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    Weird CPU speed

    General pfSense Questions
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    • O
      Octopuss
      last edited by

      I have pfSense installed on one of the miniPC boxes running Intel N100, but the system is reporting weird CPU speed:
      7895bb76-6240-4d4b-b86c-99dd2bbdc1f7-image.png
      It's also not doing anything, the actual CPU load is 1%. I even set the Speed Shift slider all the way to energy efficiency, but it made no difference at all....
      Shall I start digging in the BIOS, or is this perhaps pfSense related bug?

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      • stephenw10S
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
        last edited by

        Almost certainly something BIOS is passing. Is it actually using speedshift? Try setting it disabled and see if it then shows values for speedstep.

        Check the boot logs for hwpstate messages from Speedshift.

        Run: sysctl -a | grep freq
        What levels are shown?

        Steve

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        • O
          Octopuss @stephenw10
          last edited by

          @stephenw10 said in Weird CPU speed:

          hwpstate

          hwpstate_intel3: <Intel Speed Shift> on cpu3
          hwpstate_intel2: <Intel Speed Shift> on cpu2
          hwpstate_intel1: <Intel Speed Shift> on cpu1
          hwpstate_intel0: <Intel Speed Shift> on cpu0

          and then
          [2.7.2-RELEASE][admin@rozcestnik.lan]/root: sysctl -a | grep freq
          Timecounter "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 950
          Event timer "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 550
          Event timer "HPET1" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
          Event timer "HPET2" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
          Event timer "HPET3" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
          Event timer "HPET4" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
          Event timer "RTC" frequency 32768 Hz quality 0
          Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
          Event timer "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 100
          Timecounter "ACPI-fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 900
          Timecounter "TSC" frequency 806401610 Hz quality 1000
          kern.timecounter.tc.TSC.frequency: 806401610
          kern.timecounter.tc.ACPI-fast.frequency: 3579545
          kern.timecounter.tc.i8254.frequency: 1193182
          kern.timecounter.tc.HPET.frequency: 19200000
          kern.ntp_pll.time_freq: 18360527011520
          kern.ntp_pll.pps_freq: 14937882624000
          device cpufreq
          kern.eventtimer.et.i8254.frequency: 1193182
          kern.eventtimer.et.RTC.frequency: 32768
          kern.eventtimer.et.HPET4.frequency: 19200000
          kern.eventtimer.et.HPET3.frequency: 19200000
          kern.eventtimer.et.HPET2.frequency: 19200000
          kern.eventtimer.et.HPET1.frequency: 19200000
          kern.eventtimer.et.HPET.frequency: 19200000
          kern.eventtimer.et.LAPIC.frequency: 806401610
          kern.acct_chkfreq: 15
          debug.cpufreq.verbose: 0
          debug.cpufreq.lowest: 0
          debug.uart_poll_freq: 50
          machdep.tsc_freq: 806401610
          machdep.i8254_freq: 1193182
          machdep.acpi_timer_freq: 3579545
          dev.cpufreq.3.freq_driver: hwpstate_intel3
          dev.cpufreq.3.%parent: cpu3
          dev.cpufreq.3.%pnpinfo:
          dev.cpufreq.3.%location:
          dev.cpufreq.3.%driver: cpufreq
          dev.cpufreq.3.%desc:
          dev.cpufreq.2.freq_driver: hwpstate_intel2
          dev.cpufreq.2.%parent: cpu2
          dev.cpufreq.2.%pnpinfo:
          dev.cpufreq.2.%location:
          dev.cpufreq.2.%driver: cpufreq
          dev.cpufreq.2.%desc:
          dev.cpufreq.1.freq_driver: hwpstate_intel1
          dev.cpufreq.1.%parent: cpu1
          dev.cpufreq.1.%pnpinfo:
          dev.cpufreq.1.%location:
          dev.cpufreq.1.%driver: cpufreq
          dev.cpufreq.1.%desc:
          dev.cpufreq.0.freq_driver: hwpstate_intel0
          dev.cpufreq.0.%parent: cpu0
          dev.cpufreq.0.%pnpinfo:
          dev.cpufreq.0.%location:
          dev.cpufreq.0.%driver: cpufreq
          dev.cpufreq.0.%desc:
          dev.cpufreq.%parent:
          dev.cpu.3.freq_levels: 806/-1
          dev.cpu.3.freq: 1658
          dev.cpu.2.freq_levels: 806/-1
          dev.cpu.2.freq: 1534
          dev.cpu.1.freq_levels: 806/-1
          dev.cpu.1.freq: 1612
          dev.cpu.0.freq_levels: 806/-1
          dev.cpu.0.freq: 1502

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          • stephenw10S
            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
            last edited by

            Ok so that looks relatively normal for speedshift. There's probably no issue there.

