High CPU temp

[TabletHater]

Compared to *buntus' performance in this same computer, I'm having relatively high CPU temps both in KDE (48-50 C) and in LXDE (48-49), though I don't see high CPU usage in Task Manager (system monitor). In Lubuntu it was generally around 37-41 and in other *buntus 4-5 degrees more. Is this due to the nature of Cauldron or is Mageia inherently heavy on CPU usage or is there another explanation for this?

[jaywalker]

Do you think it might have anything to do with CPU speed settings? I use the CPUfreq plugin in gkrellm to make it look more "techno-serious" but it might also be useful in seeing if Ubuntu is throttling back more often/assiduously.

[TabletHater]

Thank you for the comment jaywalker, but I can't think much (!), as I'm just a noob (not a complete virgin one) who happens to have installed Mageia 2 and is very satisfied with it. So if you say that buntus were cheating, I would be more satisfied! It's low now (38 C), but easily goes up to 46-48 C. I can install gkrellm, but can't compare with buntus as Mageia 2 is the only OS here.

[TabletHater]

On a side note, having installed Beta 1 I don't have to install Mageia 2 Beta 2, do I?

[jaywalker]

side note: no, just keep it up to date and you'll be fine. Beta 2 is actually a few days older than an up to date Beta 1 so it needs the rpmdrake updates to fix the crashing and mangling of the rpm lock tables (if you have seen this you'll know what I mean, or you can read this;https://forums.mageia.org/en/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2063)

CPU temp: I used to watch this in the summer, just for fun, but recently I had a reason to pay more attention to it. Modern CPUs often implement a method to allow an operating system to slow them down when the system is thought to be idle, or less busy. This is a favourite tweak on battery-powered machines to conserve power.

My brother has a Jolibook (small lightweight netbook) which uses an Ubuntu-based OS and he was having trouble using it for guitar processing due to latency issues. So we spent a couple of weekends trying to improve its real time performance and one of the issues I looked at was CPU throttling. In fact it was using a "performance" setting and not cutting the CPU rate, but we were operating off mains supply, so perhaps that may change when in battery operating mode.

Incidentally, I got it working satisfactorily for his purposes by co-installing Mageia 2 Alpha2 with a realtime kernel and now he doesn't want me to update it!

In your case I just thought that there are 3 ways I can think of, off the top of my head, to account for increased cpu temperature:
1. It is working harder at full speed
2. It is working at full speed instead of 3/4 speed
3. The room is warmer so the working temp goes up a couple of degrees.

Actually there is a fourth way, but it is highly speculative: the temperature is measured by the same device under two operating systems, but is the temperature sensor calibrated in exactly the same way?

If I were you I wouldn't worry about it until you see smoke

[TabletHater]

Thanks very much sir for the detailed and informative explanation. I've as well thought about that, your last speculation.

On still another side note, that real time kernel, is it easy to install and do you recommend? I've come across this subject many times and read that it's better not just for audio production but for listening as well.

[doktor5000]

Well, the thermal sensor does not need calibration at all, it only measures current temperature. The temperature mainly depends on
which cpu governor is selected and if the current kernel/setup has any additional powersaving features enabled, like laptop-mode-tools or
what you set in your desktop environment regarding powersaving and stuff like that.

You should first find out which governor is used, and then probably install cpufreq and adapt it's configuration to your needs.
By default cpufreq switches the Mageia kernel default governor "performance" to "ondemand". The "performance" governor is the default
because the "ondemand" governor is known to behave badly with the Mageia installer and also running livecds.

[TabletHater]

Thanks Dok. Will look into cpufreq. I assume ondemand governor doesn't behave badly once Megaia installed?

[doktor5000]

Not as far as i know, i'm currently using it as it's the default cpufreq configuration.

[TabletHater]

Not sure, but switching to ondemand seems to lower it a couple of degrees.