Monitoring your CPU temp with gkrellm ECS K7S5A specific

[illogic-al]

This one took a good bit of googling, especially to find my motherboard. As it turns out all I needed was the specific wording and the hits just started racking up because most of it is already in the linux HOW-TO section (really should search the docs before googling.)

Anyway without further ado, the tut:

1. First thing you're going to need is a motherboard which supports hardware monitoring. If when you go in the BIOS and check there's a page that allows you to see the temp your CPU is currently running at, chances are there's an lm_sensors config for it.

2. I kinda gave away the second thing you're gonna need which is the lm_sensors package from mandrake. You can search for it using rpmdrake or as root at a console type

urpmi lm_sensors

and Mandrake does its magic. Ok, from here on out this is an ECS K7S5A tutorial but you should be able to follow the general steps to get your mobo working.

3. If you don't have the same mobo as me look through the HOW-TOs if you've installed them for mobo. The package is howto-html, search for it in rpmdrake (urpmi doesn't provides descriptions for the various languages). If you don't find it there start googling. For wording I'd recommend lm_sensors your_mobo linux howto. For those of you with the same motherboard:

4. You'll have to edit your /etc/modules.confalias char-major-89 i2c-dev

options it87 temp_type=0x31[/color] and save.

eg My /etc/modules.conf

probeall usb-interface usb-ohci

alias eth0 sis900

above snd-emu10k1 snd-pcm-oss

alias sound-slot-0 snd-emu10k1[/code]

and my /etc/modules.confalias char-major-89 i2c-dev

options it87 temp_type=0x31

probeall usb-interface usb-ohci

alias eth0 sis900

above snd-emu10k1 snd-pcm-oss

alias sound-slot-0 snd-emu10k1[/code]

5. You now have to create a file /etc/sysconfig/lm_sensorsmodprobe i2c-proc

modprobe it87

modprobe i2c-isa[/color].

6. At a root console type

/etc/init.d/sensors start

wait for the OKYou should see some output on your console, probably a couple of ALARMs. Don't worry about it. We just did that to make sure you see output. If you didn't, something's wrong and you are SOL. Sorry. Make sure you typed stuff in properly.

7. Now for the boring part, there's a file you need to edit, /etc/sensors.conf comes in handy with it's little find function).

8. Then make sure that the uncommented (doesn't begin with #) lines look like this

    set in0_min 1.7 * 0.95

   set in0_max 1.7 * 1.05

   set in1_min 2.4

   set in1_max 2.6

   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 * 0.95

   set in4_max 12 * 1.05

   set in5_max -12 * 0.95

   set in5_min -12 * 1.05

   set in6_max -5 * 0.95

   set in6_min -5 * 1.05

   set in7_min 5 * 0.95

   set in7_max 5 * 1.05

   #the chip does not support in8 min/max



   # vid is not monitored by IT8705F

   # and is not supported by driver at this time

   ignore  vid



# If 3.3V reads 2X too high (Soyo Dragon, for example),

# comment out following line.

#    compute in2   2*@ , @/2

#

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

   compute in4 ((30/10) +1)*@  , @/((30/10) +1)

# For this family of chips the negative voltage equation is different from

# the lm78.  The chip uses two external resistor for scaling but one is

# tied to a positive reference voltage.  See ITE8705/12 datasheet (SIS950

# data sheet is wrong)

# Vs = (1 + Rin/Rf) * Vin - (Rin/Rf) * Vref.

# Vref = 4.096 volts, Vin is voltage measured, Vs is actual voltage.



# The next two are negative voltages (-12 and -5).

# The following formulas must be used. Unfortunately the datasheet

# does not give recommendations for Rin, Rf, but we can back into

# them based on a nominal +2V input to the chip, together with a 4.096V Vref.

# Formula:

#    actual V = (Vmeasured * (1 + Rin/Rf)) - (Vref * (Rin/Rf))

#    For -12V input use Rin/Rf = 6.68

#    For -5V input use Rin/Rf = 3.33

# Then you can convert the forumula to a standard form like:

#    compute in5 (7.67 * @) - 27.36  ,  (@ + 27.36) / 7.67

#    compute in6 (4.33 * @) - 13.64  ,  (@ + 13.64) / 4.33

#

# this much simpler version is reported to work for a

# Eltite Group K7S5A board

#

  compute in5 -(36/10)*@, -@/(36/10)

  compute in6 -(56/10)*@, -@/(56/10)

#

   compute in7 ((6.8/10)+1)*@ ,  @/((6.8/10)+1)



# Temperature

#

# Important - if your temperature readings are completely whacky

# you probably need to change the sensor type. This must be done

# with 'modprobe it87 temp_type=0xXX', you can't fix it in this file.

# See ../doc/chips/it87 for details and valid 'XX' values!!!

#

   label temp3       "Processor"

   set   temp3_over  40

   set   temp3_hyst  20

   label temp2       "MainBoard"

   set   temp2_over  45

   set   temp2_hyst  25

  ignore temp1

   label temp1       "Temp3"

   set   temp1_over  45

   set   temp1_hyst  25



# Fans

   label fan1       "CPU Fan"

   set fan1_div 8

   set fan1_min 3000



   ignore fan3

   set fan3_min 3000



# This worked for my second fan so I'll include it    

   label fan2        "MB Fan"

   set fan2_div      8

   set fan2_min      2500

9. Right then, now the worst is over. At a root console type

/etc/init.d/sensors restart

to enable our little changes and it's time for the promised gkrellm integration. For those of you who may not want to check this graphically, the sensors-12V: -12.24 V (min = -12.60 V, max = -11.38 V) ALARM

-5V: -6.27 V (min = -5.15 V, max = -4.70 V) ALARM[/color] from what I'm been able to tell. I just ignore it.***

10. Now you need Gkrellm if you don't have it already you need to urpmize it:

urpmi gkrellm

I however would recommend that you get gkrellm2 in all its anti-aliased (fonts don't look like my sister scribbled them) glory. To do that you have to add a texstar source to urpme. I explained this here http://www.mandrakeusers.org/viewtopic.php?t=2644 . Then just do

urpmi gkrellm-2

urpmi will, hopefully, take care of the rest. Once that's done ...

