root/lm-sensors/trunk/doc/FAQ @ 1733

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1Table of Contents
2*****************
3
4
5lm_sensors
6
71 PC and Sensor Overview
8  1.1 What sensors are available on my PC?
9  1.2 What can a sensor chip like the "LM78" do?
10  1.3 Where do I find out more about any of these chips?
11
122 Sensor and Bus Basics
13  2.1 How are these sensors read?
14  2.2 What is the SMBus? And the I2C bus?
15  2.3 I don't have an ISA bus!
16  2.4 What sensors do processors have?
17  2.5 How often are the sensor values updated?
18  2.6 How are alarms triggered?
19
203 Installation and Management
21  3.1 Why so many modules, and how do I cope with them?
22  3.2 How do I know which chips I own?
23    3.2.1 What chips are on motherboard XYZ?
24    3.2.2 Do you support motherboard XYZ?
25    3.2.3 Do you support chip XYZ?
26    3.2.4 Anybody working on a driver for chip XYZ?
27  3.3 Which modules should I insert?
28  3.4 Do I need the configuration file `/etc/sensors.conf'?
29    3.4.1 The labels for the voltage and temperature readings in `sensors' are incorrect!
30    3.4.2 The min and max for the readings in `sensors' are incorrect!
31    3.4.3 The min and max settings in `/etc/sensors.conf' didn't take effect!
32    3.4.4 One sensor isn't hooked up on my board!
33    3.4.5 I need help with `sensors.conf'!
34    3.4.6 Do you have a database of `sensors.conf' entries for specific boards?
35  3.5 What about the `No such file or directory' warnings when I compile?
36  3.6 I get all kinds of weird compilation errors?
37    3.6.1 `No rule to make target xxxx needed by xxxx' - how to fix?
38  3.7 It still does not compile or patch!
39  3.8 `make install' fails on Mandrake kernels
40  3.9 I get unresolved symbols when I `modprobe' modules (Red Hat especially)
41  3.10 I2C_DRIVERID_ADM1024 undefined (Red Hat especially)
42
434 Problems
44  4.1 My fans report exactly half/double their values compared to the BIOS?
45    4.1.1 Fans sometimes/always read 0!!
46    4.1.2 I doubled the fan divisor and the fan still reads 7000!
47  4.2 Why do my two LM75's report "-48 degrees"?
48  4.3 Why do I have two Vcore readings, I have only one processor!
49  4.4 How do those ALARMS work? The current value is within range but there is still an ALARM warning!
50  4.5 My voltage readings seem to drift a bit. Is something wrong?
51  4.6 Some measurements are way out of range. What happened?
52  4.7 What are VID lines? Why is the VID reading wrong?
53  4.8 I read sensor values several times a second, but they are only updated only each second or so. Why?
54  4.9 It sometimes seems to take almost a second before I see the sensor reading results. Why?
55  4.10 Can I be alerted when an ALARM occurs?
56  4.11 SMBus transactions on my PIIX4 simply don't work (timeouts happen).  Why?
57  4.12 My BIOS reports a much higher CPU temperature than your modules!
58  4.13 I try to read the raw `/proc' files, but the values are strange?!?
59  4.14 How do I set new limits?
60    4.14.1 I set new limits and it didn't work?
61  4.15 Some sensors are doubly detected?
62  4.16 I ran sensors-detect, but now I get very strange readings?!?
63  4.17 Bad readings from particular chips
64    4.17.1 Bad readings from the AS99127F!
65    4.17.2 Bad readings from the VIA 686A!
66    4.17.3 Bad readings from the MTP008!
67    4.17.4 Bad temperature readings from the SIS5595!
68    4.17.5 Bad readings from a w8378[12]d!
69    4.17.6 Bus hangs on Ali 1543 on Asus P5A boards!
70    4.17.7 Bad readings from LM75!
71    4.17.8 Bad readings from LM78!
72    4.17.9 Bad readings from LM80!
73    4.17.10 Bad readings from it87!
74  4.18 How do I configure two chips (LM87) differently?
75  4.19 Dmesg says `Upgrade BIOS'! I don't want to!
76    4.19.1 Dmesg says `use force_addr=0xaddr'! What address do I use?
77  4.20 Sensors says `Can't access `/proc' file'
78  4.21 Sensors says `No sensors found!'
79  4.22 Sensors output is not correct!
80  4.23 What is at I2C address XXX?
81    4.23.1 What is at I2C address 0x69?
82    4.23.2 What is at I2C addresses 0x50 - 0x57?
83    4.23.3 What is at I2C addresses 0x30 - 0x37?
84  4.24 Sensors-detect doesn't work at all
85    4.24.1 Sensors-detect says "Couldn't open /proc/bus/i2c?!?"
86    4.24.2 Sensors-detect says "Can't open /dev/i2c[-/]0"
87    4.24.3 Sensors-detect doesn't find any sensors!
88  4.25 Sensors says `Error: Line xxx: zzzzzzz'
89  4.26 Sensors only gives the name, adapter, and algorithm for my chip
90  4.27 Sensors says `ERROR: Can't get xxxxx data!'
91  4.28 Sensors doesn't find any sensors, just eeproms.
92  4.29 Inserting modules hangs my board
93  4.30 Inserting modules slows down my board
94  4.31 Problems on particular motherboards
95    4.31.1 Asus P4B
96    4.31.2 Tyan 2460, 2462
97    4.31.3 Tyan 2466
98    4.31.4 Tyan 2688
99  4.32 Problems on particular systems
100
1015 How to Ask for Help
102  5.1 What to send us when asking for help
103  5.2 What to do if a module won't insert?
104  5.3 What to do if it inserts, but nothing happens?
105  5.4 What to do if I read only bogus information?
106  5.5 What to do if you have other problems?
107  5.6 What if it just works like a charm?
108  5.7 How do I update a ticket?
109  5.8 How do I follow up on a ticket?
110
1116 How to Contribute
112  6.1 How to write a driver
113  6.2 How to get CVS access
114  6.3 How to donate hardware to the project
115  6.4 How to join the project mailing list
116  6.5 How to access mailing list archives
117  6.6 How to submit a patch
118  6.7 How to REALLY help
119  6.8 How to block spam on the project mailing list
120
1217 Version 1 Specific Questions
122  7.1 My manufacturer swears that my mainboard has an SMBus, but your code reports that it can't find it.  What's wrong?
123  7.2 The modules won't load, saying 'SMBus not detected'.
124  7.3 I try to read `/proc/sensors', and I get a "No sensor data yet (try again in a few moments)" message. Why?
125  7.4 On my Dell, a LM80 is detected, but all readings are 0!
126
127Appendix A Revision History of This Document
128
129
130lm_sensors
131**********
132
133   The lm_sensors package includes a collection of modules for general
134SMBus access and hardware monitoring.  NOTE: this requires special
135support which is not in standard 2.2-vintage kernels.
136
1371 PC and Sensor Overview
138************************
139
1401.1 What sensors are available on my PC?
141========================================
142
143   Most PC's built since late 1997 now come with a hardware health
144monitoring chip. This chip may be accessed via the ISA bus or the
145SMBus, depending on the motherboard.
146
147   Some motherboard chipsets, notably the Via 686 and the SiS 5595,
148contain hardware monitor functions.
149
150   This FAQ frequently refers to the "LM78". This chip has been
151obsoleted by National Semiconductor. Most motherboards today contain a
152chip with similar functions.
