ThinkWiki - User contributions [en]

User:JohnSullivan

2009-06-26T02:46:46Z

JohnSullivan: trying to get neverball to work

I'll be posting [http://journal.wjsullivan.net on my blog] about my experiences as well. If you have questions or suggestions you can contact me on my talk page here or using [http://wjsullivan.net/Contact.html the info here.]

I currently have an X200 Tablet, running Debian unstable.

Previously, I have owned an X40 and A21m.

This page will have my notes and thoughts as they occur, and so may not be that accurate.

The X200T fingerprint reader is not yet supported by fprint.

The AT&T WWAN card is not appearing in lsusb output, and I've read that there is some regression in the kernel that prevents it from working right now.

The wacom stylus and eraser work just fine. But, xsetwacom list dev shows nothing (http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=534531). Apparently this is not a bug but part of the transition to new HAL and Xorg. The answer is to use xinput to get the actual name of the stylus device (which is not "stylus" anymore), and then use "xsetwcom set DEVICE rotate cw", for example to rotate the stylus.

Strangely, the card reader did not appear in lsusb output until I inserted an SD card, at which point it appeared and worked fine.

=== hdaps ===

In Debian, building tp-smapi with module-assistant doesn't build the hdaps module by default. I don't know what the proper way to pass an option to module-assistant is so I just edited the Makefile to have it build.

I had to create an /etc/modprobe.d/local.conf file with:

# enable thinkpad_ec
options thinkpad_ec force_io=1

Then, install hdapsd, and neverball!

I maybe also had to install xserver-xorg-input-joystick, and turn joystick on in .neverballrc.

== Specifications ==

These are the specs for my X200T according to the ebay posting.

* Intel SL9400 1.86Ghz 6MB L2 Cache Centrino 2 Motevino Processor - 1066 FSB ULTRA-LOW VOLTAGE!!!
* 12.1" WXGA (1280x800) LED-BackLit + MultiTouch (Touchscreen) + Multiview LCD WideScreen
* The Fastest Intel 4500MHD Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator with HD Boost Technology
* 2GB DDR3 PC3-8500 1066Mhz RAM Memory
* 2GB Intel Turbo FLASH Disk-Cache Accelerator
* 160GB 7200RPM SATA HardDrive with Active Shock Protection
* FAST WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n (Intel WiFi Link 5100 MIMO AGN Shirley Peak) Wireless Internet
* AT&T Wireless BroadBand Internet Built-In with GPS
* BlueTooth EDR 2.0
* Intel 1 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Port
* 3 x USB 2.0 Ports
* 1 x DB-15 Monitor Output
* Integrated 5-in-1 Card (MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Mem Stick Pro, Secure Digital, SDHC)
* Integrated 1.3MP WebCam
* High Definition (HD-Audio) AD1984A Audio Output
* Integrated FingerPrint Reader Authentication
* ThinkPad TrackPoint User Interface
* Lithium POLYMER 8-Cell SMART Battery (>10+ Hours of Battery Life!!!)
* Carbon Fiber Chassis / Carbon Fiber Reinforced Super-Elastic Polycarbonate (SEPC) Case
* Only 2.98lbs with Battery!!!
* THREE Year Full Lenovo Factory Warranty

[[Category:X200 Tablet]]

User:JohnSullivan

2009-06-26T01:51:51Z

JohnSullivan: hdapsd

I'll be posting [http://journal.wjsullivan.net on my blog] about my experiences as well. If you have questions or suggestions you can contact me on my talk page here or using [http://wjsullivan.net/Contact.html the info here.]

I currently have an X200 Tablet, running Debian unstable.

Previously, I have owned an X40 and A21m.

This page will have my notes and thoughts as they occur, and so may not be that accurate.

The X200T fingerprint reader is not yet supported by fprint.

The AT&T WWAN card is not appearing in lsusb output, and I've read that there is some regression in the kernel that prevents it from working right now.

The wacom stylus and eraser work just fine. But, xsetwacom list dev shows nothing (http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=534531). Apparently this is not a bug but part of the transition to new HAL and Xorg. The answer is to use xinput to get the actual name of the stylus device (which is not "stylus" anymore), and then use "xsetwcom set DEVICE rotate cw", for example to rotate the stylus.

Strangely, the card reader did not appear in lsusb output until I inserted an SD card, at which point it appeared and worked fine.

=== hdaps ===

In Debian, building tp-smapi with module-assistant doesn't build the hdaps module by default. I don't know what the proper way to pass an option to module-assistant is so I just edited the Makefile to have it build.

I had to create an /etc/modprobe.d/local.conf file with:

# enable thinkpad_ec
options thinkpad_ec force_io=1

Then, install hdapsd, and neverball!

== Specifications ==

These are the specs for my X200T according to the ebay posting.