11. It's screenie time! Once installed start gkrellm from the menu (if it got added that fast) or type it in at the run dialog (or whatever you gnomes use)

12. Now since you already have the plugins installed, it's a cinch to monitor you CPU et al with just the click of a button. Click on the gkrellm window and then press F1, the configuration dialog should pop up. You can also get there by right clicking on the gkrellm window. Once at the configuration window click on Sensors.

13. Click on the little white triangle beside Temperatures like so

or just edit the Label

Well that all folks. Gonna go (continue thanks to zapping) watching the superbowl. Go RAIDERS!

[AA]

Would you like to mail me a tut that I can stick on my page...?

 

You'll get full credit for it obviously...!!

 

james@tuksfm.co.za

[illogic-al]

I don't care whether I get credit or not. You can just copy this one and stick it on there. I shouldn't get full credit anyways because I did find the majority of this on the linux howto page. I just feel mine is easier to follow (and right here so you don't have to go searching if you don't want to.)

If it's a tutorial for something else, sure, I'd mail one to you.

[AA]

Is it cool then if I just copy it straight off the forum...?

[illogic-al]

Yes, it is. have an ECS mobo? The tutorial actually needs to be updated as I've found another config that works (read works better and requires less manual work) that in the conf file. I'll update it as soon as possible but I have classes to worry about now. Fricking pchem.

[AA]

Have a what...?

[illogic-al]

do you have the ecs k7s5a motherboard. just curious, didn't think many people had this motherboard.

[AA]

No i don't. But it might work as a good guide to getting temperature meters to work on other m/boards that are difficult.

 

I use a GA-7vtxh. I can't get linux to display the temp on that one either. I might try using your tut as a guide and then see if I can get mine working...!!

 

I'll keep it as is though...!!

[tyme]

do you have the ecs k7s5a motherboard. just curious, didn't think many people had this motherboard.

i have it :) and am very grateful for the tut.

[Relic2K]

I managed to get the combination working really well using LM_Sensors.

[illogic-al]

warms my heart to know this. I should start a request a tutorial site. ACTUALLY i should put these tutorials on my site. YEAAAAAH.

[zero0w]

Thanks for the great guide illogic-al.

 

BTW, to those who are using Athlon XP Thoroughbed (0.13 micron) CPU, there is a bug in the official K7S5A BIOS such that SSE is disabled by default (Note: K7S5A Pro is not affected).

 

Update: The Official ECS K7S5A Bios 030811 has finally fixed the SSE bug, and it now will also detect huge size harddrive (>137GB) properly.

 

Try to check it out by:

 

$ cat /proc/cpuinfo

 

I have an Athlon XP 2000+ and my result is like this:

 

processor : 0

vendor_id : AuthenticAMD

cpu family : 6

model : 8

model name : AMD Athlon XP 2000+

stepping : 0

cpu MHz : 1659.627

cache size : 256 KB

fdiv_bug : no

hlt_bug : no

f00f_bug : no

coma_bug : no

fpu : yes

fpu_exception : yes

cpuid level : 1

wp : yes

 

flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 mmx fxsr syscall mmxext 3dnowext 3dnow

 

bogomips : 3316.12

 

There is NO "sse" in the flags entry.

 

To correct this problem you can get the official 030811 BIOS from ECS, or unofficial Honey X BIOS from the K7S5A motherboard forum, check out this unofficial K7S5A guide for more detail:

 

--> The unofficial K7S5A motherboard guide (version 1.2f)

 

Another update: Do not enable APIC (don't confuse it with ACPI) feature if you use Honey X Bios, it could render Mandrake Linux fail to boot nor install at all.

Edited April 29, 2004 by zero0w

[kfoss]

I've had a K7S5A for a while, both the regular and Pro. I have had lm_sensors working on it for a while, though not perfectly. Not all of the readouts seem to be correct. For example, my -12V has shown up as 0.98V. Any indications I have gotten tell me that if my -12V was at 0.98 my system wouldn't work. So something else is wrong.

 

Even in gkrellm, their are issues as they have multipliers set by default.

 

Can anyone else with the K7S5A MOBO and has gkrellm and lm_sensors working, post their sensors.conf and the settings specified in gkrellm?

[zero0w]

Just spotted, official 030811 non-Pro Bios will enable SSE on AthlonXP Thoroughbed by default, also with proper detection of huge size (>137GB) harddrive:

 

ftp://ftp.ecs.com.tw/bios/mb/k7/k7s5a/k7s5a030811.exe

 

I don't overclock my CPU so this BIOS works fine for me. :D

 

BTW, under Linux it is pretty easy to make a FreeDOS boot floppy with the BIOS rom file and the AMI flash utility inside.

Edited February 4, 2004 by zero0w