Shutdown when Heavy Processing

CincinnatiKid · 08-16-2010, 07:28 AM

I have a Sony Vaio VGN-SZ440 running Slackware 13.1 x86 kernel 2.6.33.4-smp. The laptop does real good most of the time, but when I do anything that requires heavy processing, such as compiling a package, the laptop will shut down. I have acpi enabled, does anyone have any suggestions?

gasdim · 08-16-2010, 07:30 AM

Maybe in bios settings when it overheats is selected to shutdown in order to save it from damage. Check this first

CincinnatiKid · 08-16-2010, 09:08 AM

I can't find a setting in my bios actually. I am wondering if I am having some batter issues. Take a look at this:

Code:

bash-4.1$ cat /proc/acpi/battery/BAT1/state 
present:                 yes
capacity state:          ok
charging state:          charging
present rate:            3692 mW
remaining capacity:      8050 mWh
present voltage:         12558 mV
bash-4.1$ cat /proc/acpi/battery/BAT1/info  
present:                 yes
design capacity:         73260 mWh
last full capacity:      26930 mWh
battery technology:      non-rechargeable
design voltage:          11100 mV
design capacity warning: 0 mWh
design capacity low:     120 mWh
capacity granularity 1:  0 mWh
capacity granularity 2:  10 mWh
model number:            
serial number:           
battery type:            LION
OEM info:                Sony Corp.

Doesn't it seem strange that the 'last full capacity' is way lower than the design capacity? I assume these should be close to each other. Does anything else look strange, I am not too familiar with acpi. The person I bought the laptop from swears the battery worked fine with Windows Vista, but I don't know for sure, I just wanted to do some investigating before I buy a new batter.

CincinnatiKid · 08-16-2010, 10:59 AM

Check this out from lshal | grep battery:

Code:

udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1'
  battery.charge_level.current = 26900  (0x6914)  (int)
  battery.charge_level.design = 73260  (0x11e2c)  (int)
  battery.charge_level.last_full = 26930  (0x6932)  (int)
  battery.charge_level.percentage = 99  (0x63)  (int)
  battery.charge_level.rate = 0  (0x0)  (int)
  battery.is_rechargeable = true  (bool)
  battery.model = ''  (string)
  battery.present = true  (bool)
  battery.rechargeable.is_charging = false  (bool)
  battery.rechargeable.is_discharging = false  (bool)
  battery.reporting.current = 26900  (0x6914)  (int)
  battery.reporting.design = 73260  (0x11e2c)  (int)
  battery.reporting.last_full = 26930  (0x6932)  (int)
  battery.reporting.rate = 0  (0x0)  (int)
  battery.reporting.technology = 'Li-ion'  (string)
  battery.reporting.unit = 'mWh'  (string)
  battery.serial = ''  (string)
  battery.technology = 'lithium-ion'  (string)
  battery.type = 'primary'  (string)
  battery.vendor = 'Sony Corp.'  (string)
  battery.voltage.current = 12460  (0x30ac)  (int)
  battery.voltage.design = 11100  (0x2b5c)  (int)
  battery.voltage.unit = 'mV'  (string)
  info.capabilities = {'battery'} (string list)
  info.category = 'battery'  (string)
  info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_power_supply_battery_BAT1'  (string)

Look at these two lines:

battery.charge_level.current = 26900 (0x6914) (int)
battery.charge_level.design = 73260 (0x11e2c) (int)

Current says 26900 and design says 73260, my battery icon says 100% full, shouldn't 100% be close to 73260?

And this:

battery.is_rechargeable = true (bool)

even though /proc/acpi/battery/BAT1/info says the battery is 'non-rechargeable'. It sounds like something is messed up with acpi. Does anyone have any suggestions?

CincinnatiKid · 08-17-2010, 10:29 AM

I am thinking I just have a bad battery and the person that sold it to me lied :-(. I am now dual booting with fedora and I get the message that my battery has a low capacity, yet is fully charged and is probably broken!

tredegar · 08-17-2010, 12:23 PM

The reporting of battery type, charge-level and assorted temperatures rely on a functioning ACPI for your hardware.

If this is "broken" for your laptop and version of linux, then invalid results may be reported, and therefore inappropriate actions being taken.
Eg: The temp is "too high" (when, in reality, it isn't) prompts a premature shutdown, or the battery "too low", and another shutdown.

Try some linux searches on acpi and your laptop model.