Ubuntu
linux-source-2.6.20 package

Since update to feisty, CPU fan in laptop won't stop spinning

Bug #92994 reported by Chris Eineke
10
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
acpi
New
Undecided
Unassigned
linux (Ubuntu)
Won't Fix
Undecided
Unassigned
linux-source-2.6.20 (Ubuntu)
Won't Fix
Undecided
Ben Collins

Bug Description

Binary package hint: linux-image-2.6.20-11-generic

I own an eMachines M6811 laptop that I recently updated to kubuntu/feisty/multiverse. Before the update to feisty its CPU fan was hardly spinning at all, but since the update the CPU fan won't stop spinning. It's always on at least the lowest speed setting and never turns off.

output from lspci:
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8385 [K8T800 AGP] Host Bridge (rev 01)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 PCI bridge [K8T800/K8T890 South]
00:0a.0 CardBus bridge: ENE Technology Inc CB1410 Cardbus Controller (rev 01)
00:0c.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 03)
00:10.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 82)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8235 ISA Bridge
00:11.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 50)
00:11.6 Communication controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 80)
00:12.0 Ethernet controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] (rev 74)
00:13.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. IEEE 1394 Host Controller (rev 80)
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 [Mobility Radeon 9600 M10]

output from lsmod:
Module Size Used by
i2c_dev 8708 0
binfmt_misc 12808 1
rfcomm 40856 0
l2cap 25728 5 rfcomm
bluetooth 55908 4 rfcomm,l2cap
fglrx 540004 22
ppdev 10116 0
cpufreq_userspace 5408 0
cpufreq_stats 7360 0
cpufreq_powersave 2688 0
cpufreq_ondemand 9228 1
cpufreq_conservative 8200 0
tc1100_wmi 8068 0
pcc_acpi 13184 0
dev_acpi 12292 0
sony_acpi 6284 0
video 16388 0
ipt_TCPMSS 4992 1
xt_tcpmss 3200 1
xt_tcpudp 4224 1
sbs 15652 0
iptable_filter 3968 1
ip_tables 13796 1 iptable_filter
x_tables 16388 4 ipt_TCPMSS,xt_tcpmss,xt_tcpudp,ip_tables
i2c_ec 5888 1 sbs
dock 10256 0
button 8720 0
battery 10756 0
container 5248 0
ac 6020 0
asus_acpi 17308 0
backlight 7040 1 asus_acpi
pppoe 15424 2
pppox 4488 1 pppoe
ppp_generic 29076 6 pppoe,pppox
slhc 7680 1 ppp_generic
nls_iso8859_1 5120 1
nls_cp437 6784 1
vfat 14080 1
fat 53916 1 vfat
ext2 66824 1
ipv6 268704 12
eeprom 8336 0
i2c_isa 6272 0
loop 17800 0
powernow_k8 16064 0
freq_table 5792 3 cpufreq_stats,cpufreq_ondemand,powernow_k8
fuse 46612 1
sbp2 23812 0
parport_pc 36388 0
lp 12452 0
parport 36936 3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
sg 36252 0
joydev 10816 0
sd_mod 22272 4
snd_via82xx_modem 16008 1
snd_seq_dummy 4740 0
snd_seq_oss 32896 0
snd_via82xx 29208 1
gameport 16520 1 snd_via82xx
snd_ac97_codec 98336 2 snd_via82xx_modem,snd_via82xx
i2c_viapro 10132 0
snd_seq_midi 9600 0
pcmcia 39212 0
ac97_bus 3200 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss 44544 0
snd_mixer_oss 17408 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 79876 4 snd_via82xx_modem,snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_mpu401_uart 9472 1 snd_via82xx
snd_rawmidi 25472 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_mpu401_uart
i2c_core 22784 5 i2c_dev,i2c_ec,eeprom,i2c_isa,i2c_viapro
bcm43xx 125332 0
shpchp 34324 0
amd64_agp 13572 1
snd_seq_midi_event 8448 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 52592 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer 23684 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 9100 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
psmouse 38920 0
serio_raw 7940 0
pcspkr 4224 0
via_ircc 27540 0
ieee80211softmac 31232 1 bcm43xx
k8temp 6656 0
agpgart 33480 2 fglrx,amd64_agp
snd 54020 16 snd_via82xx_modem,snd_seq_oss,snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
soundcore 8672 1 snd
irda 201276 1 via_ircc
af_packet 23816 6
ieee80211 34760 2 bcm43xx,ieee80211softmac
ieee80211_crypt 7040 1 ieee80211
snd_page_alloc 10888 3 snd_via82xx_modem,snd_via82xx,snd_pcm
pci_hotplug 32576 1 shpchp
crc_ccitt 3072 1 irda
yenta_socket 27532 1
rsrc_nonstatic 14080 1 yenta_socket
pcmcia_core 40852 3 pcmcia,yenta_socket,rsrc_nonstatic
tsdev 8768 0
evdev 11008 7
ext3 133128 3
jbd 59816 1 ext3
mbcache 9604 2 ext2,ext3
usb_storage 72128 2
ide_cd 32672 0
cdrom 37664 1 ide_cd
ide_disk 17024 5
ata_generic 8708 0
libata 120220 1 ata_generic
scsi_mod 142348 5 sbp2,sg,sd_mod,usb_storage,libata
usbhid 26592 0
hid 27392 1 usbhid
libusual 17936 1 usb_storage
via82cxxx 10372 0 [permanent]
generic 5380 0 [permanent]
ohci1394 36528 0
ieee1394 298808 2 sbp2,ohci1394
via_rhine 25608 0
mii 6528 1 via_rhine
ehci_hcd 34188 0
uhci_hcd 25228 0
usbcore 134280 6 usb_storage,usbhid,libusual,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
thermal 14728 0
processor 31048 2 powernow_k8,thermal
fan 5636 0
fbcon 42656 0
tileblit 3584 1 fbcon
font 9216 1 fbcon
bitblit 6912 1 fbcon
softcursor 3200 1 bitblit
vesafb 9220 0
capability 5896 0
commoncap 8192 1 capability

