System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F [Solved]

[Thain]

I added the widget from System Monitor that show core temps, but they are both stuck at 104F (40C). As far as I know all the dependencies are installed.

Any way to fix this?

[molostoff]

Re: Core Temp stuck at 104F

try
modprobe coretemp
or
sensors-detect

(if temp is still very low, try to close airfan holes)

[Thain]

Re: Core Temp stuck at 104F

Well low CPU temps are always good, however my point being, it doesn't fluctuate with the System Monitor widget.

(Under full CPU load, my core temps never reach more than 130F (54.4C))

[dibl]

Re: Core Temp stuck at 104F

sensors-detect

This will only work after the lm-sensors package is installed, and needs to be run with "sudo". So:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install lm-sensors

then

sudo sensors-detect

will run a detection script. Press the "Enter" key to give a "Y" to all the questions until the last one. At the end, it asks whether you want the module(s) added to /etc/modules -- you must type "yes" because the default is "no".

Then you can either "sudo modprobe" the applicable module(s), or restart your system.

Note that I'm not guaranteeing that this will make the plasma widget work, but it will install whatever CPU temp module is available for your CPU and motherboard.

[Thain]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F

I had lm-sensors already installed, and the "sudo sensors-detect" did the trick. Thanks!

However, either the temps are wrong in kubuntu, or they are wrong in Windows (XP & 7).

In Windows, at idle, temps read between 88F and 95F. In kubuntu, now at idle they read 122F & 120F. When I put a slight load on the CPU (starting firefox for instance) they go up to 130F - 140F. I've never seen this machines CPU run that hot for such a slight load. Is there any way to check the REAL temp (I mean by some other means as a comparison)?

BTW, when my machines temp reaches 125F and above, it sounds like a jet airplane taking off, which is not the case here. So my inclination would be that kubuntu temps are slightly off OR the OS is working harder than Windows.

[molostoff]

Re: Core Temp stuck at 104F

Well low CPU temps are always good, however my point being, it doesn't fluctuate with the System Monitor widget.

(Under full CPU load, my core temps never reach more than 130F (54.4C))

after modprobe or sensors-detect you might want to check SysMon widget settings and look what is changed - if there are new sensors appeared, do just display them, if not - notebook is just in so cool place, so they does not fluctuate. If not (you are in hottest place but notebook say you are in snowheap) - sensors might be broken.

My notebook start fluctuating usually at +28C and up in air (summer), and entirely does not fluctuating at winter (~20C in room, with -5C behind window).

Overheat you can observe manually by hand, and overheating by itself is dangerous, of course, in all cases, but especially when non-ACPI temperature fan control is used (I mean ACPI off). In such a case SysMon still can display acpi temperature sensors, but I am not sure that they are properly updated.

So, indeed, we have returned to the need of some action: manually "modprobe coretemp" (or sensors-detect - will do the same), and look at differences.

ps. yes, sorry, sensors-detect from lm-sensors package.
pss. regarding non-linux systems: if they do not work there is no reason to be hot, they are just cool.

[dibl]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F

I run my X6800 overclocked to 3.45GHz, so it idles at 44C/111F (CPU freq. at half speed). When I get it busy running a Win 7 VM and a browser and alsaplayer, it's not unusual to be at 57 - 60C, which is 140F. When I was doing some audio encoding work a couple years ago, I ran it up to 80C/176F a time or two. That's not harmful for most consumer electronics, but you don't want to go much past that level for any extended time.

In a Konsole window, run

sudo sensors

and it should output the same value that the plasma widget is giving you, if there's no "translation" going on with the widget.

As far as getting different reports from Windows and from Linux -- it's hard to tell, there are lots of variables to consider, including the accuracy of the drivers and software on both sides.

[Thain]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F

Well low CPU temps are always good, however my point being, it doesn't fluctuate with the System Monitor widget.

(Under full CPU load, my core temps never reach more than 130F (54.4C))

after modprobe or sensors-detect you might want to check SysMon widget settings and look what is changed - if there are new sensors appeared, do just display them, if not - notebook is just in so cool place, so they does not fluctuate. If not (you are in hottest place but notebook say you are in snowheap) - sensors might be broken.

