Issue with Intel SpeedStep settings

show-p1984

I haven't seen that on my Xeon, however I get this on bootup (Supermicro X8SIL-F w/ x3470):

est0: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu0
est1: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu1
est2: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu2
est3: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu3
est4: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu4
est5: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu5
est6: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu6
est7: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu7</enhanced></enhanced></enhanced></enhanced></enhanced></enhanced></enhanced></enhanced>

So I assumed that it worked, but sysctl reports max freq + 1 Mhz (== Turbo boost) permanently and doesn't seem to lower the clock in idle.
PowerD is enabled and set to Hiadaptive.

EDIT:
Just checked IPMI, the sensors show vcore adjustments. This means Speedstep ~~should~~ work_s_ as intended. ~~Is this a bug in sysctl?~~

EDIT:
Works as intended for me. Hiadaptive was just too aggressive. Adaptive shows scaling:

sysctl dev.cpu. | grep freq
dev.cpu.0.freq_levels: 2934/106000 2933/95000 2800/82000 2667/70000 2533/62000 2400/53000 2267/46000 2133/39000 2000/33000 1867/28000 1733/24000 1600/20000 1467/17000 1333/14000 1200/11000
dev.cpu.0.freq: 1333

vcore.png_thumb

A Former User

Can you enable power management in the BIOS?
Also this will show if speedstep is recognized:

grep -i speedstep /var/run/dmesg.boot

MacUsers

Power management is set to "Active Power Controller", which

Enable Dell System DBPM (BIOS will not make all P states available to OS)
Memory frequency = Maximum Performance
Fan algorithm = Minimum Power

This is what I see in the dmesg:

[2.3.3-RELEASE][admin@pfs17.littlehome.co.uk]/root: grep -i speedstep /var/run/dmesg.boot
est0: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control=""> on cpu0
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.
est1: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control=""> on cpu1
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.
est2: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control=""> on cpu2
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.
est3: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control=""> on cpu3
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.</enhanced></enhanced></enhanced></enhanced>

A Former User

The Maximum Performance may be stopping the CPU's from any energy efficiency.
Is there any other option available other than Max Perf.

Sergei_Shablovsky

@macusers

This is common (and VERY OLD) well known FreeBSD pesky problem with powerd and est drivers correct work in Intels cpus.

The solution are described here https://www.ateamsystems.com/tech-blog/increase-freebsd-performance-with-powerd/

Because the pfSense are

build on top of FreeBSD components (so some NIC and hardware drivers able to using several cores/several CPUs, some - no https://forum.netgate.com/topic/149735/how-pfsense-utilize-multicore-processors-and-multi-cpu-systems)
FreeBSD have some issues for a years (!) (especially with drivers);

In case of using multi-cpu and multi-core hardware some issues come back :)

stephenw10

When you see that in the boot log, for example:

est0: <Enhanced SpeedStep Frequency Control> on cpu0
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.
est: cpu_vendor GenuineIntel, msr 233500002000
device_attach: est0 attach returned 6

It's almost always because Speedstep is disabled, and often locked, in the BIOS. (The CPU MSRs).

Steve

Sergei_Shablovsky

@stephenw10 said in Inssue with Intel SpeedStep settings:

When you see that in the boot log, for example:
est0: <Enhanced SpeedStep Frequency Control> on cpu0
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.
est: cpu_vendor GenuineIntel, msr 233500002000
device_attach: est0 attach returned 6
It's almost always because Speedstep is disabled, and often locked, in the BIOS. (The CPU MSRs).

Steve

Thank You, Steve!

Are You reading the link https://www.ateamsystems.com/tech-blog/increase-freebsd-performance-with-powerd/ ?

There are very interesting dependency between SpeedStep and TurboBoost... Isn’t it?

provels

Gotta love this!

I have an ancient (like 2004) P4 server that I run Xigmanas on and get the same message.
I believe it's because the BIOS has no idea WTF the CPU is talking about.

Sergei_Shablovsky

@provels said in Issue with Intel SpeedStep settings:

Gotta love this!

If You Googling that realize that this problem come again and again even in new machines.

I have an ancient (like 2004) P4 server that I run Xigmanas on and get the same message.

If I able to buy 2012-2014 year produced IBM branded ServerX series 2 CPU 48Gb ECC RAM 2 hot spare PSU 900W each w/ separate mgmt card for $300 and with good Intel 40Gb card he able to deal with 70-80Gb of traffic (with ssl, vpn, balancing, blocking, etc full stack) why I need to spending more? For what reason ?
By the way IBM Server X is from “non-Lenovo” era, when IBM have responsibilities for EACH server.

So in particular this case “old” not equal “trash”. :)

I believe it's because the BIOS has no idea WTF the CPU is talking about.

Please read articles that I pointed above.

provels

@sergei_shablovsky
FWIW, my XigmaNAS box that reports "est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized." , still downclocks as expected with PowerD enabled. So there's that...

stephenw10

You're probably seeing acpi throttling or p4tcc rather than true CPU frequency changing. I never found either did much.

Steve

provels

@stephenw10
Possibly, the box is 2004 (not a typo). But you're right, it makes no difference in operation. The box sucks 100w at idle or full load (P4, 3.60GHz).

stephenw10

Yup those later P4s were hungry hungry beasts!