* Intel SL9400 1.86Ghz 6MB L2 Cache Centrino 2 Motevino Processor - 1066 FSB ULTRA-LOW VOLTAGE!!!
* 12.1" WXGA (1280x800) LED-BackLit + MultiTouch (Touchscreen) + Multiview LCD WideScreen
* The Fastest Intel 4500MHD Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator with HD Boost Technology
* 2GB DDR3 PC3-8500 1066Mhz RAM Memory
* 2GB Intel Turbo FLASH Disk-Cache Accelerator
* 160GB 7200RPM SATA HardDrive with Active Shock Protection
* FAST WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n (Intel WiFi Link 5100 MIMO AGN Shirley Peak) Wireless Internet
* AT&T Wireless BroadBand Internet Built-In with GPS
* BlueTooth EDR 2.0
* Intel 1 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Port
* 3 x USB 2.0 Ports
* 1 x DB-15 Monitor Output
* Integrated 5-in-1 Card (MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Mem Stick Pro, Secure Digital, SDHC)
* Integrated 1.3MP WebCam
* High Definition (HD-Audio) AD1984A Audio Output
* Integrated FingerPrint Reader Authentication
* ThinkPad TrackPoint User Interface
* Lithium POLYMER 8-Cell SMART Battery (>10+ Hours of Battery Life!!!)
* Carbon Fiber Chassis / Carbon Fiber Reinforced Super-Elastic Polycarbonate (SEPC) Case
* Only 2.98lbs with Battery!!!
* THREE Year Full Lenovo Factory Warranty

[[Category:X200 Tablet]]

Active Protection System

2009-06-26T01:42:01Z

JohnSullivan: /* Models featuring this Technology */ X200 Tablet has it according to the hardware maintenance manual.

{| width="100%"
|style="vertical-align:top;padding-right:20px;width:10px;" | [[Image:APS.jpg|IBM Active Protection System]] __NOTOC__
|style="vertical-align:top" |
<div style="margin: 0; margin-right:10px; border: 1px solid #dfdfdf; padding: 0em 1em 1em 1em; background-color:#F8F8FF; align:right;">
=== The Active Protection System ===
With the new series of ThinkPads IBM introduced the Active Protection System (APS) in 2003. The APS is a protection system for the ThinkPad's internal harddrive. A sensor inside the ThinkPad recognizes when the notebook is accelerated. A software applet then is triggered to park the harddisk. This way the risk of data loss in case of when the notebook is dropped is significantly reduced since the read/write head of the harddrive is parked and hence can't crash onto the platter when the notebook drops onto the floor.

The hardware sensor is capable of not only recognizing acceleration of the notebook, but also (to a certain degree) of its whole orientation in space, relative to gravity's axis. Furthermore, having the actual control put into software, its functionality is extendable and it gives chance to implement features like the "ignore minor shocks" feature which is present in the Windows based control applet. (This feature prevents the harddrive from parking in case of minor regular shocks such as occur when in a train or car.)

The measurements are physically performed by an [[Analog Devices ADXL320 accelerometer]] chip, managed by the [[Embedded Controller Chips|embedded controller]].
</div>
|}

* [ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/aps2mst.pdf IBM Active Protection System Whitepaper]

==Hard-disk Support==

HD-APS requires a hard-disk with [http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/research/storage/hdi/loadunload.html head unload ramp technology] and also support on the hard-disk firmware to unload heads without flushing the disk cache. This is required, because as soon as the APS system detects a shock is imminent, the system has less than 500ms to prepare for the shock.

Unloading heads without flushing the cache is done using the [http://www.t13.org/Documents/UploadedDocuments/docs2003/e03120r5.pdf optional Unload Immediate feature of the IDLE IMMEDIATE ATA command]. It finishes whatever sector write is in-flight, and immediately moves the heads to the unload ramp. Without this command, hard-disk APS cannot be trusted, as disks with big caches can take a lot of time to write it all to disk.

So far, only hard-disks with IBM APS firmware, as well as the consumer Fujitsu HV2060AH/MHV2100AH/MHV2120AH HDs have been found to implement all the necessary functions. Head unload technology is reasonably common in modern laptop disks, but the APS firmware is very rare in regular consumer products. Please note that newer Apple notebooks also support APS, so it is somewhat likely that their disks also support unload immediate or a similar feature.

(Update: February, 2009) Meanwhile, other HDD manufacturers may have added the necessary support to their new products. E.g., [http://www.hitachigst.com/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/3255FB0B917AEB69862574B400578C7F/$file/TS7K320_OEM_Specification.pdf Hitachi Travelstar 7K320 spec] does mention some 'Idle Immediate with Unload Option' command. The description reads pretty much like what's needed for APS, though I don't want to drop my almost new TP just to field-test it.

==Linux Support==
Linux support is in development.

This feature definitely depends on software and there is no hardware or BIOS-only way of making it work.
IBM made contradictory statements about their willingness to release the specifications of the hardware sensor and its API to the linux community or some developers. Although a lot of developers and other interested people from the OpenSource community actively contacted IBM to get the specs, in fact they never got them.