153
1541.2 What can a sensor chip like the "LM78" do?
155==============================================
156
157   The LM78 is a chip made by National Semiconductor which can monitor 7
158voltages (5 positive, 2 negative) from 0 to 4.08V.  The inputs are
159usually in series with voltage dividers which lower the +/- 12V and +/-
1605V supplies to measurable range.  Therefore, the readings for such
161inputs need to be re-scaled appropriately by software.
162
163   The LM78 also has 3 fan speed monitoring inputs, an internal
164temperature sensor, a chassis intrusion sensor, and a couple maskable
165interrupt inputs.  The LM78 can also relay the processor's (P6 or Pent
166II) VID lines which are hardwired and used to indicate to the power
167regulator (usually on the mainboard close to the processor socket/slot)
168what voltage to supply to the processor.
169
170   The LM78 can be interfaced to a system via the ISA bus and/or the
171SMBus.
172
173   Most other sensor chips have comparable functionality. Each supported
174chip is documented in the `doc/chips' directory.
175
1761.3 Where do I find out more about any of these chips?
177======================================================
178
179   Most semiconductor companies have comprehensive documentation,
180including complete datasheets, on their websites. Analog Devices,
181Dallas Semiconductor, Maxim, and National Semiconductor have the widest
182selection of sensor chips. Their websites are:
183
184   * `http://www.analog.com'
185
186   * `http://www.dalsemi.com'
187
188   * `http://www.maxim-ic.com'
189
190   * `http://www.national.com'
191
192   Please see the file
193`http://www2.lm-sensors.nu/~lm78/useful_addresses.html' for links to
194other companies' websites.
195
1962 Sensor and Bus Basics
197***********************
198
1992.1 How are these sensors read?
200===============================
201
202   Sensor chips reside on either the ISA bus, the SMBus, or both.  See
203the file `doc/chips/SUMMARY' in our package for a list.
204
205   To communicate with chips on the ISA bus, the software uses simple
206I/O reads and writes.
207
208   To communicate with chips on the SMBus, the software must use an
209SMBus interface device, explained below.
210
2112.2 What is the SMBus? And the I2C bus?
212=======================================
213
214   The SMBus is the "System Management Bus".  More specifically, it is a
2152-wire, low-speed serial communication bus used for basic health
216monitoring and hardware management. It is a specific implementation of
217the more general I2C (pronunciation: I-squared-C) bus. In fact, both
218I2C devices and SMBus devices may be connected to the same (I2C) bus.
219
220   The SMBus (or I2C bus) starts at the host controller, used for
221starting transactions on the SMBus.  From the host interface, the
222devices communicated with are the "slave" devices.  Each slave device
223has a unique 7-bit address which the host uses to refer to that device.
224
225   For each supported SMBus host, there is a separate kernel module
226which implements the communication protocol with the host. Some SMBus
227hosts really operate on the SMBus level; these hosts can not cope with
228pure I2C devices. Other hosts are in fact I2C hosts: in this case, we
229implement the SMBus protocol in terms of I2C operations. But these
230hosts can also talk to pure I2C devices.
231
2322.3 I don't have an ISA bus!
233============================
234
235   We promise, you do, even if you don't have any old ISA slots.  The
236"ISA Bus" exists in your computer even if you don't have ISA slots; it
237is simply a memory-mapped area, 64KB in size (0x0000 - 0xFFFF) where
238many "legacy" functions, such as keyboard and interrupt controllers,
239are found. It isn't necessarily a separate physical bus.  See the file
240`/proc/ioports' for a list of devices living on the "ISA Bus" in your
241system. If you don't like the term "ISA Bus" think "I/O Space".
242
2432.4 What sensors do processors have?
244====================================
245
246   Most new processors contain a thermal diode on the die itself.  The
247electical properties of all diodes and transistors vary slightly with
248temperature. The thermal diode is exceptionally accurate because it is
249directly on the die. Newer temperature sensor chips, like the Analog
250Devices ADM1021 and clones, and the Winbond chips, have circuitry for
251measuring the the electrical properties of an external diode and
252converting this data to a temperature.  Any sensor chip listed in
253`doc/chips/SUMMARY' in our package which has support for more than one
254temperature supports external temperature sensing.
255
256   Older motherboards and processors without this feature generally use
257an LM75 placed close to the processor. This is much less accurate.
258
259   The Pentium 2 'boxed' processor usually has an LM75 very close to the
260base of the box. It can be read through the SMBus to report the
261approximate temperature of the processor.  The processor also contains
262an internal temperature sensor (of low accuracy) used as a fail-safe to
263disable the processor in case it gets much too hot (usually around 130
264degrees C).  And, the Pentium 2 also has a hard-wired signal (VID
265lines) on it's SEC (single edge connector) which indicates what power
266supply is required to operate the processor.
267
268   The P6 (Pentium-Pro) may have an LM75 in or just under the socket.
269P6's also have VID lines.
270
271   Pentiums and Pentium w/ MMX do not have VID lines, and sometimes have
272LM75's under the sockets (depends on the mainboard, and how 'modern' the
273mainboard is).
274
275   The P2 Xeon was the first Intel processor to include the SMBus
276interface on the P2 Xeon SEC.
277
2782.5 How often are the sensor values updated?
279============================================
280
281   The LM78, and most other sensor chips like it, reads its sensors one
282by one. A complete scanning sweep will take about 1.5 seconds. The LM78
283stops readings sensors if you try to access it, so if you access it
284very often (by reading sensor values; writing new limits is safe) it
285will not find the time to update its sensor values at all! Fortunately,
286the kernel module takes care not to do this, and only reads new values
287each 1.5 seconds. If you read the values again, you will get the 'old'
288values again.
289
2902.6 How are alarms triggered?
291=============================
292
293   It is possible to monitor each sensor and have an alarm go off if it
294crosses some pre-determined limits.  There are two sorts of interrupts
295which can be generated by sensor chips if this happens (it depends a
296bit on the actual chip if both are supported; the LM80, for example,
297has only IRQ interrupts): IRQ interrupts and SMI interrupts.  IRQ
298stands for Interrupt Request and are the interrupt lines you can find
299in `/proc/interrupts'.  SMI stands for System Management Interrupt, and
300is a special interrupt which puts the processor in a secure environment
301independent of any other things running.  SMI is currently not
302supported by the Linux kernel.  IRQs are supported, of course.
303
304   Even if no interrupt is generated, some bits in a status register
305will be set until the register is read the next time. If the alarm
306condition persists after that, the bits will be set on the next
307scanning sweep, etc.
308
309   Most drivers in our package do not support interrupts at this time.
310
3113 Installation and Management
312*****************************
313
3143.1 Why so many modules, and how do I cope with them?
315=====================================================
316
317   We tried to make this package as modular as possible. This makes it
318easy to add new drivers, and unused drivers will take no precious kernel
319space. On the other hand, it can be a bit confusing at first.
320
321   Here are two simple guidelines:
322   * Run `sensors-detect' and do what it tells you.
323
324   * Always use `modprobe', not `insmod'.
325
326   Further information is in `doc/modules'.
327
3283.2 How do I know which chips I own?
329====================================
330
331   We have an excellent program that scans all your hardware.  It is
332called `sensors-detect' and is installed in `/usr/local/sbin' by `make
333install'. Just execute this script, and it will tell you.
