Is my overactive pc fan the BIOS or Linux?

JASlinux · 12-29-2021, 10:26 AM

This is an older 32-bit machine on an Ubuntu derivative.

jailbait · 12-29-2021, 10:39 AM

Restricted air flow might be the problem. Try opening the case and cleaning all of the accumulated dust out.

TB0ne · 12-29-2021, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASlinux

This is an older 32-bit machine on an Ubuntu derivative.

Sorry, but do you expect us to guess as to what any of this means?? Saying "older machine with an ubuntu derivative" is meaningless, as is 'overactive fan'.

Post details and ask a clear question and we can try to help.

smallpond · 12-29-2021, 12:26 PM

Please open a bash terminal and post the output of the "sensors" command.

JASlinux · 12-31-2021, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallpond

Please open a bash terminal and post the output of the "sensors" command.

Sensors is not in this system, though I am using a Tahr-era Ubuntu derivative in XFCE and there are some interesting packages in the Ubuntu Universe repository like, fancontrol_3.3.4, xfce4-sensors-plugin_1.2.5-2.

Otherwise I am not sure the location of the sensors command.

What might I be looking for?

If there is a way to either a) quiet fan overuse, b) realize the system is taxed and minimize its use, it would definitely solve a problem.

pan64 · 12-31-2021, 10:15 AM

when it was cleaned last time?

TB0ne · 12-31-2021, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASlinux

Sensors is not in this system, though I am using a Tahr-era Ubuntu derivative in XFCE and there are some interesting packages in the Ubuntu Universe repository like, fancontrol_3.3.4, xfce4-sensors-plugin_1.2.5-2. Otherwise I am not sure the location of the sensors command. What might I be looking for?

If there is a way to either a) quiet fan overuse, b) realize the system is taxed and minimize its use, it would definitely solve a problem.

Again, you have not provided any details about your hardware or anything about what you've done/tried thus far. You were advised to clean the system out...have you done that? You were told the name of the sensors command...putting "ubuntu sensors command" into a search-engine pulls up, as the *VERY FIRST HIT*:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SensorInstallHowto

...a how-to page on installing and configuring the package. Did you do that?? We still don't know what you mean by "fan overuse", since it is very possible your fans are just old and loud. You've still given no details about your system, although 'Tahr-era Ubuntu derivative' is at least a small hint. Is there some reason you can't just tell us what version/distro of Linux you're using, on what hardware? Those are fairly simple questions.

You can also put "how to check ubuntu system load" into a search engine:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1149...opss-cpu-usage

JASlinux · 12-31-2021, 10:39 AM

This linuxhint page: https://linuxhint.com/check-cpu-temperature-linux/

reads to install lm-sensors and hddtemp which I did. These are the results:

Code:

root# sensors-detect
# sensors-detect revision 6170 (2013-05-20 21:25:22 +0200)
# System: Dell Inc. ME051 (laptop)
# Board: Dell Inc. 0GD366

This program will help you determine which kernel modules you need
to load to use lm_sensors most effectively. It is generally safe
and recommended to accept the default answers to all questions,
unless you know what you're doing.

Some south bridges, CPUs or memory controllers contain embedded sensors.
Do you want to scan for them? This is totally safe. (YES/no): YES
Module cpuid loaded successfully.
Silicon Integrated Systems SIS5595...                       No
VIA VT82C686 Integrated Sensors...                          No
VIA VT8231 Integrated Sensors...                            No
AMD K8 thermal sensors...                                   No
AMD Family 10h thermal sensors...                           No
AMD Family 11h thermal sensors...                           No
AMD Family 12h and 14h thermal sensors...                   No
AMD Family 15h thermal sensors...                           No
AMD Family 15h power sensors...                             No
AMD Family 16h power sensors...                             No
Intel digital thermal sensor...                             No
Intel AMB FB-DIMM thermal sensor...                         No
VIA C7 thermal sensor...                                    No
VIA Nano thermal sensor...                                  No

Some Super I/O chips contain embedded sensors. We have to write to
standard I/O ports to probe them. This is usually safe.
Do you want to scan for Super I/O sensors? (YES/no): YES
Probing for Super-I/O at 0x2e/0x2f
Trying family `National Semiconductor/ITE'...               No
Trying family `SMSC'...                                     No
Trying family `VIA/Winbond/Nuvoton/Fintek'...               No
Trying family `ITE'...                                      No
Probing for Super-I/O at 0x4e/0x4f
Trying family `National Semiconductor/ITE'...               No
Trying family `SMSC'...                                     No
Trying family `VIA/Winbond/Nuvoton/Fintek'...               No
Trying family `ITE'...                                      No

Some hardware monitoring chips are accessible through the ISA I/O ports.
We have to write to arbitrary I/O ports to probe them. This is usually
safe though. Yes, you do have ISA I/O ports even if you do not have any
ISA slots! Do you want to scan the ISA I/O ports? (YES/no): YES
Probing for `National Semiconductor LM78' at 0x290...       No
Probing for `National Semiconductor LM79' at 0x290...       No
Probing for `Winbond W83781D' at 0x290...                   No
Probing for `Winbond W83782D' at 0x290...                   No

Lastly, we can probe the I2C/SMBus adapters for connected hardware
monitoring devices. This is the most risky part, and while it works
reasonably well on most systems, it has been reported to cause trouble
on some systems.
Do you want to probe the I2C/SMBus adapters now? (YES/no): YES
Sorry, no supported PCI bus adapters found.
Module i2c-dev loaded successfully.

