lm-sensors sensor-detect etc

[techAdmin]

aka, lm_sensors.

apt-get install lm-sensors

more here from the lm sensor site [faq page].

Run sensors-detect, follow directions.

Debian hardware tools page.

This will create the necessary kernel stuff, reboot, it will boot with this stuff running.

Then you can install the other fun stuff:
cpudyn or cpufreqd + cpufrequtils or powernowd debian list stuff.

More on setting mobo sensors from lula.org.

Since all I wanted was to get fan speed control back, I just installed lm-sensors, ran sensor-detect, rebooted, ran pwdconf to setup fanspeed control, then I set fanspeed to startup automatically on boot in /etc/init.d/bootmsc.sh, just added

fancontrol &

:: Code ::

do_start () {
   #
   //................ I just skipped to the very end of the do_start() function.
        // Your bootmisc.sh script might look different. Or you might not have one.
   
   # start up fancontrol here, ignore the rest of the stuff on this,
        # this is the only thing you'll be adding, right before the do_start()
        #  function ends with }
   fancontrol &
}

to the end of the main start function, right before the last lines, starts it up fine. You can see and hear it working with
sensors
command, doesn't update live, just once.

You can also install ksensors, which is basically a gui for top and sensors, runs in the task bar, let's you see things like ram useage, processor speed + temp, fan speed, and so on. Nice little application.

[jeffd]

osnews has more on setting up laptop power management.