root/lm-sensors/trunk/README @ 1090

=============================================================================
     FOR QUICK INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS SEE THE 'QUICKSTART' FILE.
     FOR FULL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS SEE THE 'INSTALL' FILE.
     FOR THE FAQ SEE THE 'doc/FAQ' FILE.
=============================================================================

OVERVIEW OF THE LM_SENSORS PACKAGE AND SUMMARY OF SUPPORTED DEVICES

This is the completely rewritten version 2 of lm_sensors, a collection of
modules for general SMBus access and hardware monitoring.
Version 1 is now officially unsupported.

WARNING! Starting with lm_sensors version 2.5.0, only kernels 2.2.0 and
later are supported. Use lm_sensors version 2.4.5 if you use an older
kernel.

WARNING! If you downloaded this package through our CVS archive, you walk
the cutting edge. Things may not even compile! On the other hand, you will
be the first to profit from new drivers and other changes. Have fun!

WARNING! You also need the i2c package OR i2c support in your kernel.
Even if your kernel does contain i2c support,
you may need to patch your kernel with an updated i2c package,
unless i2c came bundled with lm_sensors.

Kernels 2.3.34 and later, and all 2.4.x kernels, contain the
new I2C package; however, you may still need to download and install
the latest I2C version if lm_sensors does not compile.

See the lm_sensors download page for guidance:
  http://www.netroedge.com/~lm78/download.html


At least the following I2C/SMBus adapters are supported:
  Acer Labs M1533, M1535, and M1543C
  AMD 756
  Apple Hydra (used on some PPC machines)
  Intel I801 ICH/ICH0/ICH2 (used in Intel 810, 810E, 815E, 820, 840 chipsets)
  Intel PIIX4 (used in many Intel chipsets)
  Intel I810/I815 GMCH
  ServerWorks OSB4
  SiS 5595
  3Dfx Voodoo 3 and Banshee
  VIA Technologies VT82C586B, VT82C596A/B, and VT82C686A


At least the following hardware sensor chips are supported:
  Analog Devices ADM1021, ADM1021A, ADM1022,
                 ADM1023, ADM1024, ADM1025, and ADM9240
  Asus AS99127F
  Dallas Semiconductor DS75, DS1621, DS1625, DS1775, and DS1780
  Hewlett Packard Maxilife (several revisions including '99 NBA)
  Genesys Logic GL518SM (rev 00, 80), GL520SM, GL523SM
  Intel Xeon processor embedded sensors
  Maxim MAX1617 and MAX1617A
  Myson MTP008
  National Semicoductor LM75, LM77, LM78, LM78-J, LM79,
                        LM80, LM81, LM84, and LM87
  SiS 5595 embedded sensors
  TelCom TCN75
  TI THMC10 and THMC50
  VIA Technologies VT82C686A/B embedded sensors
  Winbond W83781D, W83782D, W83783S, and W83627HF


We also support some miscellaneous chips:
  Linear Technologies LTC1710
  SDRAM Dimms with Serial Presence Detect EEPROMs
  Intel Xeon processor embedded EEPROMs
  DDC Monitor embedded EEPROMs


We always appreciate testers. If you own a specific monitoring
chip listed on our 'new drivers' page, and are willing to help us out,
please contact us. Even if you have no programming knowledge, you could
help us by running new modules and reporting on the results and output. 
If you want to offer more substantial help, this is very welcome too, of
course.


Don't ask us whether we support a particular mainboard; we do not know.
We *do* know what hardware we support, but usually, it is easier to
install everything and run sensors-detect. It will tell you what hardware
you have (and incidentally, what corresponding drivers are needed). You
could also take a look at http://mbm.livewiredev.com/
(this lists chips found on many mainboard, but regrettable, not the adapters
on them) or http://web01.fureai.or.jp/~hirobo/project/reserch_project.html
(yes, it is japanese; you want the ninth column, and it again lists only
chips, not adapters).


SMBus, also known as System Management Bus, is a protocol for communicating
through a I2C ('I squared C') bus. Many modern mainboards have a System
Management Bus. There are a lot of devices which can be connected to a
SMBus; the most notable are modern memory chips with EEPROM memories and
chips for hardware monitoring.

Most modern mainboards incorporate some form of hardware monitoring chips.
These chips read things like chip temperatures, fan rotation speeds and
voltage levels. There are quite a few different chips which can be used
by mainboard builders for approximately the same results.

Hardware monitoring chips are often connected to the SMBus, but often they
can also be connected to the ISA bus. The modules in this package usually
support both ways of accessing them.

Because the SMBus is just a special case of the generalized I2C bus, we
can simulate the SMBus protocol on plain I2C busses. These busses are
sometimes used in other parts of your computer. If a supported chip is
attached to one of these additional busses, they can be used too.

Please read INSTALL before trying to compile and install these modules.
There is a lot of additional documentation in the doc/ subdirectory.
Amnong these is a list of supported busses and chips. Regrettably, there
are too many mainboards to keep a list of busses and chips used on them.
On the other hand, we provide a program called 'sensors-detect' which
tries to figure out what hardware is available on your system.

The developers of this package can be reached through the email address
<sensors@stimpy.netroedge.com>. Do not hesitate to mail us if you have 
questions, suggestions, problems, want to contribute, or just want to 
report it works for you. But please try to read the documentation and
FAQ before you ask any questions!

The latest version of this package can always be found on our homepage:
http://www.netroedge.com/~lm78. Pre-release versions can be retrieved
through anonymous CVS; see doc/cvs for more information.

This whole package is copyright (c) 1998 - 2001 by Frodo Looijaard and 
Philip Edelbrock, except for a few drivers written by
other people. See the individual files for more exact copyright information.  
This package may be distributed according to the GNU General Public License 
(GPL), as included in the file COPYING.

Note that at this moment, libsensors falls under the GPL, not the LGPL.
In more human language, that means it is FORBIDDEN to link any application
to the library, even to the shared version, if the application itself
does not fall under the GPL. This will probably be changed in the future.
In the meantime, you will have to contact us first if you want to do this.