[PLUG] An informative test - was [Re: T430 fan problem under Debian but not Windows]

[Richard Owlett]

On 1/1/2017 4:54 AM, Richard Owlett wrote:
> On 1/1/2017 1:26 AM, Tom wrote:
>> For what it is worth it, I have run (and still do) various versions of
>> openSuSE and Knoppix on T430 without any strange fan control problems.
>> The only fan issue I have encountered was noise from fan's dead
>> bearings after heavy 3 years use, resolved by replacing the
>> fan/heatsink assembly.
>> I'd think, that you could try to install or run live Ubuntu (because it
>> is close to Debian) and see what controls the fan, trace it to a
>> package or kernel module and install it on your Debian copy.
>> Scrolling through lsmod output I see following modules (smells like fan
>> related) loaded: thinkpad_acpi, thermal and various i2c modules maybe
>> used to control the fan's PWM
>> -Tomas
>
> You jolted me into thinking. Somewhere I have a Debian Live MATE
> DVD. That should be configured to _safely_ run any machine. I
> have a T43 as a dedicated Windows machine with a soundly audible
> fan. I'll run it there first and then I'll have a comparison point.
>
> Now where did I put that DVD ;)
>
> Thank you.
>

Ran Debian live on the T43 {which had already be running Windows 
for > 1 hr.)
The fan speed promptly *INCREASED* !!! <*GRIN*>

I installed from the live DVD onto the T430. Caught the fan 
running once.
Chose not to install any boot loader. Ran update-grub in my 
existing minimal install. Both instances of Debian ran normally.

I unsuccessful attempted a full install from the complete set of 
DVDs. There was a failure related to installing a boot loader.

Update-grub would not recognize that instance.  Then exited and 
booted Windows. The fan ran and the air coming out appeared 
reasonably cool.

I'll wipe these installs, find an applet that will display CPU 
temperature {Chuck Hast mentioned Gkrellm - plays well with 
MATE?} and do a fresh install.

More later.