334
335   Chip detection in the drivers is fairly good. That means that it is
336usually harmless to insert more chip drivers than you need. However,
337this can still lead to problems, so we do not recommend it.
338
339   If sensors-detect didn't find any sensors, either you don't have
340any, or the ones you have, we don't support. (Look at your motherboard
341for candidates, then *note Help::)
342
3433.2.1 What chips are on motherboard XYZ?
344----------------------------------------
345
346   *!!!!!!!!! YES THIS IS THE MOST FREQUENT QUESTION WE GET !!!!!!!!!*
347
348   We have no idea. Here is what you should do:
349  1. Run sensors-detect.
350
351   If that doesn't work:
352  2. Look at your motherboard.
353
354  3. Check the manufacturer's website or ask their support
355
356  4. Check the Motherboard Monitor (http://mbm.livewiredev.com/)
357     website and the "links"
358     (http://www2.lm-sensors.nu/~lm78/cvs/lm_sensors2/doc/useful_addresses.html)
359     page on our website (http://www2.lm-sensors.nu/~lm78/) some good
360     cross-references.
361
3623.2.2 Do you support motherboard XYZ?
363-------------------------------------
364
365   We don't support boards, we support chips. *Note What chips are on
366motherboard XYZ: Section 3.2.1.
367
3683.2.3 Do you support chip XYZ?
369------------------------------
370
371   This we have good answers for.
372   * Sorted by Manufacturer:   `README'
373
374   * Sorted by Manufacturer:
375     `http://www2.lm-sensors.nu/~lm78/supported.html'
376
377   * Sorted by Sensor Driver:  `doc/chips/SUMMARY'
378
379   * Newest Driver Status:
380     `http://www2.lm-sensors.nu/~lm78/newdrivers.html'
381
3823.2.4 Anybody working on a driver for chip XYZ?
383-----------------------------------------------
384
385   Newest Driver Status:
386`http://www2.lm-sensors.nu/~lm78/newdrivers.html'
387
3883.3 Which modules should I insert?
389==================================
390
391   `sensors-detect' will tell you. Take the `modprobe' lines it
392recommends and paste them into the appropriate `/etc/rc.d/xxxx' file to
393be executed at startup.
394
395   You need one module for each sensor chip and bus adapter you own; if
396there are sensor chips on the ISA bus, you also need `i2c-isa.o'.  for
397each type of chip you own. That's all. On my computer, I could use the
398following lines:
399   * `modprobe i2c-isa'
400
401   * `modprobe i2c-piix4'
402
403   * `modprobe lm78'
404
405   * `modprobe lm75'
406
407   * `modprobe i2c-dev'
408
409   * `sensors -s'
410
4113.4 Do I need the configuration file `/etc/sensors.conf'?
412=========================================================
413
414   Yes, for any applications that use `libsensors,' including the
415`sensors' application included in our package.  It tells libsensors how
416to translate the values the chip measures to real-world values. This is
417especially important for voltage inputs. The default configuration file
418should usually do the trick.  It is automatically installed as
419`/etc/sensors.conf', but it will not overwrite any existing file with
420that name.
421
4223.4.1 The labels for the voltage and temperature readings in `sensors' are incorrect!
423-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
424
425   Every motherboard is different. You can customize the labels in the
426file `/etc/sensors.conf'. That's why it exists!  The default labelling
427(in `lib/chips.c' and `/etc/sensors.conf') is just a template.
428
4293.4.2 The min and max for the readings in `sensors' are incorrect!
430------------------------------------------------------------------
431
432   You can customize them in the file `/etc/sensors.conf'. See above.
433
4343.4.3 The min and max settings in `/etc/sensors.conf' didn't take effect!
435-------------------------------------------------------------------------
436
437   You forgot to run `sensors -s'. See above.
438
4393.4.4 One sensor isn't hooked up on my board!
440---------------------------------------------
441
442   Use an `ignore' line in `/etc/sensors.conf' so it isn't displayed in
443`sensors'.
444
4453.4.5 I need help with `sensors.conf'!
446--------------------------------------
447
448   There is detailed help at the top of that file.
449
4503.4.6 Do you have a database of `sensors.conf' entries for specific boards?
451---------------------------------------------------------------------------
452
453   No. Good idea though. If you would like to set one up on your website
454send us mail and we will set up a link to it.
455
4563.5 What about the `No such file or directory' warnings when I compile?
457=======================================================================
458
459   Don't worry about them. The dependency files (which tell which files
460should be recompiled when certain files change) are created
461dynamically. They are not distributed with the package. The `make'
462program notices they are not there, and warns about that - and the
463first thing it will do is generate them. So all is well.
464
4653.6 I get all kinds of weird compilation errors?
466================================================
467
468   Check that the correct i2c header files are used. Depending on how
469you installed, they should be under either `/usr/local/include' or
470`/usr/src/linux*/include'. Try to edit the `Makefile' for the other
471setting.
472
4733.6.1 `No rule to make target xxxx needed by xxxx' - how to fix?
474----------------------------------------------------------------
475
476   * *Note I get all kinds of weird compilation errors: Section 3.6,
477     also try `make clean' in `lm_sensors'.
478
479   * If that doesn't work, try `make clean' in `i2c'.
480
481   * If that doesn't work, try `make clean' in the kernel.
482
483   * Also make sure `/usr/include/linux' points to
484     `/usr/src/linux/include/linux'.
485
4863.7 It still does not compile or patch!
487=======================================
488
489   Have you installed the matching version of the i2c package? Remember,
490compilation is not enough, you also need to install it for the header
491files to be found!
492
493   If you want to patch the kernel, you will have to apply the i2c
494patches first!
495
4963.8 `make install' fails on Mandrake kernels
497============================================
498
499   Mandrake uses a non-standard `version.h' file which confuses our
500`Makefile'.  Edit our `Makefile' on the `MODDIR :=' line to hard-code
501the module directory.
502
5033.9 I get unresolved symbols when I `modprobe' modules (Red Hat especially)
504===========================================================================
505
506   Example:
507     *** Unresolved symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.5/kernel/drivers/i2c/i2c-i810.o
508     i2c_bit_add_bus_R8c3bc60e
509     i2c_bit_del_bus_R92b18f49
510
511   You can also run `depmod -a -e' to see all unresolved symbols.
512
513   These are module versioning problems. Generally you did not compile
514against the kernel you are running. Sometimes the Red Hat source you
515have is not for the kernel you are running.  You must compile our
516package against the source for the kernel you are running with
517something like `make LINUX=/usr/src/linux-2.4.14'.
518
519   Try the following to be sure:
520
521   * `nm --extern MODULE.o' Filter out the kernel symbols, like
522     `kmalloc', `printk' etc. and note the number code behind them,
523     like `printk_R1b7d4074'. If there is no numeric code after them,
524     note this too.
525
526   * `grep SYMBOL /proc/ksyms' Substitute SYMBOL by the basename of the
527     symbols above, like `kmalloc', `printk' etc. Note the number code
528     behind them, or the lack thereof.
529
530   * Compare both sets of symbols. Are they the same? If so, the problem
531     lies somewhere else. Are they different? If so, you have a module
532     versioning problem.
533
5343.10 I2C_DRIVERID_ADM1024 undefined (Red Hat especially)
535========================================================
536
537   In some versions of Redhat, an RPM is included to provide i2c
538support.  However, this RPM does not place the header files in the
539kernel directory structure.  When you update kernels, they may persist.