However, after first efforts of [http://www.kernelthread.com/software/ams/ Amit Singh on a PowerBook] and [http://www.almaden.ibm.com/cs/people/marksmith/tpaps.html Mark Smith on a ThinkPad], the [[HDAPS]] project was founded to produce a linux kernel driver for the acceleration sensor and a user space application to monitor it. Later, a kernel patch to enable harddisk parking followed.

See [[How to protect the harddisk through APS]] for instructions and [[Problem with APS harddisk parking]] for Troubleshooting.

Furthermore, a list of alternative applications like theft alarm and others can be found on the [[HDAPS]] driver page.

==Tilt detection field tests==
Using Perl code for WinXP:
<pre>
use Win32API::File qw(:ALL);
sub get_tilt {
my $file = createFile("//./ShockMgr", "r ke") or die "Can't get ShockMgr device";
DeviceIoControl($file, 0x733fc, [], 0, my($buf), 0x24, my($bytes), []);
my @data = unpack "x4s*", $buf;
return @data[1, 0];
}
</pre>
my T42 gives values of roughly 490 when at rest in normal upright position with base parallel to the ground. As I gently tilt the T42 through all possible x or y angles, the values range from about 335-645, meaning a resolution of about 155 units per Earth gravity. This seems to suggest that the operating range of the APS is actually about +-3 gs, although the ADXL320 is supposed to allow +-5 gs.

As the tilt angle is the arcsine of the normalized APS reading, the Thinkpad is most tilt sensitive when in a normal upright position with base parallel to the ground. In this position, the tilt resolution is about 0.35 - 0.4 degrees. At maximum tilt, the resolution is much worse, about 6.5 degrees.

Shouldn't matter much, but my tests are at an elevation of about 60 meters above sea level.

===More field tests===
When placed on a reasonably flat and reasonably horizontal work surface my T43 provides readings of about x=503 and y=569. I wrote a command-line application in C# (using the .NET DllImport annotation to access the sensor.dll API) to log the sensor readings at some interval. With 150ms sampling I found the following extreme values: 335 to 654 for x, and 409 to 723 for y.

<pre>
x: 494.5 +/- 159.5
y: 566.0 +/- 157.0
</pre>

Based on the maximum and minimum x and y readings I calculated the above "zero" and range values in order to convert the sensor readings to degrees and wrapped this up in a small graphical application for Windows. My data, source code, executables and a complete description can be found [http://www.stanford.edu/~bsuter/thinkpad-accelerometer/ here].

== See also ==
* [[HDAPS]] - IBM Active Protection System Linux Driver. Shows various applications of APS.

==Related Links==
*[http://www.stanford.edu/~bsuter/thinkpad-accelerometer/ Sensor Data, Calibration, command-line and GUI executables for Windows and C# .NET source code]
*[http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/johnston?entry=python_and_thinkpad Python and ThinkPad, a Python script for Windows to access the sensor data]
*[http://www.pc.ibm.com/presentations/us/thinkvantage/56/index.html?shortcut=aps& IBMs ThinkVantage™ Technologies Flash presentation - Active Protection System]
*[http://www.musatcha.com/software/LaptopTheftPrevention/ Motion-Sensitive anti-theft alarm for ThinkPads with APS]
*[http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-knockage.html?ca=dgr-lnxw01Knock-Knock IBM HDAPS/Linux HDAPS information page]
*[http://hdaps.sourceforge.net HDAPS project page]
*[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?forum=hdaps-devel HDAPS-devel list archive]

==Models featuring this Technology==
*ThinkPad {{R50}}, {{R50p}}, {{R51}}, {{R52}}, {{R60}}, {{R61}}, {{R61i}}, {{R400}}
*ThinkPad {{T400}}, {{T41}}, {{T41p}}, {{T42}}, {{T42p}}, {{T43}}, {{T43p}}, {{T60}}, {{T60p}}, {{T61}}, {{T61p}}
*ThinkPad {{X40}}, {{X41}}, {{X41_Tablet}}, {{X60}}, {{X60s}}, {{X60_Tablet}}, {{X61}}, {{X61s}}, {{X61 Tablet}}, {{X200}}, {{X200 Tablet}}
*ThinkPad {{Z60m}}, {{Z60t}}, {{Z61m}}, {{Z61t}}, {{Z61e}}

[[Category:Glossary]]

User:JohnSullivan

2009-06-26T01:07:44Z

JohnSullivan: about xinput and xsetwacom, and hdaps

I'll be posting [http://journal.wjsullivan.net on my blog] about my experiences as well. If you have questions or suggestions you can contact me on my talk page here or using [http://wjsullivan.net/Contact.html the info here.]

I currently have an X200 Tablet, running Debian unstable.

Previously, I have owned an X40 and A21m.

