Where is CONFIG_I8K=m in kernel config?

Dakota Mike · 10-29-2003, 09:18 PM

I just recently picked up a Dell C600, and would like to try the i8k utilities for power management, fans, etc. According to the readme at the home page for i8k (people.debian.org/~dz/i8k/00-README), it's been in kernels since 2.4.18. I'm running 2.4.22 and haven't been able to find it. Is it still there? Has it been renamed?

Also, I'm using ACPI - is it compatible with i8k (I seem to only see references to APM)?

Are there other utilities for monitoring & controlling similar fan, cpu, etc. functions?

Thanks!

xexix · 10-30-2003, 11:10 PM

make menuconfig
under Processor type and features / Dell laptop support

I use the bare.i kernel of slack9.1, it already has i8k as a module.

Dakota Mike · 10-31-2003, 06:37 AM

Thanks for the reply, xexix. I was wondering if the 'Dell laptop support' was i8k.

However, when I did recompile, I made sure I had that checked as a module, but lsmod doesn't show it. Is there something else I needed to do to make it show up as a loaded module?

Before you replied, I got the i8k 1.17 source, built & installed it. I can insmod it (getting the 'tainted kernel' message), but then it does show up with lsmod.

I also installed gkrellm with it's i8k plugin. Through it, I can (supposedly) cycle the fans, but I hear nothing. Are they that quiet? I haven't had a chance to try raising the cpu temp with the fans off, then turn them on manually to see if there's a corresponding temp change.

Both gkrellm & i8kctl (& i8kfan) show negative rpms for both fans. Is this because the C600 (tested with A14 & A23 bios) just doesn't report rpm?

Sorry for the deluge of questions, but I haven't had much luck getting help with i8k.

Dakota Mike

xexix · 10-31-2003, 10:47 AM

what does your /proc/i8k say?

does your bios report the fan speed?

some resources:
http://www.coding-zone.com/i8krellm.phtml?t=README
(this is the README for the gkrellm i8k module)

http://kristol.org/david/dell-i8200/
http://kristol.org/david/dell-i8200/i8krellm.html

Dakota Mike · 11-02-2003, 08:17 PM

Whoa, sorry for the long reply time.

News on 2 fronts:
1. I recompiled the kernel with Dell laptop support included, as opposed to a module, and now gkrellm's i8k plugin works (as does the command line interface for i8k).

2. I ran Dell's diagnostic app & the fan failed completely. The test couldn't turn it on at all. I've contacted Dell & they're sending a new fan.

Thanks for your help, xexix. Hopefully the new fan will cure things.

Dakota Mike