i8kutils in Fedora 15

Aulus · #1 25th May 2011, 11:40 PM

I installed Fedora 15 on a Vostro 3350 but the fan is always on. I know that the i8kutils package may solve the problem, but I can't find a stable package for Fedora 15. Did someone comes up with a solution, please?

jrickman · #2 26th May 2011, 05:13 AM

The "i8k" driver came out around 2005 so it's "old".

An LM Sensors maintainer recently modifed the "i8k" driver code to add HWMON support so LM Sensors could read and display the fan speeds with fan speed control being experimental. The code is marked for "pull" into upstream kernel 2.6.40.

You can investigate further at http://www.lm-sensors.org/wiki/Devices

Aulus · #3 26th May 2011, 09:01 AM

Thanks a lot, it seems that the standalone driver will solve the problem, I'ill try to install it and then I tell you

SuilAmhain · #4 4th July 2011, 01:55 AM

Really hate to bump but did you get it to work?

I downloaded the standalone module from [URL="http://khali.linux-fr.org/devel/misc/i8k/"Here/[/URL]

I compiled and installed it using

Code:

$ make 
$ make install

The kernel module gets put here: /lib/modules/2.6.38.8-32.fc15.i686/kernel/drivers/char/i8k.ko

I try to load the module but get the following

Code:

$ sudo modprobe i8k
FATAL: Error inserting i8k (/lib/modules/2.6.38.8-32.fc15.i686/kernel/drivers/char/i8k.ko): No such device

Also Tried:

Code:

$ sudo modprobe -f i8k
FATAL: Error inserting i8k (/lib/modules/2.6.38.8-32.fc15.i686/kernel/drivers/char/i8k.ko): Invalid module format

Also Tried:

Code:

sudo modprobe i8k -force=1
FATAL: Error inserting i8k (/lib/modules/2.6.38.8-32.fc15.i686/kernel/drivers/char/i8k.ko): Invalid module format

Which just locks my system. On a reboot i can't see anything in the logs.

My laptop is running very hot and I would really like this module to work.

Edited to add this:
My smolt id: pub_cc3db2cd-3f3e-4c7e-8ae2-e92f27a2771d

***DBelton*** · #5 4th July 2011, 02:07 AM

The only way I have been able to get my fan speed set on my Dell Latitude laptop in Fedora 9 on up was to use the i8kutils package. I hope they really aren't going to pull it from Fedora.

I could use the i8kutils and it had a gkrellm plugiin so that I could monitor and set the fan speed for both fans in my laptop.

Without that package I am unable to run Fedora on that laptop since the fan won't even come on without it, and the laptop overheats.

The i8k standalone driver referenced above will only work for the 3.0 kernels and newer, so that means it won't work for Fedora 15 and older without compiling a custom kernel.

Edit:
It looks like I read that wrong. support will be in the 3.0 kernel, so older kernels are what need the driver.

SuilAmhain · #6 4th July 2011, 02:19 AM

Darn it I interpreted the lm-sensors site as saying it's included in Kernel 3.0 but you can compile the standalone module.

My earlier checking said kernel 3 will not be available for 15 but is in testing for 16.

I'm really liking the Gnome Shell and was religiously not using windows when something didn't work as expected bar the over-heating I have no reason to switch back again. - I've tried many distros and always suffer this over heating problem.

Thanks DBelton. I may, but it's probably unlikely, look at a custom kernel compile over next few days.

***DBelton*** · #7 4th July 2011, 02:50 AM

The way that is noted on the lm-sensors site, it is really hard to figure out exactly what it means.

It can easily be interpreted 2 ways.

1: that it will be included in kernel 3.0 and above, and the driver won't be needed

or

2: that the driver is only supported for kernels 3.0 and above, and won't work for anything older.

I would have to think that number 1 is the correct answer. but it's still a quite confusing

SuilAmhain · #8 4th July 2011, 07:23 PM

After many many tries I could not get i8k to install, but after mucking about with yum and the source code for i8k for a while I found firmware-addon-dell and figured what the hell sure i'll install that.

CPU 10 degrees cooler and the palm rest that used to slow cook my hands is cool. Holy Jesus.