This page will have my notes and thoughts as they occur, and so may not be that accurate.

The X200T fingerprint reader is not yet supported by fprint.

The AT&T WWAN card is not appearing in lsusb output, and I've read that there is some regression in the kernel that prevents it from working right now.

The wacom stylus and eraser work just fine. But, xsetwacom list dev shows nothing (http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=534531). Apparently this is not a bug but part of the transition to new HAL and Xorg. The answer is to use xinput to get the actual name of the stylus device (which is not "stylus" anymore), and then use "xsetwcom set DEVICE rotate cw", for example to rotate the stylus.

Strangely, the card reader did not appear in lsusb output until I inserted an SD card, at which point it appeared and worked fine.

=== hdaps ===

In Debian, building tp-smapi with module-assistant doesn't build the hdaps module by default.

== Specifications ==

These are the specs for my X200T according to the ebay posting.

* Intel SL9400 1.86Ghz 6MB L2 Cache Centrino 2 Motevino Processor - 1066 FSB ULTRA-LOW VOLTAGE!!!
* 12.1" WXGA (1280x800) LED-BackLit + MultiTouch (Touchscreen) + Multiview LCD WideScreen
* The Fastest Intel 4500MHD Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator with HD Boost Technology
* 2GB DDR3 PC3-8500 1066Mhz RAM Memory
* 2GB Intel Turbo FLASH Disk-Cache Accelerator
* 160GB 7200RPM SATA HardDrive with Active Shock Protection
* FAST WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n (Intel WiFi Link 5100 MIMO AGN Shirley Peak) Wireless Internet
* AT&T Wireless BroadBand Internet Built-In with GPS
* BlueTooth EDR 2.0
* Intel 1 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Port
* 3 x USB 2.0 Ports
* 1 x DB-15 Monitor Output
* Integrated 5-in-1 Card (MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Mem Stick Pro, Secure Digital, SDHC)
* Integrated 1.3MP WebCam
* High Definition (HD-Audio) AD1984A Audio Output
* Integrated FingerPrint Reader Authentication
* ThinkPad TrackPoint User Interface
* Lithium POLYMER 8-Cell SMART Battery (>10+ Hours of Battery Life!!!)
* Carbon Fiber Chassis / Carbon Fiber Reinforced Super-Elastic Polycarbonate (SEPC) Case
* Only 2.98lbs with Battery!!!
* THREE Year Full Lenovo Factory Warranty

[[Category:X200 Tablet]]

Extending battery life on X200

2009-06-25T05:53:36Z

JohnSullivan: /* Turning off the wireless radios */ missing >

== Overview ==

I own the beautiful Lenovo X200 and run Ubuntu Intrepid on the machine. Its battery life is significantly lower than that under Windows and many users have reported that it runs hotter than under Windows.

With the changes below and a 9 cell battery I get over 9 hours on an idle system with backlight at the lowest level and wireless radios off. Before the changes I was only getting 5 hours.

The system also runs a lot cooler and I do not need tpfan (sw fan control for the ThinkPad available [[Fan_control_scripts|here]]), the built-in hw controller falls back to the lower speeds shortly after a CPU load subsides.

=== Details ===

The changes fall into 3 categories:
* '''Removing packages that create unnecessarily frequent wake up interrupts.'''
**These interrupts wake up the CPU, preventing it from staying in its most energy efficient state.
**I used Powertop from [[www.lesswatts.org]] for this task.
* '''Lowering the voltage supplied to the CPU.'''
** Lowering CPU voltage does ''not'' impact performance since the clock frequency is unaffected
**I used phc patches and phctools available at [[www.linux-phc.org]] for this task.
*'''Turning off radios that are not needed''
**My X200 has 3 wireless radios: Wifi, Bluetooth, Broadband wireless

== Finding and removing high interrupt packages ==
Install PowerTOP from [[www.lesswatts.org/projects/powertop/download.php | here]].

Run PowerTOP as root (sudo powertop) and look for the packages that come up on top of the interrupt frequency list. These are the packages that wake up the CPU most frequently.

In my case the majority of the ''easily'' ''preventable'' interrupts were from 3 packages:
*i915, the intel graphics driver
*SCIM
*Gnome Power Manager

With the first one accounting for the bulk of the battery life improvement.

The %'s in PowerTOP give you an indication of what to focus on, no need to worry about a 1% problem (unless it is easy to prevent that it), it will not have much impact on your battery life.

Remember that over time these packages will improve and will not need to be removed.
=== Turning off DRI ===
Just insert: Option "NoDRI"
to the "Device" section in /etc/X11/xorg.conf. This turns off all 3D, so no compiz or other fancy effect. Worth it for me because the impact on battery life is substantial.
===Turning off SCIM===
I had my system set to accept foreign characters. Going to System > Language Support > Disable support to enter complex characters does the trick.
===Turning off Gnome Power Manager===
You may decide you cannot live without it, but on my system I disabled Gnome Power Manager from the startup list: System > Sessions > Power Management daemon.

