# CPUfreqd conservative on battery doesnt work

## bob doe

I've compiled my kernel with the following:

[*] CPU Frequency scaling

Default CPUFreq governor (userspace)  --->

<*> 'ondemand' cpufreq policy governor

<*> 'conservative' cpufreq policy governor

<*> ACPI Processor P-States driver

<*> Intel SpeedStep on 440BX/ZX/MX Chipsets (SMI Interface)

Compiled on kernel 2.6.21-gentoo-r4

As well, I have cpufreqd-2.1.1 USE="acpi pmu" emerged and it's conf file is as follows:

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> [General]
> 
> pidfile=/var/run/cpufreqd.pid
> ...

 

My hardware is a Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop with a Pentium-M 1.6Ghz processor capable of (according to cpufreq-info) frequency ranges of 800Mhz, 1.07Ghz, 1.33Ghz, and 1.60Ghz

My BIOS (version A09) has only two options, enable Intel SpeedStep, or run on low-performance.  Ie, let Intel SpeedStep take over, or lock the processor at 800Mhz.  Therefore, it is set to run SpeedStep.

While plugged in, cpufreq-info informs me that the current governor is "ondemand" and the CPU is set at 800Mhz.  This is normal.

If I switch to battery, cpufreq-info will tell me the governor has changed to "conservative".  This is normal.  However, after a few seconds, the CPUs frequency goes to 1.60Ghz and stays there, even though CPU usage is idle.

Switching between ac and battery changes runlevels as per the Gentoo Power Management Guide and anytime I have a change between these two runlevels, I am always re-directed to /dev/tty1.  If I am in xorg, I get sent to /dev/tty1 and I must alt+F7 to return.  If I am in CLI and on another tty session, I get booted back to tty1.

rc-status default (ie: ac power) shows the following: (useless daemons removed)

acpid [started]

cpufreqd [started]

laptop_mode [started]

rc-status battery shows the following:

acpid [started]

cpufreqd [started]

laptop_mode [started]

I have modified the laptop_mode conf file so that it does NOT control CPU frequency scaling or throttling.

So to recap, why is it my CPU runs at conservative at 1600Mhz while on battery on idle CPU, and why do I always get booted back to /dev/tty1  ??

Thanks a bunch folks!

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## bob doe

*bump* Comeon guys.

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## bob doe

/me bumps again...

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## Megaptera

 *bob doe wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Switching between ac and battery changes runlevels as per the Gentoo Power Management Guide and anytime I have a change between these two runlevels, I am always re-directed to /dev/tty1.  If I am in xorg, I get sent to /dev/tty1 and I must alt+F7 to return.  If I am in CLI and on another tty session, I get booted back to tty1.
> 
> 

 

I was having this same problem for a while, and it ended up being the fault of syndaemon, which had been in ac but not battery.  It had been giving an error of 'can't open display', and I guess that made it default to tty1 -- once I removed it, the problem was gone.  It may not be syndaemon in your case (if the problem still exists for you or anyone else) but I'd take a look at other daemons that might changing the display.

I don't have any advice about your governor problem though, except to suggest changing conservative's max cpu to 50% and see if that helps.

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## subrahmanyan

 *bob doe wrote:*   

> If I switch to battery, cpufreq-info will tell me the governor has changed to "conservative".  This is normal.  However, after a few seconds, the CPUs frequency goes to 1.60Ghz and stays there, even though CPU usage is idle.

 

I just upgraded my kernel from suspend2-sources-2.6.21-r7 to tuxonice-sources-2.6.21-r6 and started to have the same problem. Did you somehow manage to solve it?

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## bob doe

Hello subrahmanyan,

I've not been active in Gentoo in some time but I've gotten back on the saddle a few days ago.  Im currently configuring my same hardware with tuxonice-sources-2.6.23-r10 and will let you know about the governor.

Previously though, I was unable to solve the issue.

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