Code:

sudo yum install firmware-addon-dell.i686t

Hope someone else benefits from this.

masch · #9 11th July 2011, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuilAmhain

After many many tries I could not get i8k to install, but after mucking about with yum and the source code for i8k for a while I found firmware-addon-dell and figured what the hell sure i'll install that.

CPU 10 degrees cooler and the palm rest that used to slow cook my hands is cool. Holy Jesus.

Code:

sudo yum install firmware-addon-dell.i686t

Hope someone else benefits from this.

Hello,
I am having some temperature issues in my XPS and I have founded you post. Did you do anythings else after you installed it?

Thanks!.
salu2...
masch...

SuilAmhain · #10 11th July 2011, 10:17 AM

I'll be honest, I never thought to update this because:

Drum Roll

It was a temporary fix and more likely a delusional fix.

Laptop still well over heating. Fans/Sensors Still not getting detected.

I have spent hours googling and trying random things. I'm intending to try compiling a kernel with the module "built in" but I've not had time to research the process entirely. I have built a source directory, I think.

This dell laptop issue affects an awful lot of people without ever there being a resolution,
If i ever get it to work I will post an update I can promise that.

***DBelton*** · #11 11th July 2011, 02:24 PM

interesting. There is a 32 bit i8kutils package in teh Fedora 15 repos, but no 64 bit package.

32 bit i8kutils
http://spout.ussg.indiana.edu/linux/...25-18.i686.rpm

That is why I thought it had disappeared from the repo. I was only looking at the 64 bit repo when I was looking for it.

The i8kutils package will fix the problem on inspiron and latitude laptops,And may fix it on others too.

Edit:
I don't see how the firmware-addon-dell package would fix the overheating problem, though.

SuilAmhain · #12 11th July 2011, 03:27 PM

DBelton,

I installed the i8k util from the repo and had no joy. So I compiled the version mentioned here:
http://www.lm-sensors.org/wiki/Devices

I try to load the module but get the following

Code:

$ sudo modprobe i8k
FATAL: Error inserting i8k (/lib/modules/2.6.38.8-32.fc15.i686/kernel/drivers/char/i8k.ko): No such device

Also Tried:

Code:

$ sudo modprobe -f i8k
FATAL: Error inserting i8k (/lib/modules/2.6.38.8-32.fc15.i686/kernel/drivers/char/i8k.ko): Invalid module format

Also Tried:

Code:

sudo modprobe i8k -force=1
FATAL: Error inserting i8k (/lib/modules/2.6.38.8-32.fc15.i686/kernel/drivers/char/i8k.ko): Invalid module format

Which just locks my system. On a reboot i can't see anything in the logs.

I get the same error if install from the repo or recompile. With recomiling I can confirm tha the time & date of i8k.ko changes after doing make install.

Regarding firmware-addon-dell package

Quote:

It was a temporary fix and more likely a delusional fix.

I still reckon my palm rest is not as hot but I also still reckon that it's perception. :-)

GoinEasy9 · #13 11th July 2011, 03:38 PM

I filled this bug close to a year ago, when i8kutils plugin blew up when using F13.
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=614691

My Dell Studio 17 has no problems with overheating, my XPS 13 warms up quickly, even though the fans are working properly. They are, really, I can hear them.

While I may look for solutions in the kernel, or in Dell specific utilities, I think that it was a design failure to put such a hot running processor into such a small 13" laptop.

SuilAmhain · #14 11th July 2011, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoinEasy9

I filled this bug close to a year ago, when i8kutils plugin blew up when using F13.
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=614691
My Dell Studio 17 has no problems with overheating

I have dell studio 1735. Are you isung FC15? I tried briefly with 12 & 14 but never got the overheating under control. Did the i8k module load for you?

---------- Post added at 04:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:23 PM ----------

I should probably make a grammar correction.

My Studo 1735 gets ridiculously hot. It has not, as of yet, shutdown from overheating but I've been keeping laptop raised and on a desk. The fans never stop.

dragonbite · #15 11th July 2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBelton

interesting. There is a 32 bit i8kutils package in teh Fedora 15 repos, but no 64 bit package.

That could be because the hardware it is focused to work with are non-64 bit systems?

I have to look into this because my Dell D400 laptop still runs pretty hot, though F15 runs better than previous versions, or Windows. Even Ubuntu runs a little hot but seems to run the best so far.