[solved] imac runs hotter with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS & other questions

[este.el.paz]

OS X is better at controlling the fans than Linux. Search for a utility called "macfantctld" which may help you here.

@buzzingrobot, et al:

I was trying to get some nsight into this issue in my own thread, but since this is a similar issue . . . linux running "warmer" on MBPro . . . I'm posting here.

I tried to find this "macfanctld" but on the launchpad site it says, "No downloads of this package are available."

Could you give some details on how you installed this package? I tried to use Synaptic and nothing showed up. I also tried to find a place that shows the preferred temps for the various items . . . . But, as I'm using LM16 right now, I'm looking for a "simple" fix to this running hotter issue . . . I'd be more willing to spend a bit more time with an LTS version, apparently the newer kernel has some updates to deal with this issue, but so far no kernel upgrades have been offered . . . .

But, any thoughts on how to get this macfanctld set up, that don't require extensive CL work . . . would be appreciated. I'd like a GUI app that shows whats happening visually, if that's out there, rather than running a string of lengthy commands . . . without knowing how to undo them if it didn't work out, etc. Many thanks.

e.e.p.

[buzzingrobot]

Afraid I sold my MacBook some months ago, so I can't offer any Macfanctld setup advice. I did find this PPA: https://launchpad.net/~mactel-support/+archive/ppa. The latest package I see there is for 13.04 (Raring), probably because the developer's page at Github shows no changes to the code in 2 years.

LM16 is based on Ubuntu 13.10. I don't know if Macfanctld built for 13.04 would work.

If you've done a "sudo apt-get dist-upgrade" already on LM16, you probably have the latest kernel Mint is going to release for it. (Actually, it's the latest released for 13.10.) If you know specifically that a later kernel can help with your hardware, you might try installing an Ubuntu mainline kernel. There's a page on the Ubuntu wiki about them. If you don't know a newer kernel will help by addressing some specific issue, I'd stay with the kernel you have.

[este.el.paz]

Afraid I sold my MacBook some months ago, so I can't offer any Macfanctld setup advice. I did find this PPA: https://launchpad.net/~mactel-support/+archive/ppa. The latest package I see there is for 13.04 (Raring), probably because the developer's page at Github shows no changes to the code in 2 years.
LM16 is based on Ubuntu 13.10. I don't know if Macfanctld built for 13.04 would work.
If you've done a "sudo apt-get dist-upgrade" already on LM16, you probably have the latest kernel Mint is going to release for it. (Actually, it's the latest released for 13.10.) If you know specifically that a later kernel can help with your hardware, you might try installing an Ubuntu mainline kernel. There's a page on the Ubuntu wiki about them. If you don't know a newer kernel will help by addressing some specific issue, I'd stay with the kernel you have.

@buzzing:

Thanks very kindly for your reply . . . seems like maybe the trail is running cold on this one; mainly because I have limited CLI skills, I tend to just go with what the OS provides or what I can find in synaptic or the apt-get. Usually in my PPC Xubun 12.04 system if I run apt-get upgrade, if there are any "dist-upgrades" it shows them as "held back" and then I run it as "dist-upgrade" . . . but I don't think that has happened at all in LM 16. I guess I could wait until LM17 is about ready and then compare it to the Xubun/Lubun flavor(s) and then try to mess around with changing the kernel . . . that way if I lunch the system I can just do a fresh install, etc. But, I see that other people running macs are having this "runnning hotter" than it seemed to be in LM15 or 13 . . . so I just don't use it that much, etc.

I'll try to check out your link to the ppa when I get a spare moment or two--but again, thanks . . . .
e.e.p.

[PartisanEntity]

I just wanted to report back and say that now with Ubuntu 14.04 and the 3.13 kernel, I have noticed quite a drop in idle temperatures. For example TG0D (GPU temp) used to hover around 60°C under Ubuntu 12.04. I had temps as low as 55°C with Ubuntu 14.04.

And on a totally subjective note, the back of the iMac no longer feels hot to touch when the machine has been running for several hours.

