Re: [gentoo-user] Unexpected Power Loss!

[Dale]

Bill Kenworthy wrote:
> There is a thermal safety setting in the kernel somewhere ... it used to
> do this to me when a cpu heatsink came adrift ... but the cpu had to get
> quite hot to trigger it (was on an Intel core2) so it was ok until it
> tried to do real work ... instant off.
>
> Try monitoring the temperature.  Also, cpu thermal compound/tape can
> lose its effectiveness on older PC's as well as the usual dust puppies
> blocking cooling etc.  Also, depending on how it is setup, Linux might
> be running just enough hotter than windows to trigger it.
>
> BillK
>
>

I would add this, when you first boot up, Linux is going to do things
that windoze doesn't do so Bill is right.  Running things like updatedb
is one that I can think of right off the top of my head.  Linux seems to
make hardware work more than windoze.  Modems come to mind.  Most of
those in windoze are software modems where Linux uses hardware.  Most
differences can be subtle but make enough of a difference. 

OP, as to how to watch this, I use gkrellm.  Watch temps, fan rpms and
such.  Heck, even watch drive activity.  Maybe you have a driver for the
mobo chipset that is generic or something.  Maybe there is a setting
that makes the kernel think the fans are not spinning and it forces it
to die.  On my old rig, I had to set up the divisor to 8 instead of 4. 
When it was set to 4, it would think the fans were no longer spinning
because it was below what it could read.  Picture a volt meter than can
measure from 100 to 140 volts.  If you are measuring wires that only
have 80 volts, to the meter, it is dead.  On my old rig, I had to
completely disable the shutdown feature for fans.  The temp part worked
fine but the fans caused issues, both in BIOS and in the kernel.  I have
done similar things in my new rig's BIOS.  In the winter especially, my
fans barely spin.  As I type, I have one spinning at 400 rpms and I have
the heater on.  Later tonight, it will drop to under 300 rpms.  That can
be hard for some to pick up when that slow. 

I would see if you have lm-sensors installed.  I don't use it since I
use the kernel tools directly but a lot of people use that since it can
do some things for laptops and such.  I think there is a directory in
/etc for that package.  Maybe something in there needs to be adjusted. 
If lm-sensors is started as a service, why not remove it and see if that
helps.  If it stays on, then you know where to look.  If it still does
it, then you need to move to something else. 

I hate random things like this.  Intermittent problems are like giving a
wild cat a bath.  It's tough all the way to the end of the job.  o_O 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

-- 
I am only responsible for what I said ... Not for what you understood or how you interpreted my words!