            Try setting speedshift disabled so speedstep is used. See what levels are reported then.

            O 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • O
              Octopuss @stephenw10
              last edited by

              @stephenw10 But why is the damn thing running at so high frequency when it's not doing anything?

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              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                Speedshift responds orders of magnitude faster than speedstep. When I was first testing it I had problems seeing what it's doing because simply running the command to report it bumps the CPU speed.

                However I would not expect that if it's set to maximum efficiency.

                O 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • O
                  Octopuss @stephenw10
                  last edited by

                  @stephenw10 Hm, I have disabled Speed Shift, and now pfSense doesn't even display any frequency at all. That's not right I guess?

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                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    Mmm, perhaps SpeedStep (EIST) is not enabled in the BIOS then.

                    O 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • O
                      Octopuss @stephenw10
                      last edited by

                      @stephenw10 Weirdly, the frequency info appeared after a few seconds. It also disappears after page refresh.
                      Speedstep is enabled.

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                      • O
                        Octopuss @stephenw10
                        last edited by

                        @stephenw10 Btw does the Intel Core somerthing thermal sensor option apply to any Intel CPU? I'm not sure what to choose: this or the generic ACPI value? Both seem to work.

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                        • stephenw10S
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by

                          The coretemp driver should work there.

                          Yes, with speedstep it generally only shows frequency info when the CPU is running at a reduced frequency.

                          Try running sysctl -a | grep freq again to see what levels are now shown.

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                          • O
                            Octopuss @stephenw10
                            last edited by

                            @stephenw10 said in Weird CPU speed:

                            sysctl -a | grep freq

                            Timecounter "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 950
                            Event timer "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 550
                            Event timer "HPET1" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET2" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET3" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET4" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "RTC" frequency 32768 Hz quality 0
                            Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
                            Event timer "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 100
                            Timecounter "ACPI-fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 900
                            Timecounter "TSC" frequency 806401669 Hz quality 1000
                            Timecounter "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 950
                            Event timer "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 550
                            Event timer "HPET1" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET2" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET3" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET4" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "RTC" frequency 32768 Hz quality 0
                            Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
                            Event timer "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 100
                            Timecounter "ACPI-fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 900
                            Timecounter "TSC" frequency 806402450 Hz quality 1000
                            Timecounter "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 950
                            Event timer "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 550
                            Event timer "HPET1" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET2" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET3" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET4" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "RTC" frequency 32768 Hz quality 0
                            Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
                            Event timer "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 100
                            Timecounter "ACPI-fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 900
                            Timecounter "TSC" frequency 806401594 Hz quality 1000
                            Timecounter "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 950
                            Event timer "HPET" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 550
                            Event timer "HPET1" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET2" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET3" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "HPET4" frequency 19200000 Hz quality 440
                            Event timer "RTC" frequency 32768 Hz quality 0
                            Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
                            Event timer "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 100
                            Timecounter "ACPI-fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 900
                            Timecounter "TSC" frequency 806402560 Hz quality 1000
                            kern.timecounter.tc.TSC.frequency: 806402560
                            kern.timecounter.tc.ACPI-fast.frequency: 3579545
                            kern.timecounter.tc.i8254.frequency: 1193182
                            kern.timecounter.tc.HPET.frequency: 19200000
                            kern.ntp_pll.time_freq: 5467471872000
                            kern.ntp_pll.pps_freq: 5467471872000
                            device cpufreq
                            kern.eventtimer.et.i8254.frequency: 1193182
                            kern.eventtimer.et.RTC.frequency: 32768
                            kern.eventtimer.et.HPET4.frequency: 19200000
                            kern.eventtimer.et.HPET3.frequency: 19200000
                            kern.eventtimer.et.HPET2.frequency: 19200000
                            kern.eventtimer.et.HPET1.frequency: 19200000
                            kern.eventtimer.et.HPET.frequency: 19200000
                            kern.eventtimer.et.LAPIC.frequency: 806402560
                            kern.acct_chkfreq: 15
                            debug.cpufreq.verbose: 0
                            debug.cpufreq.lowest: 0
                            debug.uart_poll_freq: 50
                            machdep.tsc_freq: 806402560
                            machdep.i8254_freq: 1193182
                            machdep.acpi_timer_freq: 3579545
                            dev.cpufreq.3.freq_driver: est3
                            dev.cpufreq.3.%parent: cpu3
                            dev.cpufreq.3.%pnpinfo:
                            dev.cpufreq.3.%location:
                            dev.cpufreq.3.%driver: cpufreq
                            dev.cpufreq.3.%desc:
                            dev.cpufreq.2.freq_driver: est2
                            dev.cpufreq.2.%parent: cpu2
                            dev.cpufreq.2.%pnpinfo:
                            dev.cpufreq.2.%location:
                            dev.cpufreq.2.%driver: cpufreq
                            dev.cpufreq.2.%desc:
                            dev.cpufreq.1.freq_driver: est1
                            dev.cpufreq.1.%parent: cpu1
                            dev.cpufreq.1.%pnpinfo:
                            dev.cpufreq.1.%location:
                            dev.cpufreq.1.%driver: cpufreq
                            dev.cpufreq.1.%desc:
                            dev.cpufreq.0.freq_driver: est0
                            dev.cpufreq.0.%parent: cpu0
                            dev.cpufreq.0.%pnpinfo:
                            dev.cpufreq.0.%location:
                            dev.cpufreq.0.%driver: cpufreq
                            dev.cpufreq.0.%desc:
                            dev.cpufreq.%parent:
                            dev.est.3.freq_settings: 801/6000 800/6000 700/5160
                            dev.est.2.freq_settings: 801/6000 800/6000 700/5160
                            dev.est.1.freq_settings: 801/6000 800/6000 700/5160
                            dev.est.0.freq_settings: 801/6000 800/6000 700/5160
                            dev.cpu.3.freq_levels: 801/6000 800/6000 700/5160
                            dev.cpu.3.freq: 801
                            dev.cpu.2.freq_levels: 801/6000 800/6000 700/5160
                            dev.cpu.2.freq: 801
                            dev.cpu.1.freq_levels: 801/6000 800/6000 700/5160
                            dev.cpu.1.freq: 801
                            dev.cpu.0.freq_levels: 801/6000 800/6000 700/5160

                            No idea what part of it is relevant.
                            PowerD is disabled if it matters.

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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              It must have been enabled at some point because the est(4) driver, speedstep, is loaded. The levels it's reporting, which are passed by the BIOS, are not useful though.

                              O 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • O
                                Octopuss @stephenw10
                                last edited by

                                @stephenw10 Yes it was. I previously flipped several settings around.
                                What baffles me is the reported speed. And there's no way to tell whether it's real or not.

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                                • stephenw10S
                                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                  last edited by

                                  Which one?

                                  The speedstep levels there could be correct just not helpful. 700MHz and 800MHz are just that. 801MHz implies 800+turbo which could be anything, speedstep doesn't see the actual turbo speeds.

                                  O 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • O
                                    Octopuss @stephenw10
                                    last edited by

                                    @stephenw10 The 1700-1900MHz one. That's with Speed Shift.

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                                    • stephenw10S
                                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                      last edited by

                                      Speedshift does report the actual speed so I'd expect that to be real.

                                      O 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • O
                                        Octopuss @stephenw10
                                        last edited by

                                        @stephenw10 Hmm, ok. But then something is not right anyway, because 1700MHz when there's less than 1% load.... that's just weird.

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                                        • stephenw10S
                                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                          last edited by

                                          That's unexpected if it set to maximum efficiency for sure. At higher performance levels it might be since as I said just opening the dashboard would ramp it up significantly.

                                          O 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • O
                                            Octopuss @stephenw10
                                            last edited by

                                            @stephenw10 I tried both extremes, and at max performance it went even higher, but never lower than 1700. But again, I don't know if it's the real speed, because the BIOS might be sketchy.

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