High power consumption with /SMP /APIC with Nvidia + SMP Kernel

[mobybrick]

Hi,

Thanks for your efforts on ACPI!

I have tested two new NVIDIA based systems (one mine, one a colleage). One has an Athlon dual core, the other a single core.

When using eCS RC5, both systems works fine on UNI processor with ACPI 3.09/11.

When switch to SMP kernel and /SMP /APIC, both systems (one single HT core, one dual core) greatly increase their power usage and slowly overheat. With the SMP kernel, the systems use nearly 40 watts more power - even though one of them is still running on just once CPU core.

SetGetThtrl reports states of 0x0 available for throttling. Attached is acpi.log.

Seems to be the SMP kernel ? I think I read about some HLT states? Or is it how it reacts with ACPI.PSD?

Thanks for any suggestions. Am willing and able to try anything you need.

[mobybrick]

ACPI.LOG for Dual Core Nivida AM2 system

[mobybrick]

First acpi.log is for single ht core system, second acpi.2.log is for dual core system.

To make it more confusing, setgetthrtl still fails on UNI kernel: Searching processors Processor [CPU0]

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ProcId: 0x0 P_BLK: 0x0 P_BLK len: 0x0

---

Processor [CPU1]

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ProcId: 0x1 P_BLK: 0x0 P_BLK len: 0x0

---

[mobybrick]

I'd like to concentrate on the Athlon 3500 system with the single processor core, as this should be easier to sort out (and due to the fact that the other board I was testing is no longer available :( ).

This board is an Nvidia chipset. Hyperthreading is turned off.

0. ACPI.LOG

1. SetGetThrtl reports 0x0 (as above). ACPIDAEMON is loaded via startup.cmd

2. Using the SMP core on this system should have no effect, but for some reason the power consumption of the system rockets by 40watts (measured) and the system slowly overheats.

3. The CPU Manager programme available on hobbes, if run, reports rc=xxxxx when looking for throttling availability.

4. There seems to be no CST method in the AcpiManager view

Regards, Moby

[Karlheinz Schmidthaus]

I have the same problem with the SMP kernel based installation of eCS 2.0 RC 6a. The tool setgetstate does not work with the SMP kernel. With the W4 kernel it works in PIC mode.

[Karlheinz Schmidthaus]

Today I test the power usage of another PC at a customer. Windows: 75W eCS 2.0 RC6a: 122W

That is not aceptable.

[jojo]

Replying to kalle2009de:

Today I test the power usage of another PC at a customer. Windows: 75W eCS 2.0 RC6a: 122W

That is not aceptable.

This is similar to the results I have on my ThinkPad T61 (though not measured) - the system is always running at 'full speed', causing heat and unneeded tear and wear of the hardware.

Probably it will help to run the 'cpu.exe' tool you can find on Hobbes, which will dynamically reduce the speed of your processor, based on demand.

[Karlheinz Schmidthaus]

It does not work. With the SMP kernel the ACPI tools setgetstate and setgetthrtl does not work and with the cpu tool it is the same.

H:\os2tools>CPU.exe No Argument Given. Using Default Scanned Value and interval Init CPU speed Searching processors

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Processor 1 : Candidate for throttle setting

---

Using CPU 1 for Throttling.

CPU0 Error get throttling rc=65283

[Karlheinz Schmidthaus]

Another Test: setgetstate fails with the smp kernel on the T42p (eCS 2.0 RC6a). After switching to the W4 kernel it is running fine with the same ACPI version.

[pasha]

AMD CPU has't throttling. Here you can use ExtraKernelHLT = Yes with patched 104b kernel

[Karlheinz Schmidthaus]

Where to get the patched kernel? The "ExtraKernelHLT = Yes" is an config.sys option?

[eco]

e-co:

I uploaded the kernel to BETAZONE, acpi-kernel-20070123.ZIP cdrecord and other applications may not work

[pasha]

Please download experimental ACPI build from Mensys site:

• Experimental build for you:

ACPI-APIC-BAT.ZIP

• Read instructions: ​http://ecomstation.ru/projects/acpitools/?action=testcase

[Karlheinz Schmidthaus]

On 3 different machines I have the same result: switching from W4 to SMP Kernel cause High power consumption. It seems to be an initialisation problem of the SMP Kernel.

[pasha]

Sorry, it is constructions of IBM SMP kernel. It is't acpi problem.

[Karlheinz Schmidthaus]

No, "ACPI has exclusive control of all aspects of power management and device configuration responsibilities." (quotation of wikipedia)

[pasha]

Sorry, I only read ​http://acpi.info/DOWNLOADS/ACPIspec30b.pdf, because in wikipedia is absent technical details.

[Chuck McKinnis]

Maybe you should read the introduction and overview, again. Your excuses and arguments are becoming tiresome.

[mobybrick]

Any progress with this please?

[eco]

e-co:

No progress with Speedstep/PowerNow, ..

Let's check other methods:

0) Please send us the report for ACPI DB -- ​http://ecomstation.ru/commentnews.php?id=1619

1) do you have options related to cooler / powr consumption in BIOS Setup?

2) try use ACPI kernel (read above where to find it and how to setup). Look, it is very useful for notebooks: ​http://ecomstation.ru/projects/acpitools/?action=benchmarks

QUICK: a) AMD & high power consumption, b) Throttling doesn't work on Thinkpad with SMP kernel.

[mobybrick]

• Already tried using ACPI kernel, no difference.
• Options for cool'n'quiet in bios make no difference.

System uses a lot of power (30watts more than Windows on same hardware) and runs very hot.

[pasha]

Please download experimental ACPI build from Mensys site:

• Experimental build for you:

ACPI316-05_29.ZIP

• Read instructions: ​http://ecomstation.ru/projects/acpitools/?action=testcase

For decrease using power install acpi kernel and uncomment ExtraKernelHLT in %etc%\acpid.cfg

[David Azarewicz]

Please try the latest version (3.20.03).

[David Azarewicz]

No response to extremely old ticket.