# Making lm_sensors work...

## The_Great_Sephiroth

Alright, this one has me beat. I have lm_sensors on my system, I have I2C in the kernel including the I801 stuff for my system. If I run "sensors-detect", it locks permanently at "I802 adapter at 1100 (i2c-9)" after is disables IRQ #17. I have to change terminals and do a shutdown/reboot to regain use of terminal 1. It does however, write a basic configuration file and lm_sensors starts, but it gives me "!!" when loading module coretemp. The thing is, that module is built into my kernel since I have the hardware on this laptop. All of my hardware drivers are in my kernel.

Either way I can then get some basic output in the shell.

```

~ $ sensors

acpitz-virtual-0

Adapter: Virtual device

temp1:        +39.5°C  (crit = +107.0°C)

```

I assume that is my CPU, or at least one core. However, "Simple CPU Sensor" in KDE always shows "N/A", like it cannot query lm_sensors. All I want is to monitor my core temps in KDE. How do I get all of this working? I am ready to zero the disk and try again at this point.

----------

## davidm

I actually just set up lm_sensors yesterday successfully.

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> $ sensors
> 
> nouveau-pci-0100
> ...

 

I followed the Gentoo Wiki entry for Lm_sensors at https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Lm_sensors

I guess to start we should probably get your CPU with 'uname -a' and then also verify which options you compiled in to the kernel relating to this.  For me the driver "Intel Core/Core2/Atom temperature sensor (coretemp)" as suggested in the wiki happened to be the right one as I have a core2 quad but it seems easy to miss the "e.g." part and some people might try to install that thinking it is the one to use when they have different hardware.

----------

## khayyam

 *The_Great_Sephiroth wrote:*   

> Alright, this one has me beat. I have lm_sensors on my system, I have I2C in the kernel including the I801 stuff for my system. If I run "sensors-detect", it locks permanently at "I802 adapter at 1100 (i2c-9)" after is disables IRQ #17. I have to change terminals and do a shutdown/reboot to regain use of terminal 1. It does however, write a basic configuration file and lm_sensors starts, but it gives me "!!" when loading module coretemp. The thing is, that module is built into my kernel since I have the hardware on this laptop. All of my hardware drivers are in my kernel.

 

The_Great_Sephiroth ... see the section 'WARNING' in the sensors-detect manpage. If it causes issues then don't run it, all you need do is find a suitable /etc/sensors.d/<chipset>.conf(s) that provide the required info about the chip(s) ... from the above it looks like the file written by sensors-detect isn't suitable.

As for the issue with module loading, simply set LOADMODULES=no in /etc/conf.d/lm_sensors.

 *The_Great_Sephiroth wrote:*   

> I assume that is my CPU, or at least one core. However, "Simple CPU Sensor" in KDE always shows "N/A", like it cannot query lm_sensors. All I want is to monitor my core temps in KDE. How do I get all of this working? I am ready to zero the disk and try again at this point.

 

I don't use KDE but I imagine it shows N/A because the sensors are not configured, the current sensors3.conf is probably just full of chip "foo" for chipsets you don't have. Again, search online for config files matching those of your hardware and stick them in sensors.d/

HTH & best ... khay

----------

## The_Great_Sephiroth

I too, followed the wiki. I have a Core2Duo, P8600. It uses the coretemp driver and that is built into my kernel (no modules for hardware which is always connected!). I already set module loading to "no" while working this out. I'll mess with the laptop again tomorrow. For now, relaxation time.

----------

## khayyam

 *The_Great_Sephiroth wrote:*   

> I too, followed the wiki. I have a Core2Duo, P8600. It uses the coretemp driver and that is built into my kernel (no modules for hardware which is always connected!).

