Fan Running Really Loud

[fouad]

I have a Pentium 4 box with 1gb, of ram on the dashboard it doesent give cpu temp and the fans run at max. The area is unairconditioned but the cpu usage is only 5-10% when the fans run at maximum. Why is this happening? Also how can i be able to see my cpu temp.

[jasonlitka]

It might be that the BIOS says to run the fan at full speed.  It might be that it's a 2-wire fan that doesn't support changing the speed.  It might be that the P4 throws off more heat than a small nuclear reactor and it actually needs to scream like a banshee, even at idle, to prevent it from melting through your desk.

[SixXxShooTeR]

I didn't realize pfSense had a CPU temp option until the 3rd day running my brand new box. Turns out my CPU was at 75c, halted the system immediately and removed my heat sink and installed intels free heat sink, temp went back down to 34c. I hope I didn't mess up my CPU…

Anyways, the temp option is under system settings.

[stephenw10]

On a P4 you'll need to use mbmon. It's documented on the forum.

Steve

[Darkk]

@SixXxShooTeR:

I didn't realize pfSense had a CPU temp option until the 3rd day running my brand new box. Turns out my CPU was at 75c, halted the system immediately and removed my heat sink and installed intels free heat sink, temp went back down to 34c. I hope I didn't mess up my CPU…

Anyways, the temp option is under system settings.

I wouldn't worry too much about that part.  The Intel CPUs are designed with thermal sensors built-in so it will automatically slow itself down to keep it from turning into silicone goo.  Common issue with heat sinks is too much thermal grease used.  You really don't need much of it at all.  Another issue heat sink not seating properly.

[SixXxShooTeR]

@Darkk:

@SixXxShooTeR:

I didn't realize pfSense had a CPU temp option until the 3rd day running my brand new box. Turns out my CPU was at 75c, halted the system immediately and removed my heat sink and installed intels free heat sink, temp went back down to 34c. I hope I didn't mess up my CPU…

Anyways, the temp option is under system settings.

I wouldn't worry too much about that part.  The Intel CPUs are designed with thermal sensors built-in so it will automatically slow itself down to keep it from turning into silicone goo.  Common issue with heat sinks is too much thermal grease used.  You really don't need much of it at all.  Another issue heat sink not seating properly.

Funny you mention that. I went ahead and purchased a 26mm CPU fan for the thin mini itx case to replace the heatsink/fan combo that came with my case. I thought it was junk because my CPU temp was so high. Turns out even a thin 26mm CPU fan doesn't fit in my thin mini itx case so I had to try and fix my temp issue with my old heatsink. I removed the thermal paste and reapplied a very very thin layer and now I am getting better temps. They are still high but for a case with basically no breathing room I'll take 38-50c I guess.

[fouad]

How Do I get mbmon

[stephenw10]

It's a FreeBSD package so you have to install it from the command line.
If you're running Nano you first have to re-mount the file system read-write:

/etc/rc.conf_mount_rw

Install the package:

pkg_add -r mbmon

Re-index installed binaries:

rehash

Run mbmon:

mbmon -A

There are other options you might want to run.
http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=mbmon&manpath=ports&sektion=1

Remount the file system read-only if you're running Nano.

/etc/rc.conf_mount_ro

Steve

[fouad]

$ pkg_add -r mbmon
tar: Failed to set default locale
pkg_add: package 'mbmon-205_5' or its older version already installed

This is what happens hen i try to install mbmon

[stephenw10]

Ah, Ok. So does it run?

You could also try specifying a complete path:

pkg_add -r http://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/i386/8.3-RELEASE/packages/All/mbmon-205_5.tbz

Looks like that's what you already have though. Perhaps it's already installed in 2.1? I thought I had installed it recently though.  :-\

Steve

[fouad]

I still don't have CPU temp after that code.

[stephenw10]

So is mbmon running? It isn't included in 2.1 as standard. Here's my own P4 box:

[2.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/root(3): mbmon
mbmon: Command not found.
[2.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/root(4): /etc/rc.conf_mount_rw
[2.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/root(5): pkg_add -r mbmon
Fetching ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-8.3-release/Latest/mbmon.tbz... Done.
[2.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/root(6): rehash
[2.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/root(7): /etc/rc.conf_mount_ro
[2.1-RELEASE][root@pfsense.fire.box]/root(8): mbmon
ioctl(smb0:open): No such file or directory

Temp.= 42.0, 17.0, 55.5; Rot.= 5625, 5720, 5578
Vcore = 1.15, 2.38; Volt. = 3.36, 5.05, 12.10, -12.04, -0.62

Steve