I replaced it with the ''Gnome Panel'' Battery Charge Monitor (Add to Panel...) which works well enough for me.

== Reducing CPU voltage ==
===Installing phc module patches===
The phc module patches are available [[www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=786402 | here]], make sure you get the version that matches you kernel version. You can easily check by typing uname -r in a console.

You need not compile your own module, check the thread, users have posted already compiled versions of the acpi-cpufreg.ko module for most kernel versions.

Once you have the apci-cpufreq.ko module, back up the old module:
sudo cp /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/cpufreq/acpi_cpufreq.ko
/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/cpufreq/acpi_cpufreq.ko.bak

Then copy the new module to the right place:
sudo cp acpi_cpufreq.ko /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/cpufreq

Restart your system and check that you now have voltage controls by typing:
more /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/phc_vids

You should see something like:
38 29 23 13 (your values may be different)
These are the voltage index values for the 4 frequencies available on your CPU. They are directly related to the actual voltages, phctools does the computation for you as explained below.

'''Notes:'''
*If you check phc_fids you will see values that do not make sense
more /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/phc_fids
These are supposed to be the available frequency indexes, which are the ratios of CPU frequency to FSB frequency, sometimes called multipliers. There is a bug in the phc patches which affects how the multiplers are reported. This bug does not affect undervolting your CPU.

===Intalling phctools===
Download them [[www.linux-phc.org/ | here]].

Unpack the package in a directory where you can conveniently access it. Use the install script (install.sh) to enable pctools to run without requiring a password.

Also download [[www.linux-phc.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16 | here]] the update which supports the Core2Duo CPU.

Unpack the archive and copy the file to"inc/libs" within the PHCTool directory (replace the old one).

Lastly made sure the module msr is loaded. PhcTool works without it, but having it loaded allows it to display the actual votage fed into your CPU.
sudo modprobe msr

You can make this module load automatically by adding it to the file /etc/modules

Also install the burnMMX application, it is designed to put a heavy load on your system and is necessary to make sure the voltages you choose will work under load:
sudo apt-get install burnMMX

===Experimenting with lower voltages===
This is the scary part: you will have to crash your system on purpose. I found it to be harmless, but be forewarned that some users have reported that it could damage your system.

DO NOT RUN THIS TEST WITH A CUSTOM PROGRAM TO CONTROL THE FAN, YOU COULD FRY YOUR SYSTEM. FIRST REVERT TO HW CONTROLLED FAN IF YOU MADE ANY CHANGES TO FAN CONTROL.

Check that you are using "ondemand" as the frequency scaling governor. This governor delivers the lowest power consumption according to Intel. An easy way to do this is to use Frequency Scaling Monitor Gnome panel applet.

Another way is to check:
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor
which returns the currently active governor. You can echo a new value as root, it takes effect immediately.

Start phctools:
phctools.sh

On the Info tab, you will see your CPU identified and the available frequencies for this CPU:
2267Mhz 2266Mhz 1600Mhz 800Mhz

On the Voltage tab you will see the VID and corresponding voltage for each frequency as well as the difference from the default values.

The phc patches prevent you from using a value higher than the highest defaults voltage or a value lower than the lowest default voltage even though phctools will let you enter higher and lower values. They will have no effect, so stay within the range defined by the highest and lowest VID value.

The default values are also reloaded each time you restart the system. Do NOT set phctools to "restore VID on load" at this time.

Now the fun begins...
#Start burnMMX in a terminal window. WARNING this puts a lot of stress on your sys
#Lower the first VID value, 25 should work to get started. Do this for both CPU's (tab on the left for CPU0 and CPU1
#Save values
#Use your system for a bit and see if it is stable
#Lower the first VID value until your system crashes (or stop before if you do not dare).

My threshold was 15, at this VID my system crashes after less than a minute. At this point reboot your system, restart phctools and set the VID for 2267Mhz to the value that crashed '''+ 2'''. Do this for both CPU's.

Restart and work on the other frequencies, using the Frequency Scaling Monitor applet to force the CPU to the frequency you want to test.

On my system the safe values were:
17 15 13 13

===Making the voltages stick===
One you have found the lowest VID's that your system can safely run with, enter them on phctools Voltages for both CPU0 and CPU1, then go to settings and click "restore VID's on load".

All that is left is to make phctools restore your VID's each time you boot. Add the command:
yourphcdirectory/phctools.sh background
to your startup applications in System > Sessions. It will automatically start phctools, make it restore your VID's and quit.

Note that if you do nothing, the original VID's are automatically reloaded each time you reboot the system.

==Turning off the wireless radios==
The X200 has a great feature: a button on the left side to disable all radios. Use it when you do not need wireless.
When you need wireless, use FN + F5 to turn on/off Wifi and Blutooth.