540To get rid of these obsolete header files, at a command prompt:
541
542  1. `rpm -qa | grep i2c'
543
544  2. Look for `kernel-i2c,' or a similar rpm in the output
545
546  3. <as root> `rpm -ev kernel-i2c' (or the name of the similar package)
547     If this complains about dependencies, you can try adding
548     `--nodeps', but this *MAY* break something else.  Not likely, as
549     you have upgraded kernels, and nothing should be using the old i2c
550     stuff anymore anyway.  Just don't use it with abandon.
551
552  4. Try (in the build directory of `lm_sensors)'
553          `make clean'
554          `make'
555
556  5. _If_ you still have problems, you may have to replace the include
557     paths in the `.c/.h' files with absolute paths to the header files.
558     More of a workaround than a real fix, but at least you can get it
559     to work.
560
5614 Problems
562**********
563
5644.1 My fans report exactly half/double their values compared to the BIOS?
565=========================================================================
566
567   The problem with much of the sensor data is that it is impossible to
568properly interpret some of the readings without knowing what the
569hardware configuration is.  Some fans report one 'tick' each rotation,
570some report two 'ticks' each rotation. It is easy to resolve this
571through the configuration file `/etc/sensors.conf':
572
573     chip lm78-*             # Or whatever chip this relates to
574     compute fan1 2*@,@/2    # This will double the fan1 reading
575                             # -- or --
576     compute fan1 @/2,2*@    # This will halve the fan1 reading
577
578   See `doc/fan-divisors' in our package for further information.
579
5804.1.1 Fans sometimes/always read 0!!
581------------------------------------
582
583   You may not have a three-wire fan, which is required.
584
585   You may need to increase the 'fan divisor'. See `doc/fan-divisors'
586in our package for further information.
587
5884.1.2 I doubled the fan divisor and the fan still reads 7000!
589-------------------------------------------------------------
590
591   Believe it or not, doubling the 'fan divisor' will not halve the fan
592reading. You have to add a compute line in `/etc/sensors.conf'.  *Note
593My fans report exactly half/double their values compared to the BIOS:
594Section 4.1, and see `doc/fan-divisors' in our package for further
595information.
596
5974.2 Why do my two LM75's report "-48 degrees"?
598==============================================
599
600   For starters, those aren't LM75's.  Your mainboard actually has the
601Winbond W83781D which emulates two LM75's, but many systems which use
602the Winbond chip (such as the Asus P2B) don't have the thermo-resisters
603connected to the chip resulting in these strange -48 degree readings.
604
605   If you have an Asus P2B and want more information on adding thermal
606sensing capability, check out:
607`http://ultimatepc.fsn.net/techinfo/p2bthermistor/p2bthermistor.htm'
608
609   In upcoming versions, you will be able to disable non-interesting
610readings.
611
6124.3 Why do I have two Vcore readings, I have only one processor!
613================================================================
614
615   The LM78 has seven voltage sensors. The default way of connecting
616them is used in the configuration file. This includes a VCore2, even if
617you do not have one. You can easily edit the configuration file to give
618it another name, or make this reading disappear using an `ignore' line.
619
620   Note that Vcore2 is often the same as Vcore on motherboards which
621only support one processor. Another possibility is that Vcore2 is not
622connected at all and will not have a valid reading at all.  A third
623possibility, is that Vcore2 monitors something else, so you should not
624be too surprised if the values are completely different.
625
6264.4 How do those ALARMS work? The current value is within range but there is still an ALARM warning!
627====================================================================================================
628
629   The ALARM indications in `sensors' are those reported by the sensor
630chip itself. They are NOT calculated by `sensors'. `sensors' simply
631reads the ALARM bits and reports them.
632
633   An ALARM will go off when a minimum or maximum limit is crossed.
634The ALARM is then latched - that is, it will stay there until the
635chip's registers are next accessed - which will be the next time you
636read these values, but not within (usually) 1.5 seconds since the last
637update.
638
639   Reading the registers clears the ALARMS, unless the current value is
640still out of range.
641
642   The purpose of this scheme is to tell you if there has been a
643problem and report it to the user. Voltage or temperature spikes get
644detected without having to read the sensor chip hundreds of times a
645second. The implemetation details depend a bit on the kind of chip.
646See the specific chip documentation in `doc/chips' and the chip
647datasheet for more information.
648
6494.5 My voltage readings seem to drift a bit. Is something wrong?
650================================================================
651
652   No, probably not. If your motherboard heats up a bit, the sensed
653voltages will drift a bit. If your power supply is loaded (because a
654disk gets going, for example), the voltages may get a bit lower. Heavy
655processor activity, in particular, dramatically increases core voltage
656supply load which will often cause variation in the other supplies.  As
657long as they stay within a sensible range (say 5% of the nominal value
658for CPU core voltages, and 10% for other voltages), there is no reason
659to worry.
660
6614.6 Some measurements are way out of range. What happened?
662==========================================================
663
664   Each module tries to set limits to sensible values on initialization,
665but a module does not know how a chip is actually connected. This is
666described in the configuration file, which is not read by kernel
667modules.  So limits can be strange, if the chip is connected in a
668non-standard way.
669
670   Readings can also be strange; there are several reasons for this.
671Temperature sensors, for example, can simply not be present, even though
672the chip supports them. Also, it can be that the input is used in a
673non-standard way. You can use the configuration file to describe how
674this measurement should be interpreted; see the comments the example
675file for more information.
676
6774.7 What are VID lines? Why is the VID reading wrong?
678=====================================================
679
680   These describe the core voltage for your processor. They are
681supported for most processors, however they are not always correctly
682connected to the sensor chip, so the readings may be invalid.  A
683reading of 0V, +3.5V or +2.05V is especially suspect.  If this is the
684case, add a line `ignore vid' to `/etc/sensors.conf', and change the
685min and max settings for the Processor Core voltage (often in0_min and
686in0_max) in that file so that they don't depend on vid.
687
6884.8 I read sensor values several times a second, but they are only updated only each second or so. Why?
689=======================================================================================================
690
691   If we would read the registers more often, it would not find the
692time to update them. So we only update our readings once each 1.5
693seconds (the actual delay is chip-specific; for some chips, it may not
694be needed at all).
695
6964.9 It sometimes seems to take almost a second before I see the sensor reading results. Why?
697============================================================================================
698
699   ISA bus access is fast, but SMBus access is really slow. If you have
700a lot of sensors, it just takes a lot of time to access them.
701Fortunately, this has almost no impact on the system as a whole, as
702another job can run while we are waiting for the transaction to finish.
703
7044.10 Can I be alerted when an ALARM occurs?
705===========================================
706
707   No, you can't; and it may well be never supported.
708
709   Almost no mainboard we have encountered have actually connected the
710IRQ-out pin of sensor chips. That means that we could enable IRQ
711reporting, but nothing would happen. Also, even if a motherboard has it
712connected, it is unclear what interrupt number would be triggered. And
713IRQ lines are a scarce facility, which means that almost nobody would
714be able to use it anyway.
715
716   The SMI interrupt is only available on a few types of chips. It is
717really a very obscure way to handle interrupts, and supporting it under
718Linux might be quite hard to do.
719
720   Your best bet would be to poll the alarm file with a user-land daemon
721which alerts you if an alarm is raised. I am not aware of any program
722which does the job, though you might want to examine one of the
723graphical monitor programs under X, see
724`http://www2.lm-sensors.nu/~lm78/useful_addresses.html' for addresses.
