PC Engines apu2 experiences

dugeem

For another quick comparison I updated my test APU2C4 to mainline v4.9.0.2. Quick & dirty performance testing showed gain for light loads was similar to legacy v4.0.24 (at least within a few percent).

I also compared full multi core performance on both versions and had similar results (again within a few percent).

@Qinn FYI I'm also running mSata SSDs in both my test and live systems.

Qinn

@dugeem said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

For another quick comparison I updated my test APU2C4 to mainline v4.9.0.2. Quick & dirty performance testing showed gain for light loads was similar to legacy v4.0.24 (at least within a few percent).

I also compared full multi core performance on both versions and had similar results (again within a few percent).

@Qinn FYI I'm also running mSata SSDs in both my test and live systems.

Thanks for confirming. Btw how do you install the bios, I boot into a USB stick with has tinycore and then flashrom?

Veldkornet

@qinn SSH into it and install flashrom. No need to boot from USB etc.

pkg install flashrom

Upload the firmware to /tmp with scp and run:
flashrom -w /tmp/apu2_v4.9.0.2.rom -p internal:boardmismatch=force

Shutdown pfSense, pull the power for 10 seconds, then boot up.

Qinn

@veldkornet said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@qinn SSH into it and install flashrom. No need to boot from USB etc.

pkg install flashrom

Upload the firmware to /tmp with scp and run:
flashrom -w /tmp/apu2_v4.9.0.2.rom -p internal:boardmismatch=force

Shutdown pfSense, pull the power for 10 seconds, then boot up.

Thanks btw you always use the command :boardmismatch=force*?

Veldkornet

@qinn No, the board mismatch is probably not required. But at one point they kept changing the name between “apu2”, “APU2”, “PC Engines APU2”, etc. So I’ve just left it in now... although I think they’ve settled now :)

Qinn

@veldkornet I will try tomorrow when I have access to the FW, it seems they have kept there promise that mainline is good for pfS http://www.pcengines.info/forums/?page=post&id=6D2EEC40-5928-463B-8BAE-7C74A46B2060&fid=DF5ACB70-99C4-4C61-AFA6-4C0E0DB05B2A

Qinn

...up and running on Coreboot Mainline bios version 4.9.0.2, so far so good..

kevindd992002

@veldkornet said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

@kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

Does this mean that as long as you add those lines to /boot/loader.conf, running the latest FW's is fine?

I'm currently running 4.8.0.5 on pfSense 4.2.2 with a SSD in ZFS and except for the small things I mentioned about the reboot not working if the system had been running for a long time, all seems to be fine. I have those lines in my config as well.

Btw, what do those config lines do and why'd you recommend them? I'll flash the latest mainline release in a few hours.

dugeem

@kevindd992002

With either the latest legacy or mainline releases there is no longer any need to add specific coreboot configuration to loader.conf.local or device.hints.

With mainline up until v4.6.7 it was recommended to add

hint.ahci.0.msi="0"

To device.hints file (source https://github.com/pcengines/apu2-documentation/blob/master/docs/pfSense-install-guide.md)

NB do not modify loader.conf - it may/will be overwritten by pfSense. Always put system specific config lines in loader.conf.local.

kevindd992002

@dugeem

Thanks. So I don't have to worry about these custom configs then.

Veldkornet

I just have a look at /var/log/dmesg.boot and see what it complains about. Add anything that’s related to those.

kevindd992002

Is the APU2C4 a UEFI-compatible board?

VAMike

@kevindd992002 no

Qinn

@kevindd992002 no it's BIOS

wgentine

@Qinn reinitiating the conversation here. I did not go for 4.9.0.2 but i'm running 4.0.24 and also found a temperature drop from 58C (average) to 51C.

I have no idea why... performance is great and handling a gigabit FiberGateway w/o any issues. Just had to tweak a bit and enable igb firmware+NIC queues+hw offloading.

Wonder how we can start using the core performance boost feature... After applying this firmware I couldn't find any new speed freq setting beyond 1000.

Qinn

@wgentine I was so bold to copy your post in the other thread here, maybe someone can shed a light on it..

https://forum.netgate.com/topic/133656/did-i-just-overclocked-my-apu2c4-amd-gx-412tc-soc/31?loggedin=true

@wgentine said in Did I just overclocked my apu2c4 (AMD GX-412TC SOC)?:

Not supposed to resurrect this post but pcengines had just enabled AMD Core Performance Boot feature:

https://3mdeb.com/firmware/amd-cpu-boost/

Anyone fancy trying out?

wgentine

@Qinn I had a quick conversation with the firmware developer. He said ACPI doesn't know about the core boost feature but if you run some benchmarks you can finally prove a 40% performance increase in CPU + Memory bandwidth.

1.4Ghz... but FreeBSD won't know a thing about the clock increase.
At the same time the temperature dropped significantly.

wgentine

@Qinn the temperature decrease is due to the fact in order to enable Core Boots, the developer had to enable C6 states as well allowing the processor cores to enter in deep sleep when idling. Less heat and less power consumption as well. Making more money of the investment.

kevindd992002

So the core boost feature wouldn't really do anything for pfSense?

wgentine

of course it does! 40% more performance, less heat, less consumption.