Revision history for this message
Chris Eineke (chris.eineke) wrote :

Is the duplicate bug number wrong? It points to a problem with sluggish X11 performance, not fan control issues. ;-)

Revision history for this message
Matthew Gregg (mcg) wrote :

I think the assumption with the dup listing is that X11 is eating CPU enough to cause the fan to run high to cool the CPU.

Revision history for this message
Conn O Griofa (psyke83) wrote :

I think it may be a little premature to mark this bug as a duplicate of 88815. Chris, can you apply the workaround in 88815 and see if you still have the fan issues? If you do, then we should instead mark https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/acpi/+bug/92117 as a duplicate.

FYI, on my Dell Inspiron 510m running latest Feisty, my /proc/acpi/fan dir is empty, but my fan seems to almost never turn itself on.

Revision history for this message
Chris Eineke (chris.eineke) wrote :

I don't have speed issues with X11 though. Xorg uses 0.5-1% CPU when I let the machine sit idle. I will look at the workaround in 92117.

Revision history for this message
Chris Eineke (chris.eineke) wrote :

Output from sensors-detect:

Now follows a summary of the probes I have just done.
Just press ENTER to continue:

Driver `eeprom' (should be inserted):
  Detects correctly:
  * Bus `SMBus Via Pro adapter at 8100'
    Busdriver `i2c-viapro', I2C address 0x50
    Chip `eeprom' (confidence: 6)
  * Bus `SMBus Via Pro adapter at 8100'
    Busdriver `i2c-viapro', I2C address 0x51
    Chip `eeprom' (confidence: 6)

  EEPROMs are *NOT* sensors! They are data storage chips commonly
  found on memory modules (SPD), in monitors (EDID), or in some
  laptops, for example.

