Powerd on NSA 3110 with Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400

power_matz

Hello forum,

I bought an old box on eBay. I replaced the Celeron with a Core 2 Duo, switched on powerd and everything worked fine. The speed was most of the time at 250 MHz.
I switched now to a Core 2 Quad Q9400 (CMOS reset) and fired up the box. Now the speed is at maximum all the time.

On console I see:

load 147%, current freq 2660 MHz ( 0), wanted freq 5320 MHz
load 100%, current freq 2660 MHz ( 0), wanted freq 5320 MHz

In dmesg I see:

est0: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu0
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.
est: cpu_vendor GenuineIntel, msr 616081f0600081f
device_attach: est0 attach returned 6
p4tcc0: <cpu frequency="" thermal="" control="">on cpu0
est1: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu1
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.
est: cpu_vendor GenuineIntel, msr 616081f0600081f
device_attach: est1 attach returned 6
p4tcc1: <cpu frequency="" thermal="" control="">on cpu1
est2: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu2
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.
est: cpu_vendor GenuineIntel, msr 616081f0600081f
device_attach: est2 attach returned 6
p4tcc2: <cpu frequency="" thermal="" control="">on cpu2
est3: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu3
est: CPU supports Enhanced Speedstep, but is not recognized.
est: cpu_vendor GenuineIntel, msr 616081f0600081f
device_attach: est3 attach returned 6
p4tcc3: <cpu frequency="" thermal="" control="">on cpu3
Timecounters tick every 1.000 msec</cpu></enhanced></cpu></enhanced></cpu></enhanced></cpu></enhanced>

What is the difference between the two processors? Why is speedstep (or powerd) not working like in the old config?

Any clue for me?

Thank you in advance.

Matthias

Aluminum

Spitball ideas:

The bios might not fully recognize the cpu? Sometimes features require the correct microcode/patches in bios to work. You may be able to flash a new one.

ES cpu, where did you buy it? There are quite a few on ebay, depending on stepping etc various features don't work.

power_matz

Thank you for your hints.

After fiddling with the powerd settings it now works.
The CPU ist recognized from BIOS. I am afrid there is no newer one for my board.

Matthias

After fiddling with the powerd settings it now works.

PowerD (hi adaptive) would be tending on speed and works from the minimum to the maximum
CPU frequency like it is needed for any tasks in pfSense.

power_matz

Hello Frank,

with Hi Adaptive the speed was most of the time at highest value. With adaptive ist is more in the lower range

Greetings from germany too! ;-)

Matthias

with Hi Adaptive the speed was most of the time at highest value.

PowerD minimum = drives the CPU even on the minimum CPU frequency
PowerD maximum = drives the CPU even on the maximum CPU frequency
PowerD adaptive = drives the CPU from the minimum to the maximum CPU frequency with a dedicated view on
power saving alone
PowerD hi adaptive = drives the CPU from the minimum to the maximum CPU frequency with a dedicated view on
power saving but more for being powerful acting

With adaptive ist is more in the lower range

This mostly and also pending on what kind of packets you installed such as Snort or HAVP or the
usage of DPI. On high adaptive but using snort you will then get a lower throughput and saving
electric power, with hi adaptive you save power as usual, but for Snort or any other task that needs
much more horse power it will be sorted with them. If you only use pfSense more likes a normal firewall
then a UTM device or together with many packets it will be ok.