Basics: Sensors - a very simple example

[kristi]

SENSORS: after installing lm_sensors with MMC go to a ROOT console and do "sensors-detect".

[i have a Shuttle AN35N/Ultra, Nforce 2, 32bit mobo with an IT8712 sensor chip]

It will give a bunch of info and then say

We can start with probing for (PCI) I2C or SMBus adapters.
You do not need any special privileges for this.
Do you want to probe now? (YES/no):

The word in caps is the default of what it will do if you whang on the enter key.

Hit enter.

# ..... more words, then

We will now try to load each adapter module in turn.
Load `i2c-nforce2' (say NO if built into your kernel)? (YES/no):

Hit enter

# ....... more words then

To continue, we need module `i2c-dev' to be loaded.
If it is built-in into your kernel, you can safely skip this.
i2c-dev is not loaded. Do you want to load it now? (YES/no):  

Hit enter.

# ......more words then

Next adapter: SMBus nForce2 adapter at 5100
Do you want to scan it? (YES/no/selectively):

type no and hit enter. (I know my sensors are not on that port)

# ...more words then

Next adapter: SMBus nForce2 adapter at 5000
Do you want to scan it? (YES/no/selectively):

type no and hit enter. (I know my sensors are not on that port)

# ...more words then

Next adapter: cx88[0]
Do you want to scan it? (YES/no/selectively):  

type no and hit enter (( god no - that's my TV!!! you definitely don't want my TV!!!))((are you paying attention?).

# ...more words then

Some chips are also accessible through the ISA bus. ISA probes are
typically a bit more dangerous, as we have to write to I/O ports to do
this. This is usually safe though.
Do you want to scan the ISA bus? (YES/no):

hit enter to accept this since I know the IT8712 chip is on the ISA bus.

# ...more words then

Some Super I/O chips may also contain sensors. Super I/O probes are
typically a bit more dangerous, as we have to write to I/O ports to do
this. This is usually safe though.
Do you want to scan for Super I/O sensors? (YES/no):

type no and hit enter UNLESS you know that your sensor chip is connected to the super sensors (mine are not).

# ...more words then

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

hit enter and you will get

Driver `it87' (should be inserted):
 Detects correctly:
 * ISA bus address 0x0290 (Busdriver `i2c-isa')
   Chip `ITE IT8705F / IT8712F / SiS 950' (confidence: 8)
I will now generate the commands needed to load the I2C modules.
Sometimes, a chip is available both through the ISA bus and an I2C bus.
ISA bus access is faster, but you need to load an additional driver module
for it. If you have the choice, do you want to use the ISA bus or the
I2C/SMBus (ISA/smbus)?

here I hit enter because I know mine is on the ISA bus because it just told me so!

Now you get

To make the sensors modules behave correctly, add these lines to
/etc/modules.conf:

#----cut here----
# I2C module options
alias char-major-89 i2c-dev
#----cut here----

To load everything that is needed, add this to some /etc/rc* file:

#----cut here----
# I2C adapter drivers
modprobe i2c-isa
# I2C chip drivers
modprobe it87
# sleep 2 # optional
/usr/local/bin/sensors -s # recommended
#----cut here----

WARNING! If you have some things built into your kernel, the list above
will contain too many modules. Skip the appropriate ones! You really should
try these commands right now to make sure everything is working properly.
Monitoring programs won't work until it's done.

Do you want to generate /etc/sysconfig/lm_sensors? (YES/no)

hit enter and ignore the lines that tell you to cut and paste.

#reboot.

#with a root konqueror, look in /usr/bin and copy ksensors, kcpuload and knetload into your /home/<user>/.kde/Autostart folder.

then either reboot again to start them, or just click on them. knetload(2) and kcpuload(1) will put a 3 cute little graphs into your system tray (if you don't have one, right click on the taskbar, Add, Applet, system tray.)

# ksensors icon looks like a film thing - right click on it, choose Configure, choose it8712 sensors, highlight CPU temp, click the Dock tab, check the "visible" box, click apply, click close. It now displays your CPUtemp continuously on your taskbar.

 

This was intended to just help you get started.

 

Have fun.