Next adapter: i915 gmbus ssc (i2c-0)
Do you want to scan it? (yes/NO/selectively): yes

Next adapter: i915 gmbus vga (i2c-1)
Do you want to scan it? (yes/NO/selectively): yes

Next adapter: i915 gmbus panel (i2c-2)
Do you want to scan it? (yes/NO/selectively): yes

Next adapter: i915 gmbus dpc (i2c-3)
Do you want to scan it? (yes/NO/selectively): yes

Next adapter: i915 gmbus dpb (i2c-4)
Do you want to scan it? (yes/NO/selectively): yes

Next adapter: i915 gmbus dpd (i2c-5)
Do you want to scan it? (yes/NO/selectively): yes

Sorry, no sensors were detected.
This is relatively common on laptops, where thermal management is
handled by ACPI rather than the OS.
root#

What do I do with ACPI? Thus far I use it to suspend.

JASlinux · 12-31-2021, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

when it was cleaned last time?

Internal laptop dust is low on my list of suspects. Clean machine.

I am thinking more about a 2015 os on a 2005 computer.

The model is in my last post. It came with XP.

I don't want to use XP on the Internet, but I might boot it just for comparison.

A modern heavy-weight browser really revs up the fan.

pan64 · 12-31-2021, 11:06 AM

Do you really mean 2005? That is more than 15 years collecting dust.

TB0ne · 12-31-2021, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASlinux

Internal laptop dust is low on my list of suspects. Clean machine.

And did you bother to check?? Clean on the outside doesn't equal clean on the inside.

Quote:

I am thinking more about a 2015 os on a 2005 computer.

And you *STILL* don't tell us what this OS actually is...is there a reason you can't answer this simple question??

Quote:

The model is in my last post. It came with XP. I don't want to use XP on the Internet, but I might boot it just for comparison. A modern heavy-weight browser really revs up the fan.

Sorry, but you're surprised at this?? You're using a 16 year old machine, and are wondering why a modern browser with its associated plug-ins causes a CPU load spike?? That is like wondering why your car speeds up when you press down on the gas pedal.

You were given a link to the Ubuntu site to install the sensors...you're very welcome for having it provided to you. You were also advised to use top/htop (and given links to THOSE as well), to see what's using your system. Again:

Clean the laptop, fans, and heatsinks. It is *SIXTEEN YEARS OLD*...you should also consider new thermal paste for the CPU.
Follow the advice you've been handed about using htop/top to see what system load you're under.

Can't be more simple than that...thus far, all we know is you're using very old hardware to run a modern OS, and are surprised you have a CPU load.

enigma9o7 · 12-31-2021, 11:36 AM

I don't think anyone has answered the question in the topic tho, and I'm curious too, my fan also speeds up when system is hot. Does BIOS control the fan speed, or is it the OS?

In any case, if you've already cleaned out all the dust, what you probably need to do to reduce temp (and thus less often have noisey fan) is replace the thermal paste between the CPU/GPU and heatsink(s). If you're lucky there may be a youtube video with step-by-step for it (there is for my 2010 laptop)...

pan64 · 12-31-2021, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enigma9o7

I don't think anyone has answered the question in the topic tho, and I'm curious too, my fan also speeds up when system is hot. Does BIOS control the fan speed, or is it the OS?

Probably removing the dust is enough and there is no need to solve anything [else].

TB0ne · 12-31-2021, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enigma9o7

I don't think anyone has answered the question in the topic tho, and I'm curious too, my fan also speeds up when system is hot. Does BIOS control the fan speed, or is it the OS?

That's exactly what it is *DESIGNED TO DO*...when it gets hot, things turn on to speed up the fan to make sure the CPU doesn't fry. When it cools off, it throttles back down. Nothing mysterious about it, and (I believe) that this is a function of ACPI in the OS. A lot of systems, when powered on, the fans go to 100% speed, until the OS is loaded and things settle down.

And we can't answer the question the OP has, because they haven't actually given the necessary details. We know the model number after asking for the first seven posts of this thread, and still don't know the OS. We don't know what they OP has tried (top/htop) or the results, since they won't tell us. They say things don't need to be cleaned, but haven't actually checked.

Quote:

In any case, if you've already cleaned out all the dist, what you probably need to do to reduce temp (and thus less often have noisey fan) is replace the thermal paste between the CPU/GPU and heatsink(s). If you're lucky there may be a youtube video with step-by-step for it (there is for my 2010 laptop)...

Yep; those things were suggested to the OP previously.

JASlinux · 12-31-2021, 06:31 PM

O-kay I read intensity about dust.

Seriously, you can see buildup on desktop power supplies. Maybe there is a little dusk here that could be cleared up. That written, I would be astonished if what I could find would be the primary driver of excessive fan use.

I would accept utility data that could be translated.

I use a gui Task Manager that is easier to read than htop. I see CPU usage slammed with a heavy load. I also see heavy general fan usage either way that wasn't conspicuous when I was primarily using XP.

I would accept if this machine has seen its days and isn't meant for Tahr, but it's still in its new working condition and was decent for its day.