CPU operating temp while using SuSE8.2
I've noticed something odd with my computer since I've installed SuSE8.2. The idle operating temperature is about 10C higher than normal, and CPU load is almost zero (sitting idle). My case has a temp probe, and a digital display on the front. When running SuSE8.1 the idle CPU temp was around 39C. This was exactly the same as when sitting idle running Win2k on the same machine. BTW, it's an Athalon 1Ghz CPU if this bit helps. Since installing SuSE8.2, I've noticed the idle CPU temp as high at 50C. As a test, I just rebooted to Win2k and let it sit idle for 30 mins. CPU temp dropped to 39C. I rebooted to SuSE8.2, and let it sit idle (no applications running except KDE) for 30 mins, and the CPU temp is 46C. This is the output from top.... top - 18:35:58 up 25 min, 3 users, load average: 0.14, 0.22, 0.18 Tasks: 73 total, 3 running, 70 sleeping, 0 stopped, 0 zombie Cpu(s): 0.0% user, 1.0% system, 0.0% nice, 99.0% idle Mem: 709140k total, 345028k used, 364112k free, 37724k buffers Swap: 1052248k total, 0k used, 1052248k free, 198168k cached OK, I know... these temps are not in the critical range, but I am curious why the temperature difference. I haven't yet been able to find any reason for the higher CPU temp when running SuSE8.2. All fans are running. Anyone have any suggestions or pointers? What's different in 8.2 from 8.1 that would make the CPU temp rise? C.
The Linux kernel could make idle calls to help reduce the power consumption of the processor. This feature is also BIOS dependent which in your case is enabled. You have to configure the Power Management Support before compiling a new kernel to enable the idle call feature. make menuconfig --> goto "Generel setup" --> goto "Power management support" and enable that feature. Some if not all AMD motherboard vendors disallowed the idling feature because on the old Athlon processors going up to 1.4 GHz, the systems would become unstable, or cracking noise would come out of the sound cards. I have both Abit and Asus motherboards which no longer support cpu idle calls after recent BIOS upgrades. Some would also argue that rapid rise and fall of the cpu temperature could cause damage. I don't know if that is true because we are only talking about a maximum difference of 10 degrees Celsius. I don't know if any one of the above is the reason why your 8.2 Suse kernel doesn't support it, but it is possible. Try booting with your old kernel that came with Suse 8.1 and see what happens. If cpu idling works in you Linux kernel, you should see a process running with the name kidle, or something similar, and that process would be consuming most of the cpu time. At least, that's how it was the last time the idling feature worked on my linux box. Sinan Sinanian --- Clayton Cornell <c.cornell@chello.nl> wrote:
I've noticed something odd with my computer since I've installed SuSE8.2. The idle operating temperature is about 10C higher than normal, and CPU load is almost zero (sitting idle).
__________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com
participants (2)
-
Clayton Cornell -
Sinan