Any comments or suggestions, PM me

Kristi

 

EDIT - another nice sersor - use MCC to install kdeaddons. right click your taskbar and choose add, applet, and click on system monitor (shows cpu, mem, swap in vert or horiz bars. (thanks devries!)

Edited May 23, 2005 by kristi

[theo]

Here's a more complex case: mine.

 

Yo, I followed exactly what kristi said: urpmi lm_sensors & sensors-detect. Good. First step.

 

I have got an ASUS P4T-E M/B + PIV 2Ghz CPU + ZALMAN FAN and like says the /etc/sensors.conf file:

 

Asus won't release a datasheet so this is guesswork !!

 

So ... ok ... I have to adapt this config file to my needs! (Ooh, the geek :P)

 

First of all, the new lm_sensors version doesn't load the right module (as it did before ...);

So I had to add this line in the /etc/sysconfig/lm_sensors file:

MODULE_0=i2c-i801

MODULE_1=eeprom

MODULE_2=w83781d <= this one

 

don't ask me why ... it's the right one for my ASUS P4T-E.

 

the section to adapt in the /etc/sensors.conf file is the chip "as99127f-*" case;

after doin' some tests, here is the best config for my hardware/needs:

 

chip "as99127f-*"

 

#######################################

# @2005-05 Theo

# Adapted to my ASUS P4T-E M/B

# "Asus won't release a datasheet so this is guesswork"

#######################################

 

#alarm

set beep_enable 1

 

#ignore

ignore in1

ignore in5

ignore in6

ignore temp3

ignore fan2

ignore fan3

 

#label

label in0 "VCore"

label in2 "+3.3V"

label in3 "+5V"

label in4 "+12V"

label temp1 "M/B Temp"

label temp2 "CPU Temp"

label fan1 "CPU Fan"

 

#compute

compute in3 ((6.8/10)+1)*@ ,  @/((6.8/10)+1)

compute in4 ((28/10)+1)*@  ,  @/((28/10)+1)

 

#set

set in0_min vid*0.95

set in0_max vid*1.05

set in1_min vid*0.95

set in1_max vid*1.05

set in2_min 3.3 * 0.95

set in2_max 3.3 * 1.05

set in3_min 5.0 * 0.95

set in3_max 5.0 * 1.05

set in4_min 12 * 0.90

set in4_max 12 * 1.10

 

set fan1_div 4

set fan1_min 1500

 

set temp1_over 40

set temp1_hyst 37

set temp2_over 52

set temp2_hyst 47

#######################################

 

Obviously, you can (must) adapt this config sample to your needs!

 

And finally ... here's the result:

 

 

-> Konsole (sensors command)

-> Gkrellm (CPU section -> CPU Temp | Proc section -> FAN RPM)

-> Torsmo (CPU -> CPU Temp & FAN RPM | M/B -> M/B Temp)

 

I hope that it will help some among you ...

 

Cheers.

Edited May 22, 2005 by theo

[theo]

Another tip (last but not least):

 

you don't have to always reboot your computer!

 

as root, do this in a terminal: service lm_sensors restart && sensors

 

that's all!

[kristi]

This is a different branch of "sensors".

 

/etc/sensors.conf is the config file for sensord, a program which you will find running in root, and which dumps great gobs of info (unless you have massaged sensors.conf) to the kernel logs. From the top of /etc/sensors.conf:

This configuration file will be used by all userspace applications

# linked to libsensors. It is NOT used by the lm_sensors drivers directly.

 

It is a different critter. In your case, I do not think you need any of the info from my post. But your post opens the other door to the other way to get sensor info, and to get it in a way that it can be logged for later use.

 

Here, too, it is to notice that if you are using the system logs ( /var/log/kernel/<whatever> ) to monitor any output OTHER than that from sensorsd, you may want to check all the lines in /etc/sensors.conf, and thus minimize the load on the logs, not for the sake of the system, but for the sake of finding other info you may be looking for (like the firewall guarddog).

 

ksensors, kcupload, and knetload do not use the system logs.

 

On a completely different note, Theo, I *love* xpenguins!!!!!!!

Thanks for your note!

Kristi

[kristi]

Another tip (last but not least):

 

you don't have to always reboot your computer!