 

The_Great_Sephiroth ... no, its not on the CPU but the board. If you know what board it is you can search here.

best ... khay

----------

## The_Great_Sephiroth

If it was a desktop that would be easy, but since this is a laptop (Dell Latitude E6400) I imagine that makes it more difficult. Anyway, here is your output.

```

~ $ uname -a

Linux rfpnc-laptop01 3.17.7-gentoo #1 SMP Mon Dec 29 11:18:16 EST 2014 x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P8600 @ 2.40GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

```

I'll check the link you posted in the meantime.

*UPDATE*

Nope, no configuration for model "J470N TN130". Sadly, this is how it goes with most laptops.

*UPDATE*

I realized I had built i8k as a module instead of into my kernel. I modprobed it and now have a fan speed and four temperatures. However, I still cannot access it with widgets in KDE.

```

~ $ sensors

acpitz-virtual-0

Adapter: Virtual device

temp1:        +36.5°C  (crit = +107.0°C)

i8k-virtual-0

Adapter: Virtual device

fan2:           0 RPM

temp1:        +36.0°C  

temp2:        +36.0°C  

temp3:        +37.0°C  

temp4:        +37.0°C

```

Note my fan is off right now. Odd, but I can see it and it is not spinning. I could have swore it ran at low speed all the time. Is i8k killing my fan?

----------

## krinn

no it means sensors think its' a fan, but it should have shown min/max value for it if the support was fine.

so it detect something that should be a fan, but couldn't get its speed as to get it: 1/ fan must be active (it might not be cpu fan), 2/ fan must support handling (some m/b maker just simply put a "simple" fan instead of one that could shown or control its speed)

the values of sensors result highly depend on configuration and if the config is known or standard.

if your chip is not known, only then sensors3.conf file could reassign the pins to some label and values. man sensors3.conf or look at it in /etc for seeing examples of "known chips"

you should try enabling coretemp, as it use standard and reliable output, if sensors cannot manage it, another chip may block it (so answer none to some detection steps with sensors-detect) ; yep i know, what a misery!

So: if chip is unknown, dig the net to find if anyone has build a fine senors3.conf for you, else better use the reliable coretemp values.

----------

## The_Great_Sephiroth

You are correct. It is the jet-engine stored in the laptop for rapid travel, which explains why it is hovering over my desk right now, making it increasingly difficult to use. Check out the RPM.

```

~ $ sensors

acpitz-virtual-0

Adapter: Virtual device

temp1:        +40.5°C  (crit = +107.0°C)

i8k-virtual-0

Adapter: Virtual device

fan2:        91020 RPM

temp1:        +40.0°C  

temp2:        +45.0°C  

temp3:        +45.0°C  

temp4:        +45.0°C

```

So, which engine spins at that speed? The turbos on my F150 spin up to 240,000RPM...

Now, back to reality. I do have coretemp loaded, which gives me that "acpitz-virtual-0" device, which is the average of all four temperatures listed under i8k. I will also say that this works in Debian, so I may have to take a look at a Debian system to see how it is configured there.

----------

## The_Great_Sephiroth

I finally figured it out. I had selected the core2 hardware monitor in the kernel before, but somehow I deselected it. Once I compiled it into my kernel everything started working. What is odd however, is that my temperature monitor (Simple CPU Sensor) would not work with the ACPI or i8k readings, but works with the coretemp version. Odd. Either way, this is what I have now.

```

~ $ sensors

i8k-virtual-0

Adapter: Virtual device

fan2:        90930 RPM

temp1:        +38.0°C  

temp2:        +43.0°C  

temp3:        +43.0°C  

temp4:        +43.0°C  

acpitz-virtual-0

Adapter: Virtual device

temp1:        +38.5°C  (crit = +107.0°C)

coretemp-isa-0000

Adapter: ISA adapter

Core 0:       +34.0°C  (high = +105.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

Core 1:       +40.0°C  (high = +105.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

```

I am removing i8k from my kernel in my next update. No need for it, and it appears to be reading something other than a fan. Could you imagine the sound of a 90k RPM fan in a laptop?

----------

