Fan issue on Sony Vaio

Installed Garuda on a Sony Vaio and occasionally the fan will get out of control and system locks up.

Looking into how to control the fans I looked to:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/fan_speed_control

But when I get to pwmconfig it says: There are no pwm-capable sensor modules installed

So it seems that's not a solution.

My thought then is to look into what is actually the cause of the system thinking it's overheating. Hoping someone might have some suggestions. Normally I'll keep tabs on what top is showing. But I never really see it go over 1.x load average. Looking through journalctl has also not been very helpful.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Curtis

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.12-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.1
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=43f18a73-c753-4e08-9fba-b8afedfcb3ac rw rootflags=subvol=@
    quiet quiet splash rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0
    resume=UUID=9431c5cc-6a40-4ec6-91b8-d397f24a4c4e loglevel=3 ibt=off
  Desktop: GNOME v: 43.3 tk: GTK v: 3.24.36 wm: gnome-shell dm: GDM v: 43.0
    Distro: Garuda Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Sony product: VPCZ21TGX v: J004MUHH
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Sony model: VAIO serial: <superuser required> BIOS: INSYDE
    v: R0170H5 date: 06/16/2011
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 0 Wh condition: N/A volts: N/A model: Sony Corporation
    type: Li-ion serial: N/A status: not charging
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-2620M bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Sandy Bridge
    gen: core 2 level: v2 built: 2010-12 process: Intel 32nm family: 6
    model-id: 0x2A (42) stepping: 7 microcode: 0x2F
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 tpc: 2 threads: 4 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 128 KiB desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB L2: 512 KiB desc: 2x256 KiB
    L3: 4 MiB desc: 1x4 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 818 high: 878 min/max: 800/3400 scaling:
    driver: intel_cpufreq governor: schedutil cores: 1: 798 2: 798 3: 878 4: 798
    bogomips: 21551
  Flags: avx ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics
    vendor: Sony driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-6 code: Sandybridge
    process: Intel 32nm built: 2011 ports: active: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1,VGA-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0126
    class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Cheng Uei Precision Industry (Foxlink) Webcam type: USB
    driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-1.3:5 chip-ID: 05c8:0318 class-ID: 0e02
    serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.8
    compositor: gnome-shell driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    alternate: fbdev,intel,vesa dri: crocus gpu: i915 display-ID: :1
    screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.00x11.22")
    s-diag: 582mm (22.93")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: Sony LCD serial: <filter> built: 2011
    res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 168 gamma: 1.2 size: 291x164mm (11.46x6.46")
    diag: 334mm (13.2") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1920x1080
  API: OpenGL Message: Unable to show GL data. Required tool glxinfo
    missing.
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Family High Definition Audio
    vendor: Sony driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
    chip-ID: 8086:1c20 class-ID: 0403
  Sound API: ALSA v: k6.1.12-zen1-1-zen running: yes
  Sound Server-1: PulseAudio v: 16.1 running: no
  Sound Server-2: PipeWire v: 0.3.66 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 [Rainbow Peak] driver: iwlwifi
    v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 02:00.0
    chip-ID: 8086:0091 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
    vendor: Sony driver: r8168 v: 8.051.02-NAPI modules: r8169 pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 6000 bus-ID: 05:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
    class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp5s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 Bluetooth adapter type: USB
    driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 1-1.2:4 chip-ID: 8086:0189 class-ID: e001
  Report: bt-adapter ID: hci0 rfk-id: 3 state: up address: <filter>
RAID:
  Hardware-1: Intel 82801 Mobile SATA Controller [RAID mode] driver: ahci
    v: 3.0 port: a060 bus-ID: 00:1f.2 chip-ID: 8086:282a rev: N/A class-ID: 0104
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 238.49 GiB used: 46.71 GiB (19.6%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Samsung model: MZRPC256HADR-000SO
    size: 119.24 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s
    type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 3S1Q scheme: MBR
  ID-2: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Samsung model: MZRPC256HADR-000SO
    size: 119.24 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s
    type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 3S1Q
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 110.44 GiB size: 110.44 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 46.71 GiB (42.3%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-2: /home raw-size: 110.44 GiB size: 110.44 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 46.71 GiB (42.3%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-3: /var/log raw-size: 110.44 GiB size: 110.44 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 46.71 GiB (42.3%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-4: /var/tmp raw-size: 110.44 GiB size: 110.44 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 46.71 GiB (42.3%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 5.71 GiB used: 1.24 GiB (21.7%)
    priority: 100 dev: /dev/zram0
  ID-2: swap-2 type: partition size: 8.8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2
    dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 53.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 262 Uptime: 56m wakeups: 1 Memory: 5.71 GiB
  used: 3.24 GiB (56.7%) Init: systemd v: 253 default: graphical
  tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.1 Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 1554
  libs: 491 tools: gnome-software,pamac,paru pm: flatpak pkgs: 0 Shell: fish
  v: 3.6.0 default: Bash v: 5.1.16 running-in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.3.25
Garuda (2.6.15-1):
  System install date:     2022-05-03
  Last full system update: 2023-02-25 ↻
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper(custom) NetworkManager mkinitcpio
  Windows dual boot:       <superuser required>
  Failed units:

Did you check in htop in terminal if some app is in action?

Can you rule out cooling system contamination?
Has the notebook always been this warm?

At least, reboot :slight_smile:

1 Like

Here's more info about the temp. I assume it's always about like this. Is that really high? and what do you mean by cooling system contamination?

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0: +53.0°C (high = +86.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 0: +50.0°C (high = +86.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1: +53.0°C (high = +86.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)

acpitz-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
temp1: +52.0°C (crit = +98.0°C)

Dust in the pipes :slight_smile:

image

sensors
iwlwifi_1-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:        +39.0°C  

ucsi_source_psy_USBC000:001-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
in0:           0.00 V  (min =  +3.75 V, max =  +0.00 V)
curr1:         0.00 A  (max =  +0.08 A)

BAT0-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
in0:           7.68 V  

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0:  +44.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 0:        +42.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1:        +40.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 2:        +39.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 3:        +38.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)

ucsi_source_psy_USBC000:002-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
in0:           0.00 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +0.00 V)
curr1:         0.00 A  (max =  +0.00 A)

nvme-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
Composite:    +37.9°C  (low  =  -5.2°C, high = +83.8°C)
                       (crit = +87.8°C)

acpitz-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
temp1:        +27.8°C  (crit = +119.0°C)

Maybe the fan after the years make more noise than before? :smiley:

1 Like

I didn't mean to imply that the fan is always running high. It's an occasional situation. And because the system is hanging, the only solution is to reboot.
I'll open it up next week, see if anything needs cleaning and also up the RAM, I hope.

Which one happens first: Fan speed up or system lockup?

As I recall the fan goes first. Regardless, since I posted this problem here, it hasn't happened again. As the IT admin, it's much like whenever some client complains about an issue, but no sooner than I show up, the problem ceases. Best form of job protection!

1 Like

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