# Problem with CPU Frequency Scaling on Asus P5B / Core 2 Duo

## herr.jth

Hi,

my problem is that the CPU Frequency Scaling on my new Core 2 Duo E6300 on an Asus P5B Mainboard isn`t working. I`ve tried several different solutions, but none of them worked. 

First of all, hardware and kernel: 

Core 2 Duo E6300 

Asus P5B

2GB DDR2-800 MDT Ram

GeForce 7600GT

```
jan@kiste ~ $ uname -a

Linux kiste 2.6.21-rc3-mm2 #2 SMP PREEMPT Mon Mar 19 19:20:14 CET 2007 x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6300  @ 1.86GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

```

The important parts of my .config are as follows:

```
jan@kiste ~ $ grep FREQ /usr/src/linux/.config

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ=y

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_TABLE=y

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_DEBUG=y

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_STAT=y

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_STAT_DETAILS=y

# CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_DEFAULT_GOV_PERFORMANCE is not set

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_DEFAULT_GOV_USERSPACE=y

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_GOV_PERFORMANCE=y

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_GOV_POWERSAVE=y

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_GOV_USERSPACE=y

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_GOV_ONDEMAND=y

CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_GOV_CONSERVATIVE=y

CONFIG_X86_ACPI_CPUFREQ=y

CONFIG_X86_ACPI_CPUFREQ_PROC_INTF=y
```

```
grep SPEEDSTEP /usr/src/linux/.config

CONFIG_X86_SPEEDSTEP_CENTRINO=y

# CONFIG_X86_SPEEDSTEP_LIB is not set

```

My first thought was that CONFIG_X86_SPEEDSTEP must be set to "y", but with "make menuconfig" I couldn`t find the proper option for setting this. But as far as I can see, the kernel should be ok.

This is what happens when I try to load cpufreqd:

```
kiste jan # /etc/init.d/cpufreqd start

 * cpufreqd requires the kernel to be configured with CONFIG_CPU_FREQ
```

After that it isn`t surprising that the cpufrequtils service won`t start either 

```
kiste init.d # /etc/init.d/cpufrequtils start

 * Enabling ondemand cpufreq governor on CPU0 ...                                                               [ !! ]unknown or unhandled CPU?

 * Enabling ondemand cpufreq governor on CPU1 ...                                                               [ !! ]unknown or unhandled CPU?
```

I think the necessary modules are loaded: 

```
kiste init.d # lsmod

Module                  Size  Used by

nvidia               7752728  32 

ntfs                  184864  1 

eeprom                  6864  0 

w83627ehf              20496  0 

i2c_isa                 4608  1 w83627ehf

i2c_i801                8348  0 

i2c_dev                 6664  0 

i2c_core               18560  6 nvidia,eeprom,w83627ehf,i2c_isa,i2c_i801,i2c_dev

snd_intel8x0           31720  0 

snd_ac97_codec        106968  1 snd_intel8x0

ac97_bus                3008  1 snd_ac97_codec

snd_hda_intel          17824  9 

snd_hda_codec         252160  1 snd_hda_intel

snd_pcm                70152  5 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec

snd_timer              19720  2 snd_pcm

snd_page_alloc          8080  3 snd_intel8x0,snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm

natsemi                25376 
```

I have no idea whats the problem here, the kernel seems to be okay and the necessary(?) i2c modules are loaded, too.

I hope anyone has a suggestion.

Thanks in advance

[edit]

Sorry, forgot the output of cpufreq-info:

```
kiste jan # cpufreq-info 

cpufrequtils 002: cpufreq-info (C) Dominik Brodowski 2004-2006

Report errors and bugs to linux@brodo.de, please.

analyzing CPU 0:

  no or unknown cpufreq driver is active on this CPU

analyzing CPU 1:

  no or unknown cpufreq driver is active on this CPU
```

[/edit]

----------

## dentharg

Maybe this will help..

http://gentoo-wiki.com/HARDWARE_Intel_Core2_Duo#CPU_frequency_scaling

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## ken2

I had to activate speedstep in Bios! And even then it only worked with the speedstep-centrino module loaded...

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## dentharg

Btw. Why freq scaling on desktop workstation?

----------

## Airhardt

 *dentharg wrote:*   

> Btw. Why freq scaling on desktop workstation?

 

Oh, there are good reasons:

- Noise reduction, because the fan can spin down when the CPU is idle

- Far less energy consumption, which is good for your purse as well as for the environment

----------

## dentharg

You bought me to that  :Smile: 

----------

## dentharg

Unfortunately desktop e6300 can go down only to 1.6GHz. Sad..

----------

