Difference between revisions of "Low Power Workstation"

Revision as of 00:04, 19 June 2008

Low Power Workstations

Motherboard: Via Epia SN18000G
RAM: 2gb
Storage: Compact Flash
Case: VoomPC Automotive Mini-ITX Case
OS: Ubuntu 8.04 (with gnome)

General

Jumpers for power switch are second two in from the right on the back row, with the rows of jumpers away from you

Press F11 during POST to select boot device

http://www.tkarena.com/forums/archive/index.php/f-20.html VIA EPIA (Mini-ITX, Nano-ITX, Pico-ITX) Arena

http://www.tkarena.com/forums/via-epia-mini-itx-nano-itx-pico-itx-arena/37123-problems-updating-bios-sn18000.html

http://www.tkarena.com/forums/via-epia-mini-itx-nano-itx-pico-itx-arena/36269-sn18000g-bios-update.html

Sound: http://radagast.bglug.ca/epia/epia_howto/x331.html

BIOS updates at: http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/mainboards/downloads.jsp?motherboard_id=550

To Do

*Set-up:

Network user profiles

*Add:

Java
gedit

*Fix:

Boot on PS/2 mouse and USB keyboard
Solder power LED on prototype

*Check on:

User/global config files for Ekiga to avoid sound device being set to "Default" on first run

Ubuntu 8.10 =

Custom Stuff

FUZZY XORG AFTER INSTALL: set driver to 'vesa' OR compile openchrome 902 (901 is the only provided version). Obtain DRM by compiling from git source.

BUZZING -> Mute line device for recording.

Knowplex and Ekiga don't play nice together unless /etc/asound.conf is added so that dmix works

Sample /etc/asound.conf

  pcm.snd_card {
       type hw
       card 0
}
pcm.dmixer {
       type dmix
       ipc_key 1024
       slave.pcm "snd_card"
       slave {
               period_size 256
               buffer_size 2048
               rate 44100
       }
}
pcm.dsnooper {
       type dsnoop
       ipc_key 2048
       slave.pcm "snd_card"
       slave {
               period_size 256
buffer_size 2048
               rate 44100
       }
}
pcm.duplex {
       type asym
       playback.pcm "dmixer"
       capture.pcm "dsnooper"
}
pcm.!default {
       type plug
       slave.pcm "duplex"
}
buffer_size 2048
               rate 44100
       }
}

install build-essential for most common stuff needed to build

Ubuntu Desktop Fails to Start

See: This bug report

The problem is that gnome-keyring-daemon segfaults on startup (apparently related to flash based storage?).

Solution:

edit etc/pam.d/gdm as root
remove all references to gnome_keyring
save file and restart GDM

Power Saving Tips

Build a kernel with dynticks enabled and use powertop. Some recommendations from powertop:

Suggestion: increase the VM dirty writeback time from 5.00 to 15 seconds with:
 echo 1500 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_writeback_centisecs

FreeBSD 7.0

Custom Settings

Ports Settings

/etc/make.conf

WITHOUT_GNOME="YES"
WITHOUT_KDE="YES"
WITHOUT_PYTHON="YES"

CFLAGS+= -march=i686 -msse3

Load kernel modules

/boot/loader.conf

snd_hda_load="YES"
linux_load="YES"

Disable line-In whine on snd_hda module load

/boot/device.hints

hint.pcm.0.line="0"

Bootup settings

/etc/rc.conf

ifconfig_vr0="DHCP"
mixer_enable="YES"

/var/db/mixer0-state

vol 85:85 pcm 75:75 line 0:0 mic 0:0 cd 75:75 rec 75:75 =rec mic

Power Consumption Tuning

Consumes 2watts when plugged in and off
PWM2 fan in BIOS controls cpu fan after boot
PWM1 fan in BIOS seems to control fan before/during boot
http://www.heatsink-guide.com/ awesome cooling info
http://free-electrons.com/community/videos/conferences/ Embedded Linux Conference Videos
Sensors

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 ===Custom Stuff===
-* FUZZY XORG AFTER INSTALL: set driver to "vesa" in xorg.conf
+* FUZZY XORG AFTER INSTALL: set driver to 'vesa' OR compile openchrome 902 (901 is the only provided version). Obtain DRM by compiling from git source.
-* BUZZING -> Go to System -> Preferences -> Sound, and set everything to ALSA. Then restart alsa-utils and change capture device to microphone in alsamixer
+* BUZZING -> Mute line device for recording.
 * Knowplex and Ekiga don't play nice together unless /etc/asound.conf is added so that dmix works
@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
   }
-*via_ubuntu_7.04_linux_hd_audio_ig_ver0.8.tar.gz  --> doesn't work because we aren't in 7.04. used linux_audio_driver_v30.zip from viaarena.com instead.
 *install build-essential for most common stuff needed to build
@@ Line 101: / Line 100: @@
 * remove all references to gnome_keyring
 * save file and restart GDM
+=== Power Saving Tips ===
+Build a kernel with dynticks enabled and use powertop. Some recommendations from powertop:
+ Suggestion: increase the VM dirty writeback time from 5.00 to 15 seconds with:
+  echo 1500 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_writeback_centisecs
 == FreeBSD 7.0 ==
@@ Line 109: / Line 115: @@
   WITHOUT_KDE="YES"
   WITHOUT_PYTHON="YES"
- WITHOUT_DBUS="YES"
   CFLAGS+= -march=i686 -msse3