725
7264.11 SMBus transactions on my PIIX4 simply don't work (timeouts happen).  Why?
727==============================================================================
728
729   Some chips which mainboard makers connect to the SMBus are not SMBus
730devices.  An example is the 91xx clock generator chips.  When read,
731these devices can lock up the SMBus until the next hard reboot.  This
732is because they have a similar serial interface (like the I2C), but
733don't conform to Intel's SMBus standard.
734
735   Why did they connect these devices to the SMBus if they aren't
736compatible?  Good question! :')  Actually, these devices may support
737being written to, but lock things up when they are read.
738
7394.12 My BIOS reports a much higher CPU temperature than your modules!
740=====================================================================
741
742   We display the actual temperature of the sensor. This may not be the
743temperature you are interested in, though.  If a sensor should measure
744the CPU temperature, it must be in thermal contact with it.  In
745practice, it is just somewhere near it. Your BIOS may correct for this
746(by adding, for example, thirty degrees to the measured temperature).
747The correction factor is regrettably different for each mainboard, so
748we can not do this in the module itself. You can do it through the
749configuration file, though:
750
751     chip lm75-*-49                      # Or whatever chip this relates to
752     label temp "Processor"
753     compute temp @*1.2+13,(@-13)/1.2    # Or whatever formula
754
7554.13 I try to read the raw `/proc' files, but the values are strange?!?
756=======================================================================
757
758   Remember, these values do not take the configuration file `compute'
759lines in account. This is especially obvious for voltage readings
760(usually called in? or vin?). Use a program linked to libsensors (like
761the provided `sensors' program) instead.
762
7634.14 How do I set new limits?
764=============================
765
766   Change the limit values in `/etc/sensors.conf' and then run `sensors
767-s'.
768
7694.14.1 I set new limits and it didn't work?
770-------------------------------------------
771
772   You forgot to run `sensors -s'. Put it in a `/etc/rc.d/...' file
773after the modprobe lines to run at startup.
774
7754.15 Some sensors are doubly detected?
776======================================
777
778   Yes, this is still a problem. It is partially solved by alias
779detection and confidence values in sensors-detect, but it is really
780tough.
781
782   Double detections can be caused by two things: sensors can be
783detected to both the ISA and the SMBus (and if you have loaded the
784approprate adapter drivers, it will be detected on both), and some
785chips simulate other chips (the Winbond W83781D simulates LM75 chips on
786the SMBus, for example). Remove the offending adapter or chip driver, or
787run sensors-detect and add the `ignore=' modprobe parameters it
788suggests.
789
7904.16 I ran sensors-detect, but now I get very strange readings?!?
791=================================================================
792
793   Your SMBus (PIIX4?) is probably crashed or hung. There are some
794mainboards which connect a clock chip to the SMBus. Unfortunately, this
795clock chip hangs the PIIX4 if it is read (it is an I2C device, but not
796SMBus compatible).  We have found no way of solving this, except for
797rebooting your computer.  Next time when you run sensors-detect, you
798may want to exclude addresses 0x69 and/or 0x6a, by entering `s' when
799you are asked whether you want to scan the PIIX4.
800
8014.17 Bad readings from particular chips
802=======================================
803
804   See below for some particularly troublesome chips.  Also be sure and
805check `doc/chips/xxxxx' for the particular driver.
806
8074.17.1 Bad readings from the AS99127F!
808--------------------------------------
809
810   The Asus AS99127F is a modified version of the Winbond W83781D.
811Asus will not release a datasheet. The driver was developed by tedious
812experimentation. We've done the best we can. If you want to make
813adjustments to the readings please edit `/etc/sensors.conf.' Please
814don't ask us to fix the driver. Ask Asus to release a datasheet.
815
8164.17.2 Bad readings from the VIA 686A!
817--------------------------------------
818
819   The Via 686A datasheet is incomplete.  Via will not release details.
820The driver was developed by tedious experimentation. We've done the
821best we can. If you want to make adjustments to the readings please
822edit `/etc/sensors.conf.' Please don't ask us to fix the driver. Ask
823Via to release a better datasheet.  Also, don't forget to `modprobe
824i2c-isa'.
825
8264.17.3 Bad readings from the MTP008!
827------------------------------------
828
829   The MTP008 has programmable temperature sensor types.  If your
830sensor type does not match the default, you will have to change it.
831See `doc/chips/mtp008' for details.  Also, MTP008 chips seem to
832randomly refuse to respond, for unknown reasons. You can see this as
833'XX' entries in i2cdump.
834
8354.17.4 Bad temperature readings from the SIS5595!
836-------------------------------------------------
837
838   This chip can use multiple thermistor types and there are also two
839different versions of the chip. We are trying to get the driver working
840better and develop formulas for different thermistors but we aren't
841there yet. Sorry.  Also, many times the chip isn't really a sis5595 but
842it was misidentified. We are working on improving that too.
843
8444.17.5 Bad readings from a w8378[12]d!
845--------------------------------------
846
847   Do you own an ASUS motherboard?  Perhaps your chip is being
848misidentified.  Look on the motherboard (or at
849`http://mbm.livewiredev.com') for a 'Winbond' or Asus chip.  Often the
850real device is an Asus as99127f. If so, the driver can be forced to
851recognize the as99127f with `force_as99127f=BUS,0x2d' where `BUS' is
852your i2c bus number.  Cat /proc/bus/i2c to see a list of bus numbers.
853Read the w83781d module documentation (`doc/chips/w83781d') for more
854details.
855
8564.17.6 Bus hangs on Ali 1543 on Asus P5A boards!
857------------------------------------------------
858
859   The SMBus tends to hang on this board and it seems to get worse at
860higher temperatures. Use ISA accesses to reliably use the w83781d
861monitor chip on this board and use the `ignore=1,0x2d' or similar option
862to the w83781d module to prevent i2c accesses.
863
8644.17.7 Bad readings from LM75!
865------------------------------
866
867   The LM75 detection is poor and other hardware is often misdetected
868as an LM75. Figure out what you really have *Note What chips are on
869motherboard XYZ: Section 3.2.1.
870
8714.17.8 Bad readings from LM78!
872------------------------------
873
874   The LM78 is no longer manufactured by National Semiconductor.  You
875probably don't have a real LM78 but something similar that we do not
876recogize or support. Figure out what you really have *Note What chips
877are on motherboard XYZ: Section 3.2.1.
878
8794.17.9 Bad readings from LM80!
880------------------------------
881
882   The LM80 detection is poor and other hardware is often misdetected
883as an LM80. Figure out what you really have *Note What chips are on
884motherboard XYZ: Section 3.2.1.
885
8864.17.10 Bad readings from it87!
887-------------------------------
888
889   The it87 temperature sesnsors are configured, unfortunately, in a
890way different from w83781d. They cannot be configured from
891`/etc/sensors.conf'; they must be set at modprobe insertion with
892`modprobe it87 temp_type=0xXX'. See `doc/chips/it87' for details.
893
8944.18 How do I configure two chips (LM87) differently?
895=====================================================
896
897   There is a SuperMicro board with two LM87's on it that are not
898hooked up in the same way, so they need different defaults.  For
899example, both CPU temperatures go to one LM87.
