For those looking to reduce power consumption but more importantly lower their CPU idle temp: you can enable CPU cooling/power saving commands for your athlon or duron chip with a program called athcool.

You can install it on R5.X very easily:


If you're using R6, it is equally easy:


Note that under R6, this is all you need to do - the package will auto start the app and also start it at boot time. You're finished.

For R5.X, test that it works without ill-effects:


If you run into a problem, a simple reboot will solve it; athcool is off by default. If however you like it and want it to start up automatically. Follow the instructions in this page of the Wiki (scroll down to section II).

Does it work you ask? I have athcool running on my Athlon XP1900+ based system and have seen a significant decrease in power consumption as measured by my Kill-A-Watt when the system is in an idle state. I don't see too much of a decrease in the temps, but I have a pretty beefy heatsink/fan on this machine.

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Retired KM user (R4 - R6.04); friend to LH users.

Actually, this has been discussed here before, and there are some known problems related to this. The technique it uses isn't really safe for all chipsets (e.g. Nforce2 IGP) and BIOSes. If you try this beware of sudden mysterious crashes related to disk activity or DMA...

@tjc: I added a link on the wiki that points to a chart showing some supported chipsets; although I don't see the Nforce2 IGP you mentioned.

Thanks for the feedback.

_________________
Retired KM user (R4 - R6.04); friend to LH users.

I couldn't find the older discussion (it may have gotten lost in a past event), here is the most recent discussion of this. http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5447
A google search for "athcool" and "hang" may turn up more...

The wiki say nothing about the Bios configuration :

Anyone can correct my configuration ? :

Advanced Bios Features :
APIC Mode [enabled]
HDD S.M.A.R.T Capability [Disabled]

Power management setup :
Power Management Option [user define]
HDD Power Down [Disable]
Suspend Mode [Disable]
Video OFF Option [Suspend->off]
Video OFF Method [DPMS Support]

PC Healt Status :
Shutdown temperature [Disabled]

I'd probably enable the thermal shutdown (lest you fry you CPU and motherboard) and at least think about enabling the SMART mode.

ATHCOOL is installed and configured conforming to the Procedure.
My chipset (KM400-M2) is supported

I have configured my Bios an I see no difference. (the noise level of the Fan is always the same after 20 min.)
Here is my last change :


Advanced Bios Features :
HDD S.M.A.R.T Capability : [Enabled]
Power management setup :
HDD Power Down : 10 min.
Suspend Mode : 20 min.

PC Healt Status :
For shut down temperature, do you know what should I choose ?
Shutdown temperature :

[Disabled]
[60°C/140°F]
[65°C/149°F]
[70°C/158°F]

I see no error concerning ATHCOOL in the /var/log/messages

When I execute /usr/sbin/athcool on at the command line,
The system return no exception :
athcool version 0.3.11 - control power-saving mode on AMD Athlon/Duron CPUs
...
VIA KM400[A] (1106 3205) found
enabling 'Disconnect when STPGNT Detected' bit ... already enabled.
enabling 'HALT Command Detection' bit ... already enabled.

Well if they were already enabled you wouldn't expect to see a difference...

As for the shutdown temprature, I thnk mine is set pretty low, but then again my CPU runs around 32-33C most of the time, and I don't think I've ever seen it go over 45C.

BTW - What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Keeping the CPU from overheating? Making the machine quieter? There is a lot of good advice on both counts over at http://www.silentpcreview.com/. For the best results you've got to do some advanced planning and build the box from the ground up with your heat and noise goals in mind.

"power saving"

I think that the option is "ACPI function" in the power management section in my Bios. The problem is that I can't see this option.
If I read the documentation of the constructor, he talk about this option.
I thinks that I should have to update my Bios.

Thanks for your help

Just updated first post with new R5F27 info and pic of actual wattage reduction on this nifty tweak in action!

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Retired KM user (R4 - R6.04); friend to LH users.