My notebook start fluctuating usually at +28C and up in air (summer), and entirely does not fluctuating at winter (~20C in room, with -5C behind window).

Overheat you can observe manually by hand, and overheating by itself is dangerous, of course, in all cases, but especially when non-ACPI temperature fan control is used (I mean ACPI off). In such a case SysMon still can display acpi temperature sensors, but I am not sure that they are properly updated.

So, indeed, we have returned to the need of some action: manually "modprobe coretemp" (or sensors-detect - will do the same), and look at differences.

ps. yes, sorry, sensors-detect from lm-sensors package.
pss. regarding non-linux systems: if they do not work there is no reason to be hot, they are just cool.

First of all, I am not working with a laptop, it's an Inspiron 530s, which is a slim tower case.

Second, I am not referring to the CPU getting too hot or cold. I am referring to the sensors telling the correct temperature.

Thank you for your input though as you were mentioning the same tools as dibl.

[Thain]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F

I run my X6800 overclocked to 3.45GHz, so it idles at 44C/111F (CPU freq. at half speed). When I get it busy running a Win 7 VM and a browser and alsaplayer, it's not unusual to be at 57 - 60C, which is 140F. When I was doing some audio encoding work a couple years ago, I ran it up to 80C/176F a time or two. That's not harmful for most consumer electronics, but you don't want to go much past that level for any extended time.

In a Konsole window, run

sudo sensors

and it should output the same value that the plasma widget is giving you, if there's no "translation" going on with the widget.

As far as getting different reports from Windows and from Linux -- it's hard to tell, there are lots of variables to consider, including the accuracy of the drivers and software on both sides.

When I bought this computer, I was quite surprised at how cool it does run. Recently, I have taken the CPU heat sink off and re-applied "heat sink compound" because after 2 years with just moderate load (like starting up firefox) the fans would hit full force and sound like a jet taking off. The compound did fix that problem. (Even with dry and brittle old compound, the CPU never went above 140F.)

I do think that the "variables" you spoke of is the answer as different OS's utilize the CPU in different ways.
Thank you guys for your help... I consider this topic solved.

[Thain]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F

BTW, how do I mark this topic as solved?

[Snowhog]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F

Just return to your first post in this thread, click the modify button and you can add [SOLVED] to the subject.

[dibl]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F

When I bought this computer, I was quite surprised at how cool it does run. Recently, I have taken the CPU heat sink off and re-applied "heat sink compound" because after 2 years with just moderate load (like starting up firefox) the fans would hit full force and sound like a jet taking off. The compound did fix that problem. (Even with dry and brittle old compound, the CPU never went above 140F.)

Yes -- good move. It's not obvious to most people, at first, how the CPU temp could be "cool" but the heatsink fan screaming. Of course, when the thermal interface to the heatsink has air gaps, the CPU isn't really cool at all.

I like the Arctic Cooler Pro heatsink, and their "Arctic Silver" thermal paste -- seems to be a good combination for the few systems that I have built myself.

[Thain]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F [Solved]

I like the Arctic Cooler Pro heatsink, and their "Arctic Silver" thermal paste -- seems to be a good combination for the few systems that I have built myself.

Just so happens that the thermal paste I used was Arctic Silver, However due to the position of the heat sink and the size of my case, the Arctic cooler will not fit my machine. (bummer)

[molostoff]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F

First of all, I am not working with a laptop, it's an Inspiron 530s, which is a slim tower case.

Second, I am not referring to the CPU getting too hot or cold. I am referring to the sensors telling the correct temperature.

Oh, sorry for misunderstanding, I was nothing except the first answer. Its really cool.

[Thain]

Re: System Monitor Core Temp stuck at 104F [Solved]

First of all, I am not working with a laptop, it's an Inspiron 530s, which is a slim tower case.

Second, I am not referring to the CPU getting too hot or cold. I am referring to the sensors telling the correct temperature.

Oh, sorry for misunderstanding, I was nothing except the first answer. Its really cool.

You don't have to be sorry, I am happy that you gave your input. (you had the right ideas on how to fix it)