 

as root, do this in a terminal: service lm_sensors restart && sensors

 

that's all!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for that one - I am very much a newbie when it comes to knowing about commands like that!!!

:D

Kristi

[kristi]

Theo, very nice desktop!!!!!!! :D

here's mine:

My Desktop

Edited May 22, 2005 by kristi

[kristi]

Asus won't release a datasheet so this is guesswork !!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

google search on "asus p4t sensor chip" yields: AS99127F

http://mbm.livewiredev.com/comp/asus.html

Edited May 22, 2005 by kristi

[theo]

Theo, very nice desktop!!!!!!!    :D

here's mine:

My Desktop

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

ROFLLL

[devries]

To load everything that is needed, add this to some /etc/rc* file:

 

#----cut here----

# I2C adapter drivers

modprobe i2c-isa

# I2C chip drivers

modprobe it87

# sleep 2 # optional

/usr/local/bin/sensors -s # recommended

#----cut here----

 

No need to reboot. Open a console, log in as root and copy paste: modprobe i2c-isa and modprobe it87 :)

 

Here is my desktop/kicker: system monitor (cpu, ram swap), knemo (network) ksensors (always in the 70s, for 5 years now :) ) and free diskspace (/ and /home)

[AussieJohn]

Hello everyone.

 

Have followed your recommendations and installed ksensors and lm-sensors.

I have two temperatures now showing in the dock as I desire.

 

The only problem is that the CPU temp is shown as Mainboard temp and the Mainboard temp is shown as CPU temp. Fortunately in dock, there is no title to the temp readings so it is not an issue.

However if I setup a panel then it is a problem since the readings are titled.

 

See the two snapshots enclosed.

 

I have confirmed this by checking the BIOS readings. Obviously the CPU temp would not be less than the Mainboard temp.

 

Anyone got an idea or two here on this one ????

 

Cheers. John.

[theo]

Hi AussieJohn,

 

I had basically the same issue than you.

 

It was very easy to correct that:

 

in the /etc/sensors.conf file I inversed these lines:

 

label temp1 "CPU Temp"

label temp2 "M/B Temp"

 

=>

 

label temp1 "M/B Temp"

label temp2 "CPU Temp"

 

or wathever you want (label temp1 "AussieJohn Temp")

 

You just have to find your section in this file. Mine is chip "as99127f-*" for my ASUS P4T-E motherboard.

You can google your M/B chip (like kristi) or doin' some tests to find your M/B chip (like me )

 

Don't know if it is the same issue for the k-stuffs but you've nothing to lose to try it! (make a backup of the /etc/sensors.conf file ;))

 

Cheers,

 

Theo.

[AussieJohn]

Thank you THEO.

 

I will do the renaming bit and try your other details as well later.

 

Cheers. John.

[kristi]

yeah, those 2 were often reversed in windows monitors I used. Just swap them around! :D

Kristi

[kristi]

devries

No need to reboot. Open a console, log in as root and copy paste: modprobe i2c-isa and modprobe it87 :)

okay! cool!!! :D Odly I do not cut and paste or add those to any file yet mine seems to work correctly - I wonder why??????????

EDIT: duh! - oh, because it automatically puts the both at the bottom of /etc/sysconfig/lm_sensors !

 

Here is my desktop/kicker: system monitor (cpu, ram swap), knemo (network) ksensors (always in the 70s, for 5 years now :) ) and free diskspace (/ and /home)

 

there is a small bold note at the bottom of your post, but I don't know how to view your desktop... waaaaaaaa :D

Kristi

 

EDIT - oh, I got it - way out at the forum view there's a paperclip by the topic - is that the only way to get it? 70's huh!!! what are you cooling with and what's your room ambient? mine is running 43C/109F at the moment. The room is 78F. Spring is here! I have a xp2600Barton core with a zallman all copper on top of it. you say "system monitor (cpu, ram swap)" - what program is that - can I run it on kde?

 

Nice looking taskbar! :D

Edited May 23, 2005 by kristi

[kristi]

JOHN. (now 70yrs young)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hey John, big congrats on the 70!!! :D

Kristi

Edited May 22, 2005 by kristi