# GPU fan always on when X is running

## gustafson

Hi All,

My GPU fan is always running at high speed from the instant X starts.  This is loud and annoying.  I'm trying to determine if I'm doing something wrong.

The card is:

```
# lspci |grep -i nvid 

0a:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G92 [GeForce GTS 240] (rev a2)

```

Using nvidia-settings, I'm able to determine:

```
  Attribute 'NvidiaDriverVersion' (mastercraft:0.0): 295.75 

    'NvidiaDriverVersion' is a string attribute.

    'NvidiaDriverVersion' is a read-only attribute.

    'NvidiaDriverVersion' can use the following target types: X Screen, GPU.

  Attribute 'NvControlVersion' (mastercraft:0.0): 1.27 

    'NvControlVersion' is a string attribute.

    'NvControlVersion' is a read-only attribute.

    'NvControlVersion' can use the following target types: X Screen.

 

  Attribute 'CUDACores' (mastercraft:0.0): 112.

    'CUDACores' is an integer attribute.

    'CUDACores' is a read-only attribute.

    'CUDACores' can use the following target types: X Screen, GPU.

  Attribute 'GPUMemoryInterface' (mastercraft:0.0): 256.

    'GPUMemoryInterface' is an integer attribute.

    'GPUMemoryInterface' is a read-only attribute.

    'GPUMemoryInterface' can use the following target types: X Screen, GPU.

  Attribute 'GPUCoreTemp' (mastercraft:0.0): 86.

    'GPUCoreTemp' is an integer attribute.

    'GPUCoreTemp' is a read-only attribute.

    'GPUCoreTemp' can use the following target types: X Screen, GPU.

  Attribute 'GPUOverclockingState' (mastercraft:0.0): 0.

    The valid values for 'GPUOverclockingState' are in the range 0 - 1 (inclusive).

    'GPUOverclockingState' can use the following target types: X Screen, GPU.

  Attribute 'GPU2DClockFreqs' (mastercraft:0.0): 675,1100.

    The valid values for 'GPU2DClockFreqs' are in the ranges 168 - 1350, 275 - 1320

    (inclusive).

    'GPU2DClockFreqs' can use the following target types: X Screen, GPU.

  Attribute 'GPU3DClockFreqs' (mastercraft:0.0): 675,1100.

    The valid values for 'GPU3DClockFreqs' are in the ranges 168 - 1350, 275 - 1320

    (inclusive).

    'GPU3DClockFreqs' can use the following target types: X Screen, GPU.

  Attribute 'GPUCurrentPerfLevel' (mastercraft:0.0): 0.

    'GPUCurrentPerfLevel' is an integer attribute.

    'GPUCurrentPerfLevel' is a read-only attribute.

    'GPUCurrentPerfLevel' can use the following target types: X Screen, GPU.

  Attribute 'GPUAdaptiveClockState' (mastercraft:0.0): 1.

    'GPUAdaptiveClockState' is a boolean attribute; valid values are: 1 (on/true) and 0

    (off/false).

    'GPUAdaptiveClockState' is a read-only attribute.

    'GPUAdaptiveClockState' can use the following target types: X Screen, GPU.

```

Note I'm only listing things that obviously might influence temp.  This is with the machine basically idle displaying KDE desktop.  What can I do?

Other things to note: following the directions at http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Nvidia, I attempted the following:

```
 # nvidia-settings -a [gpu:0]/GPUFanControlState=1

 # nvidia-settings -a "[fan:0]/GPUCurrentFanSpeed=30"

ERROR: Error assigning value 30 to attribute 'GPUCurrentFanSpeed' (mastercraft:0[fan:0]) as

       specified in assignment '[fan:0]/GPUCurrentFanSpeed=30' (Unknown Error).

```

I suspect the above error is because I did not enable coolbits in xorg.conf, which I understand is useful for manually setting the fan speed during overclocking (not interested here).

Thoughts on how to manage this fan?

----------

## gustafson

Switching to the nouveau driver (from the nvidia proprietary driver) has allowed the fan to stop driving me crazy.  I haven't given the nouveau driver a hard 3D graphics test yet so it remains to be seen whether this is a good long term solution.

----------

## Mad Merlin

Using nvclock and the blob, you can force the fan to a particular speed. I did this with my older GTX 275, which when set to "auto" mode, would ramp the fan speed up as temperature rose, but would never ramp it back down again (so play one game and be deafened until next reboot). With nvclock, I just forced the fan to 50%, which was quiet enough that it didn't bother me and fast enough that it would keep the card working under full load.

----------

## gustafson

OK, thanks.  I may give that a try.

I like the nouveau driver as it manages the fan just fine.  Unfortunately, it has also been unstable even after installing all the latest available in portage.  (xf86-video-nouveau-1.0.3).  I'm going to keep looking at that option for the time being.  If I can't make it work then I'll going back to the binary with nvclock.

Without intending to change the topic of this thread, if there are suggestions for how to debug the stability of nouveau, I'm anxious to hear those.

----------

