# Laptop 2.6 cooling/'events/0' problems

## Weejoker

Hi,

I've been using the 2.6.0_test series kernels w/ ACPI for some time now, but as of recently I've had problems with the laptop locking up, stalling and stupid amounts of CPU usage by a process called 'events/0'. The other main characteristic is that even with the cpu fan constantly on (set by myself), the temperature still manages to get to stupid levels.

I have no idea whats causing this really. I'd hazard a guess that it may be 'Speedstep' related, but I don't have the time at the moment to experiment with different kernel configurations to alleviate the problem. Does anyone have any idea why my CPU temp is stupidly high?

Thanks in advance,

John

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## devsk

did you find the solution to this problem? I am having the same problem with events process eating up all the CPU.

TIA.

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## Weejoker

No, I never did.  :Sad: 

My little workaround was to unplug the power cable on every boot, that way the processor stays at 700MHz (cat /proc/cpufreq).

If I booted with the power cable plugged in, the CPU went to 1000MHz, causing those events processes to appear, presumeably due to a higher temperature. :S

Anyways, I've heard the speedstep stuff works correctly as a module (I have it compiled into the kernel), so I'll give modules a try this weekend.

Hope this helps,

John

(anyone who knows how to solve this please reply  :Smile: )

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## devsk

what is "speedstep"? Are you referring to cpu freq scaling?

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## Weejoker

 *Quote:*   

> what is "speedstep"? Are you referring to cpu freq scaling?

 

Yes. CPU Freq Scaling is known as "SpeedStep" on some P3/P4 Intel laptops and "PowerNow" on AMD's.  :Smile: 

The less typing the better  :Wink: 

John

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## sms

I take it you have the 2.6 kernel. Have you emerged speedfreq? With this daemon you can control cpu speed settings at runtime. 

On my centrino laptop I have three policies 

a) fixed on 1500 MHz with ac plugged in

b) dynamically when running on battery - when I don't have to save power (scaling between 600 - 1500 depending on running tasks)

c) fixed on 600 MHz when having to be economical with the battery power 

I control the two first policies with acpid (ac events) and set the third one manually with speedfreq -p 600.

Maybe the speedfreq daemon will help with your problem?

sms

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## devsk

only my problem happens on desktop... :Sad: 

faulty fan?

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## Weejoker

Well considering my laptop starts to do the freezing when it starts to overheat, I reckon that the fan you have installed may not be cooling your CPU effeciently as you say. AFAIK, the 'events 0' stuff is due to the ACPI part of the kernel flagging the temperature as being "way too hot".  :Shocked: 

Have you tried using packages that can read the temperature of the motherboard/CPU, etc? I use GKrellm2 & lmsensors to monitor my CPU. You should notice those events appearing when it gets really hot on the motherboard/CPU. 

If what i've said is not true and it is happening under different conditions, I'd still say that its the ACPI part of the kernel going nuts about something else. I'm not an expert on ACPI tho...  :Wink: 

John

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## Weejoker

Thanks for the note about 'speedfreq' sms. I tried 'cpufreqd' before and it wouldn't work correctly, so I'll try your recommendation later when it is unmasked from the portage tree.  :Very Happy: 

Do you need all the speedstep stuff in as modules though  :Question: 

Thanks,

John

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## devsk

I am not able to install i2c required for lm-sensors on 2.6.0:

```
make: *** No rule to make target `/lib/modules/2.6.0/build/include/linux/modversions.h', needed by `kernel/i2c-pcf-epp.d'.  Stop.

/usr/sbin/ebuild.sh: line 21: [: too many arguments

```

modversions.h doesn't exist in /usr/src/linux/include/linux but it exists in /usr/src/linux/include/config and has only one line:

```
#define CONFIG_MODVERSIONS 1
```

any idea?

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## Weejoker

I assume that older versions (pre-kernel 2.6) of lm-sensors are assuming that you are running a 2.4 kernel, so when it can't find the same structure in 2.6, it bails out.  :Rolling Eyes: 

You could either emerge an unstable version of lm-sensors (lm-sensors-2.8.2.ebuild) or give it a go with "--nodeps" and see if it starts complaining then. 2.6 does not need the I2C patch as it is incorporated into the new kernel. I was fortunate enough to have lm-sensors configured for 2.4, therefore it utilised the same configuration when I moved to 2.6 with not problems at all.  :Smile: 

If you get lm-sensors installed however, you'll have to run "sensors-detect" with all the i2c kernel temperature modules compiled, so that it can probe for the correct ones.

It's all a bit of a hassle really, but it is a worthwhile process if you want to see if the temperature of your CPU that is causing the problem.

John

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