Driver `k8temp' (should be inserted):
  Detects correctly:
  * ISA bus, undetermined address (Busdriver `i2c-isa')
    Chip `AMD K8 thermal sensors' (confidence: 9)

Driver `to-be-written' (should be inserted):
  Detects correctly:
  * ISA bus address 0x0200 (Busdriver `i2c-isa')
    Chip `Nat. Semi. PC87591 Super IO' (confidence: 9)

---

The PC87591 is unsupported and probably will never be. But I think it's irrelevant since it worked before. My /proc/acpi/fan dir is also empty.

Revision history for this message
Conn O Griofa (psyke83) wrote :

Chris,

According to that output, is it not possible that the k8temp module would work with your chipset? Try "sudo modprobe k8temp" and see if it works.

Revision history for this message
Chris Eineke (chris.eineke) wrote :

I downgraded the packages and I see no improvement.

Revision history for this message
Chris Eineke (chris.eineke) wrote :

Conn,

the module is already loaded. See output of lsmod in my first post. ;)

Revision history for this message
Ben Collins (ben-collins) wrote :

Please attach (do NOT paste into comment) the output of dmesg from this system please.

Changed in linux-source-2.6.20:
assignee: nobody → ben-collins
status: Unconfirmed → Needs Info
Revision history for this message
Chris Eineke (chris.eineke) wrote :

Here you go, Ben.

I'm sorry about not attaching files before.

Revision history for this message
Ben Collins (ben-collins) wrote :

Thanks and no problem. Could you also paste the output of "top" as seen just after a fresh boot? It's possible that your system just isn't idle enough to lower the fan speed.

Revision history for this message
Martin Pagh Goodwin (martin-goodwin) wrote :

I have the same problem with my Dell Latitude CPx (a rather old portable). The fan starts spinning during boot, and never stops.

Martin

Revision history for this message
jpkotta (jpkotta) wrote :

A similar thing happened to me. I went straight from Dapper to Feisty Beta. The cpu governor works properly out of the box, but the default behavior is different.

From what I gather, Dapper used powernowd, but Feisty uses kernelmode governors. powernowd defaults to ignoring nice'd processes in its load calculations. The kernelspace gov doesn't. If I do

echo 1 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/ondemand/ignore_nice_load

the Dapper behavior returns.

Revision history for this message
ShinjiLeery (shinjileery) wrote :

Same problem here. CPU fan always on with Feisty.The same happen with fglrx or open source driver. I use the laptop always in powersave mode, bay the fan never stop. With edgy it started every 20 minutes for 2. Even if the cpu is in idle for hours the behavior is the same.

I'll attach dmesg of my laptop.

Thanks for any help,

Luca.

Revision history for this message
ShinjiLeery (shinjileery) wrote :

if you need any info i'll help you

With feisty the battery life is an hour shorter than edgy. The fan is always on...

Luca.

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote : This bug is now reported against the 'linux' package

Beginning with the Hardy Heron 8.04 development cycle, all open Ubuntu kernel bugs need to be reported against the "linux" kernel package. We are automatically migrating this bug to the new "linux" package. However, development has already began for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. It would be helpful if you could test the upcoming release and verify if this is still an issue - http://www.ubuntu.com/testing . If the issue still exists, please update this report by changing the Status of the "linux" task from "Incomplete" to "New". We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this transition. Thanks!

Revision history for this message
Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara) wrote :

The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. There are one of two ways you should be able to test:

1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and test.

--or--

2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4. Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced. You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.

Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26 kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.

Revision history for this message
Manoj Iyer (manjo) wrote :

Please reopen if this is still an issue in the current Ubuntu release, Jaunty Jackalope 9.04 - http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download. To reopen the bug, click on the current status under the Status column and change the status back to "New". Thanks.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Won't Fix
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