The hidden power hog is the 3G broadband modem (Ericsson F3507g), even when the 3G led is off. To completely shut down power to the modem:
sudo echo 0 > /sys/devices/platfom/thinkpad_acpi/wwan_enable

There are scripts to do this automatically [[Ericsson_F3507g_Mobile_Broadband_Module | here]].

[[Category:X200]]
[[Category:HOWTOs]]

Extending battery life on X200

2009-06-25T05:51:41Z

JohnSullivan: /* Details */

== Overview ==

I own the beautiful Lenovo X200 and run Ubuntu Intrepid on the machine. Its battery life is significantly lower than that under Windows and many users have reported that it runs hotter than under Windows.

With the changes below and a 9 cell battery I get over 9 hours on an idle system with backlight at the lowest level and wireless radios off. Before the changes I was only getting 5 hours.

The system also runs a lot cooler and I do not need tpfan (sw fan control for the ThinkPad available [[Fan_control_scripts|here]]), the built-in hw controller falls back to the lower speeds shortly after a CPU load subsides.

=== Details ===

The changes fall into 3 categories:
* '''Removing packages that create unnecessarily frequent wake up interrupts.'''
**These interrupts wake up the CPU, preventing it from staying in its most energy efficient state.
**I used Powertop from [[www.lesswatts.org]] for this task.
* '''Lowering the voltage supplied to the CPU.'''
** Lowering CPU voltage does ''not'' impact performance since the clock frequency is unaffected
**I used phc patches and phctools available at [[www.linux-phc.org]] for this task.
*'''Turning off radios that are not needed''
**My X200 has 3 wireless radios: Wifi, Bluetooth, Broadband wireless

== Finding and removing high interrupt packages ==
Install PowerTOP from [[www.lesswatts.org/projects/powertop/download.php | here]].

Run PowerTOP as root (sudo powertop) and look for the packages that come up on top of the interrupt frequency list. These are the packages that wake up the CPU most frequently.

In my case the majority of the ''easily'' ''preventable'' interrupts were from 3 packages:
*i915, the intel graphics driver
*SCIM
*Gnome Power Manager

With the first one accounting for the bulk of the battery life improvement.

The %'s in PowerTOP give you an indication of what to focus on, no need to worry about a 1% problem (unless it is easy to prevent that it), it will not have much impact on your battery life.

Remember that over time these packages will improve and will not need to be removed.
=== Turning off DRI ===
Just insert: Option "NoDRI"
to the "Device" section in /etc/X11/xorg.conf. This turns off all 3D, so no compiz or other fancy effect. Worth it for me because the impact on battery life is substantial.
===Turning off SCIM===
I had my system set to accept foreign characters. Going to System > Language Support > Disable support to enter complex characters does the trick.
===Turning off Gnome Power Manager===
You may decide you cannot live without it, but on my system I disabled Gnome Power Manager from the startup list: System > Sessions > Power Management daemon.

I replaced it with the ''Gnome Panel'' Battery Charge Monitor (Add to Panel...) which works well enough for me.

== Reducing CPU voltage ==
===Installing phc module patches===
The phc module patches are available [[www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=786402 | here]], make sure you get the version that matches you kernel version. You can easily check by typing uname -r in a console.

You need not compile your own module, check the thread, users have posted already compiled versions of the acpi-cpufreg.ko module for most kernel versions.

Once you have the apci-cpufreq.ko module, back up the old module:
sudo cp /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/cpufreq/acpi_cpufreq.ko
/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/cpufreq/acpi_cpufreq.ko.bak

Then copy the new module to the right place:
sudo cp acpi_cpufreq.ko /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/cpufreq

Restart your system and check that you now have voltage controls by typing:
more /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/phc_vids

You should see something like:
38 29 23 13 (your values may be different)
These are the voltage index values for the 4 frequencies available on your CPU. They are directly related to the actual voltages, phctools does the computation for you as explained below.

'''Notes:'''
*If you check phc_fids you will see values that do not make sense
more /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/phc_fids
These are supposed to be the available frequency indexes, which are the ratios of CPU frequency to FSB frequency, sometimes called multipliers. There is a bug in the phc patches which affects how the multiplers are reported. This bug does not affect undervolting your CPU.

===Intalling phctools===
Download them [[www.linux-phc.org/ | here]].

Unpack the package in a directory where you can conveniently access it. Use the install script (install.sh) to enable pctools to run without requiring a password.

Also download [[www.linux-phc.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16 | here]] the update which supports the Core2Duo CPU.

Unpack the archive and copy the file to"inc/libs" within the PHCTool directory (replace the old one).

Lastly made sure the module msr is loaded. PhcTool works without it, but having it loaded allows it to display the actual votage fed into your CPU.
sudo modprobe msr

You can make this module load automatically by adding it to the file /etc/modules

Also install the burnMMX application, it is designed to put a heavy load on your system and is necessary to make sure the voltages you choose will work under load:
sudo apt-get install burnMMX

===Experimenting with lower voltages===
This is the scary part: you will have to crash your system on purpose. I found it to be harmless, but be forewarned that some users have reported that it could damage your system.