900
901   Make two different sections in `/etc/sensors.conf' as follows:
902     chip "lm87-i2c-*-2c"
903         put configuration for the chip at 0x2c here
904     chip "lm87-i2c-*-2d"
905         put configuration for the chip at 0x2d here
906
907   There is a commented example in `sensors.conf.eg' which should be
908helpful.
909
9104.19 Dmesg says `Upgrade BIOS'! I don't want to!
911================================================
912
913   If the problem is a PCI device is not present in `lspci', the
914solution is complex. For the ALI M7101 device, there is a solution
915which uses the 2.4 kernel's `hotplug' facility. See `prog/hotplug' in
916our package.  For other PCI devices, you can try to modify the m7101
917solution in `prog/hotplug'.
918
919   If dmesg says `try force_addr', see below. Other drivers generally
920do not support the force_addr parameter. Sorry. Check the documentation
921for your driver in `doc/[chips,busses]' and if we don't support it you
922can send us your request.
923
9244.19.1 Dmesg says `use force_addr=0xaddr'! What address do I use?
925-----------------------------------------------------------------
926
927   If the problem is a PCI device whose base address is not set, you
928may be able to set the address with a force parameter. The via686a and
929sis5595 chip drivers, and some bus drivers, support the command line
930`modprobe via686a force_addr=0xADDRESS' where ADDRESS is the I/O
931address. You must select an address that is not in use.  `cat
932`/proc/ioports'' to check (carefully) for conflicts. A high number like
9330xf000 is generally safe.
934
9354.20 Sensors says `Can't access `/proc' file'
936=============================================
937
938   * (release 2.6.0 and later) Did you `modprobe i2c-proc'? Check
939     `lsmod'.
940
941   * (release 2.5.5 and earlier) Did you 'modprobe sensors'? Check
942     'lsmod'.
943
944   * If you did `sensors -s', did you run it as root?
945
946   * Do you have `/proc' support in your kernel (is `/proc' there?)
947
9484.21 Sensors says `No sensors found!'
949=====================================
950
951   * Did `sensors-detect' find sensors? (If not *note Sensors-detect
952     doesnt find any sensors::)
953
954   * Did you do what `sensors-detect' said?
955
956   * Did you `modprobe' your sensor modules?
957
958   * Did you `modprobe' your I2C adapter modules?
959
960   * Did you `modprobe i2c-isa' if you have ISA sensor chips?
961
962   * Check `lsmod'.
963
9644.22 Sensors output is not correct!
965===================================
966
967   What specifically is the trouble?
968   * Labels: *Note The labels for the voltage and temperature readings
969     in sensors are incorrect: Section 3.4.1.
970
971   * Min/max readings: *Note The min and max for the readings in
972     sensors are incorrect: Section 3.4.2, and *Note The min and max
973     settings didnt take effect: Section 3.4.3.
974
975   * AS99127F: *Note I ran sensors-detect but now I get very strange
976     readings?: Section 4.16.
977
978   * Via 686A: *Note I ran sensors-detect but now I get very strange
979     readings?: Section 4.16.
980
981   * Other specific chips: *Note I ran sensors-detect but now I get
982     very strange readings?: Section 4.16.
983
984   * No output for a particular sensors chip: *Note What to do if it
985     inserts but nothing happens: Section 5.3.
986
987   * No output at all: *Note Sensors says No sensors found: Section
988     4.21, *Note What to do if it inserts but nothing happens: Section
989     5.3.
990
991   * Completely bad output for a particular sensor chip: *Note What to
992     do if I read only bogus information: Section 5.4.
993
994   * One particular sensor readings:
995        * Maybe it isn't hooked up? - tell 'sensors' to ignore it.
996          *Note One sensor isnt hooked up on my board: Section 3.4.4.
997
998        * Maybe it is hooked up differently on your motherboard? -
999          adjust `sensors.conf' calculation.
1000
10014.23 What is at I2C address XXX?
1002================================
1003
1004   In general, we don't know. Start by running `sensors-detect'.  If it
1005doesn't recognize it, try running `i2cdump'. A partial list of
1006manufacturers' IDs are at the bottom of `doc/chips/SUMMARY'.
1007
10084.23.1 What is at I2C address 0x69?
1009-----------------------------------
1010
1011   A clock chip. Often, accessing these clock chips in the wrong way
1012will instantly crash your computer. Sensors-detect carefully avoids
1013these chips. If you really really want to play with your clock chip you
1014can look at `kernel/chips/icspll.c' in our package. But we do not
1015recommend it. You have been warned.
1016
10174.23.2 What is at I2C addresses 0x50 - 0x57?
1018--------------------------------------------
1019
1020   EEPROMs on your SDRAM DIMMs. Load the eeprom module to look at some
1021basic data in `sensors' or use the program
1022`prog/eeprom/decode-dimms.pl' to get more information than you ever
1023wanted.
1024
10254.23.3 What is at I2C addresses 0x30 - 0x37?
1026--------------------------------------------
1027
1028   These are often 'shadows' of your EEPROMs on your SDRAM DIMMs at
1029addresses 0x50 - 0x57. They aren't really there. If you try and do a
1030`i2cdump' on them you won't get anything. This is probably caused by
1031some timing problem on your motherboard or on the DIMMs.  We don't know
1032the exact cause.
1033
10344.24 Sensors-detect doesn't work at all
1035=======================================
1036
1037   It could be many things. What was the problem? *Note Problems on
1038particular motherboards: Section 4.31.
1039
10404.24.1 Sensors-detect says "Couldn't open /proc/bus/i2c?!?"
1041-----------------------------------------------------------
1042
1043   You don't have i2c support in your kernel, or the i2c-core module
1044was not loaded and you did not run sensors-detect as root.
1045
10464.24.2 Sensors-detect says "Can't open /dev/i2c[-/]0"
1047-----------------------------------------------------
1048
1049   Your `/dev/i2c-0,' `/dev/i2c0', or `/dev/i2c/0' files do not exist
1050or you did not run `sensors-detect' as root.  Run the script
1051`prog/mkdev/mkdev.sh' to create the `/dev/i2c-x' files.  Run `devfs' in
1052the kernel to get the `/dev/i2c/x' files.
1053
10544.24.3 Sensors-detect doesn't find any sensors!
1055-----------------------------------------------
1056
1057   Either
1058  1. The board doesn't have any sensors.
1059
1060  2. We don't support the sensors on the board.
1061
1062  3. The sensors it has are on an I2C bus connected to an I2C bus
1063     adapter that we don't support.
1064
1065  4. You don't have the latest version of lm_sensors.
1066
1067   But in any case you should figure out what is on the board:
1068  1. Look at your motherboard.
1069
1070  2. Check the manufacturer's website.
1071
1072  3. Check the Motherboard Monitor (http://mbm.livewiredev.com/)
1073     website.
1074
1075   When you know what chips you have, check the Newest Driver Status
1076(http://www2.lm-sensors.nu/~lm78/newdrivers.html) web page to see if
1077support has been added for your chip in a later release or in CVS.
1078
10794.25 Sensors says `Error: Line xxx: zzzzzzz'
1080============================================
1081
1082   These are errors from the libsensors library in reading the
1083`/etc/sensors.conf' configuration file. Go to that line number and fix
1084it. If you have a parse error, perhaps you have to put the feature name
1085in double quotes.