Hope others are seeing the same behavior.

[este.el.paz]

I just wanted to report back and say that now with Ubuntu 14.04 and the 3.13 kernel, I have noticed quite a drop in idle temperatures. For example TG0D (GPU temp) used to hover around 60°C under Ubuntu 12.04. I had temps as low as 55°C with Ubuntu 14.04.
And on a totally subjective note, the back of the iMac no longer feels hot to touch when the machine has been running for several hours.
Hope others are seeing the same behavior.

@PE:

Yes, I did a 14.04 install on my MBPro a couple nights ago, and from a "seat of the pants" viewpoint it does feel like the computer is running cooler . . . . So that is great news, haven't had a chance to install any temp monitor apps, but when I first ran that "TGOD" command . . . nothing happened . . . . But anyway, indeed as you say, "on a totally subjective (read touchy-feely) note" the top of my laptop no longer feels overly warm . . . .

e.e.p.

[nobodyfamous]

I too am having fan speed issues, and seem to be running in circles getting nowhere. my iMac is an 11,1 I think. All linux distros would not install on it until 14.04!! I am super happy to be running Ubuntu on the iMac now, but I need to figure out the fan speed thing.

I have installed lm-sensors, but pmwconfig gives me the "/usr/sbin/pwmconfig: There are no pwm-capable sensor modules installed" error.

sensors | grep TG0d outputs nothing, TG0d is not in my sensor list.

One of the issues I have is that my Super Drive (ODD) is in fact an SSD with OS X on it, and the regular HDD is a secondary storage drive, but also has Ubuntu on it) Even running OS X I had to get the right sensor running the right fan, they are by default switched, so as the SSD temp goes up, the HDD fan speeds up.

here are 3 consecutive read outs of sensors over about 1 hour while the fan is getting faster and faster (audible)

coretemp-isa-0000Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 0: +48.0°C (high = +76.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1: +46.0°C (high = +76.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)


applesmc-isa-0300
Adapter: ISA adapter
ODD : 1999 RPM (min = 2000 RPM, max = 4350 RPM)
HDD : 2682 RPM (min = 2000 RPM, max = 6300 RPM)
CPU : 1198 RPM (min = 1200 RPM, max = 4000 RPM)
TA0P: +19.5°C
TA0p: +24.5°C
TC0C: -127.0°C
TC0D: -127.0°C
TC0H: +44.5°C
TG0D: +56.0°C
TG0H: +53.5°C
TG0p: +53.0°C
TH0O: +9.0°C
TH1O: +9.0°C
TL0P: +38.0°C
TL0V: +40.8°C
TL0p: +51.8°C
TL1V: +43.0°C
TL2V: +46.0°C
TLAV: +46.0°C
TLBV: +46.0°C
TLCV: +40.8°C
TN0D: -127.0°C
TN0H: +53.0°C
TN0P: -127.0°C
TO0P: +46.0°C
TO0p: +47.0°C
TS0V: +38.8°C

and

coretemp-isa-0000Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 0: +49.0°C (high = +76.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1: +46.0°C (high = +76.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)


applesmc-isa-0300
Adapter: ISA adapter
ODD : 1999 RPM (min = 2000 RPM, max = 4350 RPM)
HDD : 3555 RPM (min = 2000 RPM, max = 6300 RPM)
CPU : 1199 RPM (min = 1200 RPM, max = 4000 RPM)
TA0P: +19.0°C
TA0p: +24.2°C
TC0C: -127.0°C
TC0D: -127.0°C
TC0H: +44.5°C
TG0D: +54.0°C
TG0H: +51.5°C
TG0p: +52.0°C
TH0O: +9.0°C
TH1O: +9.0°C
TL0P: +39.2°C
TL0V: +40.8°C
TL0p: +53.0°C
TL1V: +43.5°C
TL2V: +47.8°C
TLAV: +46.5°C
TLBV: +47.8°C
TLCV: +40.8°C
TN0D: -127.0°C
TN0H: +52.8°C
TN0P: -127.0°C
TO0P: +46.8°C
TO0p: +47.8°C
TS0V: +40.5°C

