HOW TO: Install and configure lm-sensors

[jetbelbes]

Hi guys!

I'm quite new to lm-sensors. Anyway, I tried sudo sensors-detect but after answering YES to all questions, here's the terminal output.

Sorry, no sensors were detected.
Either your sensors are not supported, or they are connected to an
I2C or SMBus adapter that is not supported. See
http://www.lm-sensors.org/wiki/FAQ/Chapter3 for further information.
If you find out what chips are on your board, check
http://www.lm-sensors.org/wiki/Devices for driver status.

Please help me. I'm using ACER Travelmate 2420 and I badly need lm-sensors because this laptop heats up a lot and to a very high temp and, at times, even auto-shuts down because of the heat. Thanks!

-Jet

[Tanker Bob]

If sensors-detect didn't find any sensors, lmsensors probably doesn't support your motherboard. That's a lot more common on laptops that all have custom boards.

[jetbelbes]

Oh, If lmsensors does not support my motherboard, is there any other motherboard detection software/support that might be compatible with my board?

[edemkrimea]

The tutorial is great . However here is my sensors output . Could you point me what happened to M/B Temp and CPU Temp lines? Thanks in advance

[miegiel]

The tutorial is great . However here is my sensors output . Could you point me what happened to M/B Temp and CPU Temp lines? Thanks in advance

Open /etc/sensors3.conf (disclaimer: I'm using hardy (8.04)) and search it for "it8712-" to find the stuff on your sensor.

Quoting from the temperature section of the it8712 sensor:

# Important - if your temperature readings are completely whacky
# you probably need to change the sensor type.
# Adujst and uncomment the appropriate lines below.

I'm guessing Temp3 is your CPU temperature, since it's a thermal diode.

[Laysan_A]

@jetbelbes

I'm sorry you can't find a solution for your laptop.

I read your post and I wanted to offer you a warning (slightly off topic). I had (actually still do) an inspiron 8000 with a pIII that always ran hot (they were a very hot chip). I didn't have any monitoring software, didn't even know that I should have. Anyway, it started just dying unexpectedly, at first very rarely, but then more and more often until it finally wouldn't even stay on long enough to finish loading windows.

I didn't know what the problem was until I spent the money for a refirbished mb and a used processor to fix it with. When I opened the case I discovered that the heat sink was completely empty of coolant - it had all leaked out over time.

If you have a windows partition I'd use it to find out what temp you're operating at, and check your processor's temp. limits (google it at the manufacturer's site). I don't think your laptop should ever overheat if everything's working properly (you're not blocking the vents are you?). Check your fans for good speed and smooth operation.

If your operating temp. and the processor's specs don't align, ie. you're operating outside the safe operating zone, you need to fix it or you'll likely lose it. You might look at ebay for inexpensive parts (buyer beware, though [my refirbished mb went bad]).

Good luck.

[tonydunno]

I'm having trouble with my pwmconfig.

Found the following PWM controls:
   hwmon2/device/pwm1
   hwmon2/device/pwm2
   hwmon2/device/pwm3
There are no usable PWM outputs.

Though my sensors cleary reads out the fans

nelis@nelis-desktop:~$ sensors
acpitz-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:       +41.0°C  (crit = +70.0°C)
k8temp-pci-00c3
Adapter: PCI adapter
Core0 Temp:  +36.0°C
Core1 Temp:  -49.0°C
f71862fg-isa-0220
Adapter: ISA adapter
in0:         +1.70 V
in1:         +2.04 V
in2:         +1.20 V
in3:         +2.04 V
in4:         +1.34 V
in5:         +1.18 V
in6:         +1.18 V
in7:         +1.68 V
in8:         +1.66 V
fan1:       2538 RPM
fan2:       2222 RPM
fan3:          0 RPM  ALARM
temp1:       +41.0°C  (high = +85.0°C, hyst = +81.0°C)
                      (crit = +70.0°C, hyst = +66.0°C)  sensor = transistor
temp2:       +89.0°C  (high = +85.0°C, hyst = +81.0°C)  ALARM
                      (crit = +100.0°C, hyst = +96.0°C)  sensor = transistor
temp3:       +44.0°C  (high = +254.0°C, hyst = +252.0°C)
                      (crit = +254.0°C, hyst = +252.0°C)  sensor = transistor

Anyone got an idea on how to deal with this ?

I did read through http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=42737

[Laysan_A]

I'd be interested if there's a fix for this too. Pwmconfig finds my case fan okay, but doesn't know my processor fan exists.

[VastOne]

I have a new MSI 790FX-GD70 motherboard and have run into this with sensors-detect:

Now follows a summary of the probes I have just done.
Just press ENTER to continue:

Driver `to-be-written':
* Chip `AMD K10 thermal sensors' (confidence: 9)
* Bus `SMBus PIIX4 adapter at 0b00'
Busdriver `i2c_piix4', I2C address 0x2e
Chip `Fintek F75387SG/RG' (confidence: 7)

Note: there is no driver for AMD K10 thermal sensors yet.
Check http://www.lm-sensors.org/wiki/Devices for updates.

No modules to load, skipping modules configuration.


I have checked everywhere on the web for the AMD K10, the Fintek and i2c_piix4 help and have been stuck in the mud for over a month now.

Has anyone gotten any of these to work with lm_sensors?

This is driving me nuts as one the unsolved mysteries affecting my sleep and even my work...

[eddski]

This is probably a dumb question, but how do set a minimum fan speed? I don't care about the noise (it's minimal), but I do want to cool down the CPU in my laptop.