1086
10874.26 Sensors only gives the name, adapter, and algorithm for my chip
1088====================================================================
1089
1090   If `sensors' only says this, for example, and doesn't provide any
1091actual data at all:
1092
1093     it87-isa-0290
1094     Adapter: ISA adapter
1095     Algorithm: ISA algorithm
1096
1097   Your chip is not currently supported by `sensors' and so all it does
1098is print out that information. Get the latest release and be sure you
1099are running the `sensors' program it installed and not some older
1100`sensors'.
1101
11024.27 Sensors says `ERROR: Can't get xxxxx data!'
1103================================================
1104
1105   You have a `libsensors/sensors' mismatch. `sensors' is unable to get
1106a data entry from `libsensors'. You probably have an old `libsensors'
1107in your `/etc/ld.so.conf' path.  Make sure you did (as root) a `make
1108install' followed by a `ldconfig'.  Then check the output of `ldconfig
1109-v | grep libsensors' to verify that there is only ONE `libsensors'
1110entry and that it matches the `libsensors' that was built in the `lib/'
1111directory in `lm_sensors2'.
1112
11134.28 Sensors doesn't find any sensors, just eeproms.
1114====================================================
1115
1116   *Note Sensors-detect doesnt work at all: Section 4.24, if
1117`sensors-detect' failed to find any sensors.
1118
1119   If `sensors-detect' did find sensors, did you insert your modules?
1120For chips on the ISA bus, did you insert i2c-isa?
1121
1122   *Note What to do if a module wont insert: Section 5.2, if the
1123modules didn't insert, also *Note Sensors says No sensors found:
1124Section 4.21.
1125
11264.29 Inserting modules hangs my board
1127=====================================
1128
1129   There are several possible causes:
1130  1. Bus driver problems. Insert the bus driver first, before you have
1131     inserted any chip drivers, to verify.
1132
1133  2. Wrong chip driver. Verify that you have a chip supported by the
1134     chip driver, see *Note What chips are on motherboard XYZ: Section
1135     3.2.1.
1136
1137  3. The chip driver is reinitializing the chip, which undoes critical
1138     initialization done by the BIOS.  Try the parameter `init=0' for
1139     the w83781d driver; this is the only driver supporting this
1140     parameter.
1141
1142  4. Some chips on the bus don't like to be probed at all.  After
1143     inserting the bus driver (but not the chip drivers), run
1144     `i2cdetect' on the bus, then `i2cdump' on each address responding
1145     to `i2cdetect'. This may find the culprit.  Do not `i2cdump
1146     address 0x69', the clock chip.
1147
1148  5. The chip driver is incorrectly finding a second chip on the bus
1149     and is accessing it. For example, with the Tyan 2688 with a
1150     w83781d at 0x29, use `modprobe
1151     ignore_range=0,0x00,0x28,0,0x2a,0x7f' to prevent access to other
1152     addresses. (`init=0' also req'd for the Tyan 2688).
1153
11544.30 Inserting modules slows down my board
1155==========================================
1156
1157   Generally this is caused by an overtemperature alarm output from the
1158sensor chip. This triggers hardware on the board which automatically
1159slows down the CPU clock. Be sure that your temperature limits are
1160above the temperature reading. Put the new limits in
1161`/etc/sensors.conf' and run `sensors -s'.
1162
11634.31 Problems on particular motherboards
1164========================================
1165
1166   The following boards have unique problems and solutions.
1167
11684.31.1 Asus P4B
1169---------------
1170
1171   See `prog/hotplug/README.p4b' if your SMBus master is not found.
1172
11734.31.2 Tyan 2460, 2462
1174----------------------
1175
1176   See support tickets 805, 765, 781, 812, 813, and 867 for information.
1177
11784.31.3 Tyan 2466
1179----------------
1180
1181   See support tickets 941, 840, and 841 for information.
1182
11834.31.4 Tyan 2688
1184----------------
1185
1186   For board hangs, see support ticket 721 for information.  Also *Note
1187Inserting modules hangs my board: Section 4.29.
1188
11894.32 Problems on particular systems
1190===================================
1191
1192   For IBM systems, see `README.thinkpad'.
1193
11945 How to Ask for Help
1195*********************
1196
11975.1 What to send us when asking for help
1198========================================
1199
1200   We are always willing to answer questions if things don't work out.
1201Please email <sensors@stimpy.netroedge.com>, and not the individual
1202authors, unless you have something private to say.
1203
1204   Instead of using email, you can also use the web-based support area,
1205at `http://secure.netroedge.com/~lm78/support.html'. You will be helped
1206just as fast, and others may profit from the answer too. You will be
1207emailed automatically when your question has been answered.
1208
1209   Here's what you should send us:
1210
1211   * The dmesg or syslog output if applicable
1212
1213   * The output of (as root) `prog/detect/sensors-detect'
1214
1215   * The output of `lsmod'
1216
1217   * If a PCI chip problem:
1218        * The output of `lspci -n'
1219
1220   * If an I2C sensor chip problem:
1221        * The output of (as root) `prog/detect/i2cdetect X' where X =
1222          the bus number (run `i2cdetect' with no arguments to list the
1223          busses) (please send this only if it's not all `XX')
1224
1225        * The output of (as root) `prog/dump/i2cdump X 0xXX' where XX =
1226          the address of each chip you see in the output of
1227          `i2cdetect'. (run once for each chip) (please send this only
1228          if it's not all `ff')
1229
1230   * If an ISA sensor chip problem:
1231        * The output of (as root) `prog/dump/isadump 0x295 0x296' (only
1232          if it's not all `XX')
1233
1234   * Part numbers of chips on your motherboard you think are the sensor
1235     chips (look at your motherboard)
1236
1237   * Motherboard type
1238
1239   * Sensors version
1240
1241   * Kernel version
1242
12435.2 What to do if a module won't insert?
1244========================================
1245
1246   Did you use `modprobe' instead of `insmod'??? Don't use insmod.
1247
1248   Were there unresolved symbols? Did you run `depmod -a'? Run `depmod
1249-a -e' to see where the symbol problem is.
1250
1251   ALWAYS inspect the output of `dmesg'. That's where the error
1252messages come out!!! Don't rely on the generic message from `modprobe'.
1253If you still can't figure it out, send us the information listed above.
1254
12555.3 What to do if it inserts, but nothing happens?
1256==================================================
1257
1258   For an ISA sensor chip, did you also `modprobe i2c-isa'? It must be
1259inserted.
1260
1261   For an I2C sensor chip, did you also `modprobe i2c-xxx' where xxx is
1262your I2C bus adapter? It must be inserted.
1263
1264   Always inspect the output of `dmesg'. That's where the error
1265messages come out. If you still can't figure it out, send us the
1266information listed above.
1267
12685.4 What to do if I read only bogus information?
1269================================================
1270
1271   It may be that this was a mis-detection: the chip may not be
1272present. If you are convinced there is something wrong, verify that you
1273indeed have the devices on your motherboard that you think you do.
1274Look at the motherboard and make sure. If you are still stuck, please
1275send us the usual information (*note Help::)
1276
12775.5 What to do if you have other problems?
1278==========================================
1279
1280   Again, send the output listed above.
1281
12825.6 What if it just works like a charm?
1283=======================================
1284
1285   Drop us a mail if you feel like it, mentioning the mainboard and
1286detected chip type. That way, we have some positive feedback, too!