DO NOT RUN THIS TEST WITH A CUSTOM PROGRAM TO CONTROL THE FAN, YOU COULD FRY YOUR SYSTEM. FIRST REVERT TO HW CONTROLLED FAN IF YOU MADE ANY CHANGES TO FAN CONTROL.

Check that you are using "ondemand" as the frequency scaling governor. This governor delivers the lowest power consumption according to Intel. An easy way to do this is to use Frequency Scaling Monitor Gnome panel applet.

Another way is to check:
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor
which returns the currently active governor. You can echo a new value as root, it takes effect immediately.

Start phctools:
phctools.sh

On the Info tab, you will see your CPU identified and the available frequencies for this CPU:
2267Mhz 2266Mhz 1600Mhz 800Mhz

On the Voltage tab you will see the VID and corresponding voltage for each frequency as well as the difference from the default values.

The phc patches prevent you from using a value higher than the highest defaults voltage or a value lower than the lowest default voltage even though phctools will let you enter higher and lower values. They will have no effect, so stay within the range defined by the highest and lowest VID value.

The default values are also reloaded each time you restart the system. Do NOT set phctools to "restore VID on load" at this time.

Now the fun begins...
#Start burnMMX in a terminal window. WARNING this puts a lot of stress on your sys
#Lower the first VID value, 25 should work to get started. Do this for both CPU's (tab on the left for CPU0 and CPU1
#Save values
#Use your system for a bit and see if it is stable
#Lower the first VID value until your system crashes (or stop before if you do not dare).

My threshold was 15, at this VID my system crashes after less than a minute. At this point reboot your system, restart phctools and set the VID for 2267Mhz to the value that crashed '''+ 2'''. Do this for both CPU's.

Restart and work on the other frequencies, using the Frequency Scaling Monitor applet to force the CPU to the frequency you want to test.

On my system the safe values were:
17 15 13 13

===Making the voltages stick===
One you have found the lowest VID's that your system can safely run with, enter them on phctools Voltages for both CPU0 and CPU1, then go to settings and click "restore VID's on load".

All that is left is to make phctools restore your VID's each time you boot. Add the command:
yourphcdirectory/phctools.sh background
to your startup applications in System > Sessions. It will automatically start phctools, make it restore your VID's and quit.

Note that if you do nothing, the original VID's are automatically reloaded each time you reboot the system.

==Turning off the wireless radios==
The X200 has a great feature: a button on the left side to disable all radios. Use it when you do not need wireless.
When you need wireless, use FN + F5 to turn on/off Wifi and Blutooth.

The hidden power hog is the 3G broadband modem (Ericsson F3507g), even when the 3G led is off. To completely shut down power to the modem:
sudo echo 0 /sys/devices/platfom/thinkpad_acpi/wwan_enable

There are scripts to do this automatically [[Ericsson_F3507g_Mobile_Broadband_Module | here]].

[[Category:X200]]
[[Category:HOWTOs]]

User:JohnSullivan

2009-06-25T05:33:17Z

JohnSullivan: link to xsetwacom bug report

I'll be posting [http://journal.wjsullivan.net on my blog] about my experiences as well. If you have questions or suggestions you can contact me on my talk page here or using [http://wjsullivan.net/Contact.html the info here.]

I currently have an X200 Tablet, running Debian unstable.

Previously, I have owned an X40 and A21m.

This page will have my notes and thoughts as they occur, and so may not be that accurate.

The X200T fingerprint reader is not yet supported by fprint.

The AT&T WWAN card is not appearing in lsusb output, and I've read that there is some regression in the kernel that prevents it from working right now.

The wacom stylus and eraser work just fine. But, xsetwacom list dev shows nothing (http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=534531).

Strangely, the card reader did not appear in lsusb output until I inserted an SD card, at which point it appeared and worked fine.

== Specifications ==

These are the specs for my X200T according to the ebay posting.

* Intel SL9400 1.86Ghz 6MB L2 Cache Centrino 2 Motevino Processor - 1066 FSB ULTRA-LOW VOLTAGE!!!
* 12.1" WXGA (1280x800) LED-BackLit + MultiTouch (Touchscreen) + Multiview LCD WideScreen
* The Fastest Intel 4500MHD Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator with HD Boost Technology
* 2GB DDR3 PC3-8500 1066Mhz RAM Memory
* 2GB Intel Turbo FLASH Disk-Cache Accelerator
* 160GB 7200RPM SATA HardDrive with Active Shock Protection
* FAST WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n (Intel WiFi Link 5100 MIMO AGN Shirley Peak) Wireless Internet
* AT&T Wireless BroadBand Internet Built-In with GPS
* BlueTooth EDR 2.0
* Intel 1 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Port
* 3 x USB 2.0 Ports
* 1 x DB-15 Monitor Output
* Integrated 5-in-1 Card (MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Mem Stick Pro, Secure Digital, SDHC)
* Integrated 1.3MP WebCam
* High Definition (HD-Audio) AD1984A Audio Output
* Integrated FingerPrint Reader Authentication
* ThinkPad TrackPoint User Interface
* Lithium POLYMER 8-Cell SMART Battery (>10+ Hours of Battery Life!!!)
* Carbon Fiber Chassis / Carbon Fiber Reinforced Super-Elastic Polycarbonate (SEPC) Case
* Only 2.98lbs with Battery!!!
* THREE Year Full Lenovo Factory Warranty

