu (also on Intel card only) which was already higher than when I was running windows.

Also, please note I am already under the powersave governor using

# cpupower frequency-set -g governor

My questions are:

- Will shut down unused workspaces improve this?
- Will install driver and use my discrete Radeon improve the heat performance?
- Is there any systematic mean/guide to improve on this under ARCH/KDE?
- Will a different DE on par with KDE make a difference , e.g. gnome? Or the only way is to use a lightweight DE?

FYI if relevant:

$ lspci | grep 'VGA\|Radeon'                                                                                                                             
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller (rev 09)
01:00.0 Display controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Mars [Radeon HD 8670A/8670M/8750M] (rev ff)

Last edited by navi_se (2015-09-21 09:01:51)

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: London

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 7,748

Website

Re: Heat issues [SOLVED]

and an ATI radeon [...] I have not bothered installing the drivers for this yet.

If you're not using the discrete card, disable it either from your firmware (BIOS) options or by using:

# echo OFF > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AT … e_Graphics

You can also try PowerTOP or Laptop Mode Tools to reduce the power consumption of your system.

---

Are you infected with Wetiko?

navi_se

Member

Registered: 2015-07-06

Posts: 135

Re: Heat issues [SOLVED]

Are you sure that turning it off is relevant? The file you link does not exist atm. I believe until driver are installed there is no possibility to switch the card off or on. I will give a try to the two suites you pointed, thanks!

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: London

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 7,748

Website

Re: Heat issues [SOLVED]

Are you sure that turning it off is relevant? The file you link does not exist atm. I believe until driver are installed there is no possibility to switch the card off or on.

I have no idea, I have never owned a system with a discrete GPU -- I was just quoting what I found on the linked ArchWiki page.

Are there any options to disable the ATI card in your firmware (BIOS) menus?

---

Are you infected with Wetiko?

navi_se

Member

Registered: 2015-07-06

Posts: 135

Re: Heat issues [SOLVED]

Just to close this old topic: apparently, most of the issues where due to normal working under hot weather condition and dirty laptop. After opening the laptop and removing dust there was a sizeable drop in temps (about 5 degrees), and after the heat wave I am running 50 deg usually.