1287
12885.7 How do I update a ticket?
1289=============================
1290
1291   You can't. Only developers can. Follow up by emailing us at
1292<sensors@stimpy.netroedge.com> and reference your ticket number in the
1293subject. Please don't enter a new ticket with follow-up information,
1294email us instead. Thanks.
1295
12965.8 How do I follow up on a ticket?
1297===================================
1298
1299   Follow up by emailing us at <sensors@stimpy.netroedge.com> and
1300reference your ticket number in the subject.
1301
13026 How to Contribute
1303*******************
1304
13056.1 How to write a driver
1306=========================
1307
1308   See `doc/developers/new_drivers' in our package for instructions.
1309
13106.2 How to get CVS access
1311=========================
1312
1313   For anonymous CVS read access, see the instructions on our download
1314page.  Sorry, we don't have automatically generated CVS tarballs.
1315
1316   For write access, run the script `doc/developers/genpasswd.pl' in
1317our package and follow the instructions. Let us know what part of the
1318package you would like to work on.
1319
13206.3 How to donate hardware to the project
1321=========================================
1322
1323   Send us email <sensors@stimpy.netroedge.com>.
1324
13256.4 How to join the project mailing list
1326========================================
1327
1328   Send us email <sensors@stimpy.netroedge.com>. Sorry, there is no
1329automated subscribe/unsubscribe service.
1330
13316.5 How to access mailing list archives
1332=======================================
1333
1334   The mailing list archive is at:
1335`http://archives.andrew.net.au/lm-sensors' Sorry, it only contains
1336messages since October 28, 2001.
1337
13386.6 How to submit a patch
1339=========================
1340
1341   Check out the latest from CVS, then copy the directory to another
1342directory, and make your changes. Generate the diff with `diff -u2 -r
1343DIR1 DIR2'. Or you can generate the diff in CVS with `cvs diff -u2'.
1344Send us the patch in an email and tell us what it does.
1345
13466.7 How to REALLY help
1347======================
1348
1349   Believe it or not, what we really need help with are:
1350   * Answering email
1351
1352   * Answering support tickets
1353
1354   * Submitting patches to Linus, etc.
1355
1356   * Creating a sensors.conf database
1357
1358   * Creating RPM's
1359
1360   Send us email <sensors@stimpy.netroedge.com> if you can help.  No
1361experience necessary :)
1362
13636.8 How to block spam on the project mailing list
1364=================================================
1365
1366   Sorry, we know the spam is a hassle.  It would be nice to have a
1367moderator who can screen everything, but that takes too much time and
1368delays emails.  Right now there is a procmail script which tags likely
1369spam and puts in a X-SBClass: header.  If it is followed by 'Spam', then
1370it is almost certainly spam, if it is followed by 'Blocked', then it
1371scores high as being potential spam.  You should be able to set some
1372rules in your mail client to throw those emails into a seperate folder.
1373It's not bullet proof (some legit mails get tagged wrong, and vice
1374versa), but it seems to be about 95% accurate in our experience.
1375
13767 Version 1 Specific Questions
1377******************************
1378
1379   Note: Version 1 is very very old and is not recommended.
1380
13817.1 My manufacturer swears that my mainboard has an SMBus, but your code reports that it can't find it.  What's wrong?
1382======================================================================================================================
1383
1384   Currently, our code only assumes that an SMBus exists if it
1385originates from the Intel PIIX4 (82371AB).  If your computer doesn't
1386have one, or if your SMBus originates from a different SMBus 'host',
1387then you are out of luck. :'( Our experience is, though, that most
1388machines have a PIIX4, and that it is where the SMBus is hosted.
1389
1390   Regarding the VIA chip set(s):
1391
1392   Right now, the SMBus code depends on the Intel PIIX4 chip to handle
1393SMBus transactions.  The VIA chip set is NOT supported at this time
1394because it forces much of the SMBus protocol to be implemented by
1395software.
1396
1397   To implement the SMBus correctly with the VIA chip, it needs to be
1398written at a low level to be quick.  A more attractive alternative is to
1399use the Bios SMBus interface (not always available nor standard).
1400
1401   Version 2 supports the VIA chipset, and will support other chipsets.
1402Version 1 never will.
1403
14047.2 The modules won't load, saying 'SMBus not detected'.
1405========================================================
1406
1407   This should no longer be an issue in 1.4.10 and later; it will
1408continue loading, but it won't support SMBus-connected devices, of
1409course.
1410
14117.3 I try to read `/proc/sensors', and I get a "No sensor data yet (try again in a few moments)" message. Why?
1412==============================================================================================================
1413
1414   It takes about 1.5 seconds for the LM78 to update all its sensor
1415values.  If we would try to read it before it finished that, you would
1416get old garbage instead. So you have to wait 1.5 seconds after the
1417module is inserted before you can access `/proc/sensors'.
1418
1419   Module versions 1.3.7 and later let the process sleep if it tries to
1420access sensor data right after insertion time, and do not display this
1421message anymore.
1422
14237.4 On my Dell, a LM80 is detected, but all readings are 0!
1424===========================================================
1425
1426   This is a bug we have only observed on Dell computers. There is
1427probably a problem with the way the SMBus is accessed; but it is not yet
1428clear whether the problem is in our code or with the Dells.
1429
1430   There are very probably no sensor chips at all on your computer; but
1431until somebody contacts Dell about this and tells us the results, we
1432can not be sure.
1433
1434Appendix A Revision History of This Document
1435********************************************
1436
1437   * Rev 2.9 (CP)  Converted to Gnu texinfo format, 20020910
1438
1439   * Rev 2.8 (MDS) Minor updates 20020710, released with lm_sensors
1440     2.6.4
1441
1442   * Rev 2.7 (MDS) Minor updates 20020425
1443
1444   * Rev 2.6 (MDS) Minor updates 20020115, released with lm_sensors
1445     2.6.3
1446
1447   * Rev 2.5 (MDS) Minor updates 20011111, released with lm_sensors
1448     2.6.2
1449
1450   * Rev 2.4 (MDS) Minor updates 20010722
1451
1452   * Rev 2.3 (MDS) General update, 20010224, released with lm_sensors
1453     2.6.0.
1454
1455   * Rev 2.2 (Frodo) Corrections for lm_sensors 2.4, 19990920
1456
1457   * Rev 2.1 (Frodo) Corrections for lm_sensors 2.2, 19990112
1458
1459   * Rev 2.0 (Frodo) Major revision for lm_sensors 2.1, 19981229
1460
1461   * Rev 1.10 (Frodo) Modified 3.8, updated some other things, 19980924
1462
1463   * Rev 1.9 (Frodo) Added 3.15, 19980906
1464
1465   * Rev 1.8 (Frodo) Added 3.14, 19980905
1466
1467   * Rev 1.7 (Phil) Added 3.13 and some other minor changes, 19980901
1468
1469   * Rev 1.6 (Frodo) Added 4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 19980901
1470
1471   * Rev 1.5 (Frodo) Added 2.3, 2.4, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 19980826
1472
1473   * Rev 1.4 (Frodo) Added some more Winbond information, and 3.5-3.8,
1474     19980817
1475
1476   * Rev 1.3 Added info on the Winbond chip, 19980816
1477
1478   * Rev 1.2 Adapation by Frodo Looijaard, 19980810
1479
1480   * Rev 1.1 Modifications by Philip Edelbrock, 19980809
1481
1482   * Rev 1.0 Written by Philip Edelbrock, 19980803
1483
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