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EDIT: It is 4 months since I asked this question, more than 1000 views, but the bug is still unassigned on launchpad. I suggest that everybody affected logs in and subscribes himself as being affected.

I have switched off the dedicated graphics:

0:IGD:+:Pwr:0000:00:02.0
1:DIS: :Off:0000:01:00.0

This is the output of the "sensor" - command, whith fan running on full speed:

 radeon-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
temp1:       -128.0°C  

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Physical id 0:  +42.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 0:         +41.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 1:         +41.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

Is there a safe solution to this, and when can we expect ubuntu to cover fan throtteling?

EDIT: Weirdly enough, it now suddenly switched off almost completely . Here is the sensor - output again:

radeon-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
temp1:       -128.0°C  

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Physical id 0:  +41.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 0:         +41.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 1:         +39.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

This is weird! But the behavior seems to correspond to the bug report filed here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/acpi/+bug/1049064

EDIT: I am running the gnome3- flavour

Konstantin Schubert
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    Have you tried the power saving tweaks? Info here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/PowerManagement/PowerSavingTweaks – functionptr Dec 26 '12 at 03:27
  • @function The only thing there that seems applicable to me is the Intel i915 RC6 - tweak. Since I'm running 12.10, shouldn't it be activated anyway? – Konstantin Schubert Dec 26 '12 at 07:36
  • Yeah, theoretically it should but I've always had to manually activate it. Have you tried the pcie_aspm=force option? http://www.webupd8.org/2011/06/linux-kernel-power-issue-fix.html – functionptr Dec 26 '12 at 14:58
  • try disabling ACPI http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1839408 – j0h May 08 '13 at 02:37
  • @j0h Why do you think this will help and what are the drawbacks? – Konstantin Schubert May 08 '13 at 13:06
  • @j0h Ok, I tried it, but it had no effect. – Konstantin Schubert May 09 '13 at 00:09
  • You could try this: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=42737 – j0h May 09 '13 at 19:32
  • @j0h But that solution assumes that the kernel is fine and fan control has a bug. Do you think that is the case? – Konstantin Schubert May 09 '13 at 20:55
  • Its a process of elimination. systematically, we can probably figure this out. I am assumign your kernel is fine, with the exception that you may need to modify some modules. Disabling APCI is a stab at power management. Have a look at this: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingACPI – j0h May 10 '13 at 02:00
  • @j0h That is a good link, I will go though it step by step. – Konstantin Schubert May 10 '13 at 12:23
  • @j0h `acpi=off` does not remove the issue, it also makes the switcharoo-file disappear so that I can't switch off my Radeon any more. I can't even check if it is running because the battery stats don't work either. After reactivating `acpi`, I checked for the directories `/proc/acpi/fan` and `/proc/acpi/thermal_zone/*/trip_points`which both seem to be inexistant. (Why?) – Konstantin Schubert May 11 '13 at 01:42
  • PS: battery stats and switcharoo work again with acpi activated – Konstantin Schubert May 11 '13 at 01:48
  • Is your system with the latest updates? I would download and try other ubuntu releases above 12.10 (try also your 12.10 live CD not updated version). Whatever software is controlling it (the kernel?), when you find the version that works correctly, lock it up! You should also try older versions if possible (downgrade). – Aquarius Power May 11 '13 at 16:17
  • @AquariusPower I have updated to 13.04 in the meantime. I don't want to be unconstructive, but I think that trying various versions is out of the scope of what I want to do. I would rather prefer to find a solution in the updated system. – Konstantin Schubert May 11 '13 at 16:36
  • install proprietary drivers for ati.. it ll fix – mert May 11 '13 at 18:26
  • Installing catalyst breaks any display and causes a fallback to the command line. Or what do you mean? – Konstantin Schubert May 11 '13 at 19:33
  • mmm... I just thought, if you find a version that does not cause trouble, you can compare that code to the latest code of your distro and know exactly what to look for on a newer package, or what to suggest as a fix to the developers, or even create your own patch! the point is that would require grabbing the source codes and comparing them, what requires C language knowledge usually.. and... a big effort for sure.. – Aquarius Power May 12 '13 at 21:44
  • @AquariusPower I know some C, but I double my knowledge is enough to spot the relevant change in the kernel. I see your point, but it is outside the scope of what I have time for, to be honest. – Konstantin Schubert May 12 '13 at 23:01
  • @j0h It has now happened twice that I booted and the fans did NOT go wild. To me, it seems to happen randomly, maybe it is connected to the way I exit windows. – Konstantin Schubert May 14 '13 at 00:07

3 Answers3

1

I am not sure if this is a bug, but I have experienced exactly issue in my system(Intel Core i3) after the upgrade. The CPU eventually is heating and tripping up. What I ended up doing was install "Jupiter Applet", and setting Performance="Power saving" to fix the issue. There is some issue in 12.10 release that is causing it. Hope this helps you!!

Sandeep
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  • This is the [link](http://www.ubuntugeek.com/jupiter-light-weight-power-and-hardware-control-applet.html) in case you are wondering where to get Jupiter Applet. – Sandeep Dec 26 '12 at 01:38
  • Jupiter seems to crash: http://paste.ubuntu.com/1466442/ (I'm running ubuntus gnome flavour.) – Konstantin Schubert Dec 26 '12 at 07:33
  • Ok, for some reason it looks like it is running now. And it helps, the fan is running on a sane level again! However, I read Jupiter has been abandoned (last week!) and also it does a lot of display-managing stuff that I don't really need. I would like to have a piece of software that has only the (literally) core functionality of Jupiter. – Konstantin Schubert Dec 26 '12 at 13:52
  • The real fix will probably come in few days (through Ubuntu updates). I saw this issue being raised in ubuntu development forums. I am unaware of the real bug, and Jupiter offerings is just a kludge fix. – Sandeep Dec 27 '12 at 00:14
  • Can you link me to the thread? This is very good news because the Jupiter fix seems to work only with the proprietary radeon-graphics drivers, which in turn don't work with Gnome 3 at the moment. – Konstantin Schubert Dec 27 '12 at 23:00
  • could you add a link to the concerning thread in th development forums? – Konstantin Schubert Jan 03 '13 at 09:23
1

Fans are controlled by the hardware. Some hardware has drivers that can take over and allow software control if you desire ( but this is not recommended ). You can use the sensors-detect command from the lm-sensors package to see if you have such hardware.

psusi
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0

Check out my answer on launchpad, it seems like the actual root of the problem has been found:

Hi, I think that I should write here as I was also having this problem for over a year. Last week I gave google next try and it occured that it's hardware problem in some of dell's laptops family. I've been using i8k since ubuntu 12.10 till yesterday. Look on this post: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19511930.aspx

I've added heat sink like this guy suggested and now everythink works like should without i8kfan. I have checked temperatures and it looks that dell is suppressing fan control in windows with drivers. I've tested it in such way that after turning laptop on I stopped on uboot screen and waited for couple of minutes. Fan shortly hit the maximum so then next step was to boot into windows. Fans stopped immediately after couple of seconds but I've checked and temperature of PCH was always >65Degress. Now after installing termalpad and small copper heat sink temp is ~50 and even on grub menu fans are quiet. I think this is only reasonable solution. Some dell's guy just f-u-c-k-e-d up design cause thermal plate which covers almost all main board is cut on PCH chip so it is without any thermal sink. they should repair such things on warranty. Hope this helps, after over a year it is really pleasant to have it finally quiet.

Konstantin Schubert
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sleptak
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