[[Category:X200 Tablet]]

User:JohnSullivan

2009-06-24T23:10:12Z

JohnSullivan: add specs for my machine

I'll be posting [http://journal.wjsullivan.net on my blog] about my experiences as well. If you have questions or suggestions you can contact me on my talk page here or using [http://wjsullivan.net/Contact.html the info here.]

I currently have an X200 Tablet, running Debian unstable.

Previously, I have owned an X40 and A21m.

This page will have my notes and thoughts as they occur, and so may not be that accurate.

The X200T fingerprint reader is not yet supported by fprint.

The AT&T WWAN card is not appearing in lsusb output, and I've read that there is some regression in the kernel that prevents it from working right now.

The wacom stylus works just fine.

Strangely, the card reader did not appear in lsusb output until I inserted an SD card, at which point it appeared and worked fine.

== Specifications ==

These are the specs for my X200T according to the ebay posting.

* Intel SL9400 1.86Ghz 6MB L2 Cache Centrino 2 Motevino Processor - 1066 FSB ULTRA-LOW VOLTAGE!!!
* 12.1" WXGA (1280x800) LED-BackLit + MultiTouch (Touchscreen) + Multiview LCD WideScreen
* The Fastest Intel 4500MHD Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator with HD Boost Technology
* 2GB DDR3 PC3-8500 1066Mhz RAM Memory
* 2GB Intel Turbo FLASH Disk-Cache Accelerator
* 160GB 7200RPM SATA HardDrive with Active Shock Protection
* FAST WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n (Intel WiFi Link 5100 MIMO AGN Shirley Peak) Wireless Internet
* AT&T Wireless BroadBand Internet Built-In with GPS
* BlueTooth EDR 2.0
* Intel 1 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Port
* 3 x USB 2.0 Ports
* 1 x DB-15 Monitor Output
* Integrated 5-in-1 Card (MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Mem Stick Pro, Secure Digital, SDHC)
* Integrated 1.3MP WebCam
* High Definition (HD-Audio) AD1984A Audio Output
* Integrated FingerPrint Reader Authentication
* ThinkPad TrackPoint User Interface
* Lithium POLYMER 8-Cell SMART Battery (>10+ Hours of Battery Life!!!)
* Carbon Fiber Chassis / Carbon Fiber Reinforced Super-Elastic Polycarbonate (SEPC) Case
* Only 2.98lbs with Battery!!!
* THREE Year Full Lenovo Factory Warranty

[[Category:X200 Tablet]]

User:JohnSullivan

2009-06-24T22:46:01Z

JohnSullivan: category

I currently have an X200 Tablet, running Debian unstable.

Previously, I have owned an X40 and A21m.

This page will have my notes and thoughts as they occur, and so may not be that accurate.

The X200T fingerprint reader is not yet supported by fprint.

The AT&T WWAN card is not appearing in lsusb output, and I've read that there is some regression in the kernel that prevents it from working right now.

The wacom stylus works just fine.

Strangely, the card reader did not appear in lsusb output until I inserted an SD card, at which point it appeared and worked fine.

[[Category:X200 Tablet]]

User:JohnSullivan

2009-06-24T22:44:41Z

JohnSullivan: Start page with rough notes

MultiTouch

2009-06-24T22:41:29Z

JohnSullivan: /* MultiTouch */ typo

__NOTOC__
{| width="100%"
|style="vertical-align:top" |[[Image:Logo_wacom.gif|Wacom Logo]]
|style="vertical-align:top" |
<div style="margin:0px; border: 1px solid #dfdfdf; padding: 0em 1em 1em 1em; background-color:#F8F8FF; align:right;">
=== MultiTouch ===
Some models come with touchscreen abilities, known as MultiTouch.
</div>
|}

MultiTouch is a new feature on recent models of the X60/X61/+ Tablet. It allows you to use any device that can create pressure (such as your finger) instead of the tablet pen. This feature is currently ''experimentally'' supported with linuxwacom. However, the tablet pen will still work on such systems.

If you tablet pen does not work, try building the linuxwacom modules from source. You can find everything you need [http://linuxwacom.sourceforge.net at their website].