and

coretemp-isa-0000Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 0: +50.0°C (high = +76.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1: +47.0°C (high = +76.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)


applesmc-isa-0300
Adapter: ISA adapter
ODD : 1998 RPM (min = 2000 RPM, max = 4350 RPM)
HDD : 4483 RPM (min = 2000 RPM, max = 6300 RPM)
CPU : 1199 RPM (min = 1200 RPM, max = 4000 RPM)
TA0P: +18.8°C
TA0p: +23.8°C
TC0C: -127.0°C
TC0D: -127.0°C
TC0H: +45.8°C
TG0D: +52.5°C
TG0H: +50.0°C
TG0p: +51.0°C
TH0O: +9.0°C
TH1O: +9.0°C
TL0P: +39.0°C
TL0V: +40.5°C
TL0p: +52.8°C
TL1V: +43.2°C
TL2V: +49.0°C
TLAV: +46.8°C
TLBV: +49.0°C
TLCV: +40.5°C
TN0D: -127.0°C
TN0H: +52.2°C
TN0P: -127.0°C
TO0P: +46.2°C
TO0p: +47.2°C
TS0V: +40.8°C

[este.el.paz]

I'm having to revise my original "feeling" that Xubun 14.04 64 bit was running "cooler" than LM 16 . . . I actually did the "Temperature Monitor" readings in 10.9.2 after running the computer for a couple hours . . . then switched to Xubun and ran the computer for a couple hours . . . then switched back to 10.9.2 to check Temp Monitor and the temps were ***higher*** by several degrees from the LM 16 temps . . . and some settings were 27 degrees higher than OSX. . . .

So, I'll probably have to try to make some adjustments to the fan or other options if I was to spend full time in Xubun 14.04 . . . was hoping that the upgrade would handle the issue . . . doesn't seem to have. We're talking just three tabs in FF, and thunderbird . . . open and running . . . .

e.e.p.

[alan26]

So what temps should the sensors be picking up ideally under no load / heavy load?

[este.el.paz]

So what temps should the sensors be picking up ideally under no load / heavy load?

@alan:

Perhaps someone can answer your question, but you might have to figure it out . . . it's hard to find the data from the apple side, unless you install "Temperature Monitor" in OSX and then run the computer and record the temps . . . . Here in ubuntu there are a number of threads on "fan control" and there is a sticky in the Apple users as an FAQ on "temp issues" with Intel macs . . . or my thread on the "mactel ppa" . . . . But this thread shows postings of temps from "nobodyfamous" . . . but the mactel app seems to provide for temperature averaging . . . which is shown in the "13.10" thread post by "mike braxner" . . . . Hope that gets you closer, I'm also trying to get the heat thing adjusted on my MBPro . . . .

e.e.p.

[nobodyfamous]

So what temps should the sensors be picking up ideally under no load / heavy load?

In OS X now, have only check some email, have music playing info/temps are: (via Macs Fan Control) my iStat Pro widget reports the same temps & fan speeds as well.


Fan Speeds;
CPU - 1200 rpm - set to auto, hardware controlled
ODD - 2055 rpm - is my SSD, based on SSD SMART Temp
HDD - 1945 rpm - is my HDD, based on HDD SMART Temp

Temps;
Ambient - 14.6 (yes it's cold in my office)
CPU Heatsink - 35.9
GPU Diode - 53.2
GPU Heatsink - 50.8
LCD proximity - 27.1
Mem Controller - 48.6
Northbridge - 51.1
Optical Drive - 42.1 (this is the wired sensor normally tapped to the broken super drive, it is kind of taped to the SSD)
PSU Primary - 52.2

Disk Drives; (via SMART)
ST31000333AS - 44.0 - HDD
KINGSTON SH103S3240G - 46.0

All temps are in C and as OS X holds them. The only fans I am controlling are the SSD and HDD fans.

Now if I could just control the SSD and HDD fans in Ubuntu. . .