Arch Linux

Ub1476

Member

Registered: 2008-01-21

Posts: 69

Power managment in Linux

My laptop, a Thinkpad x200, is supposed to have a bit more than 9-hours battery life at its max. With WinVista I get around 7-8 hours. This is quite good, but Ubuntu (Intrepid) only lasts for about 5 hours, which is not really exceptable.

So I don't really like using Windows, but I don't feel like using Linux when my laptop get less battery life, becomes warmer and fan is more on with it, but I've been wondering if it's only a prolem with Ubuntu or maybe Gnome. 

Now that the new kernel has hit the repos I've been thinking about trying Arch, but only if it can give equal or better power managment than Vista. Can it do this, or will it be mostly the same as Ubuntu? Also I wonder if KDE (I might use KDEmod though) has better power managment than Gnome, or maybe it doesn't matter much..

Thanks, hope for wise replies

EDIT: Forgot to mention I've been using 64-bit in Linux/Ubuntu (Win is 32). Does this matter? Laptop is mostly Intel except for atheros ethernet and wireless + a SSD instead of HDD.

Last edited by Ub1476 (2008-10-12 15:02:52)

lucke

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2004-11-30

Posts: 4,018

Re: Power managment in Linux

Some people say their battery works longer under Linux than under XP/Vista, so with a bit of tweaking you should have no problems at least matching Vista.

Browse lesswatts.org.

Last edited by lucke (2008-10-12 14:58:43)

Ub1476

Member

Registered: 2008-01-21

Posts: 69

Re: Power managment in Linux

Alright, I''m download the i686 verison just to be on the safe side.. I'll be checking out this wiki and lesswats + the thinkwiki. I wonder, is Linux really better than Windows at powermanagement or is it mostly random?

peart

Member

From: Kanuckistan

Registered: 2003-07-28

Posts: 510

Re: Power managment in Linux

Ub1476,

When you say your laptop runs warmer and the battery doesn't last long, the first thought that comes to my mind is that cpufrequtils is not installed/running.  Without it, your processor is always running at full speed, generating heat and wasting battery life.

If this could be the problem, you can read all about it in the wiki

Ub1476

Member

Registered: 2008-01-21

Posts: 69

Re: Power managment in Linux

Oh, it's not that bad. Only "worse". I'm just being a little critical.

Well, I've installed Arch now but it wont detect my ethernet controller.

03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)

00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection (rev 03)

I've been trying some tweaks here and there (been through this before), but I think I'm missing a driver... Or maybe just a module? When I do "dhcpcd eth0" it gives an output that, ****** is not detected. 

Anyone know a fix for this?

Last edited by Ub1476 (2008-10-12 16:25:09)

peart

Member

From: Kanuckistan

Registered: 2003-07-28

Posts: 510

Re: Power managment in Linux

Looks like ndiswrapper might be a solution: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … 22#p343922

Ub1476

Member

Registered: 2008-01-21

Posts: 69

Re: Power managment in Linux

Sorry, I was a bit quick in the post there.. The ethernet controller is from intel, as posted above. Acording to some guys frome Fedora it's included in a later release of the .26 kernel, before that you most download it yourself..

Anyway, this thread (link) describes and fix the problem.

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=432517

Can't be thrue Arch without some problems, can it?