Low Power Workstation

Low Power Workstations

• Motherboard: Via Epia SN18000G
• Processor: 1.8GHz VIA C7® Processor
• RAM: 2gb
• Storage: Compact Flash
• Case: VoomPC Automotive Mini-ITX Case
• OS: Ubuntu 8.04 (with gnome)
• Chipset: VIA CN896 North Bridge

             VIA VT8251 South Bridge

• Audio: VIA VT1708A High Defination Audio Codec

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

Compiling a custom kernel

Here's a kernel config file for 2.6.25-7 - use 'make oldconfig' to make it work with newer kernels.

Compile the new kernel by doing:

make-kpkg -initrd --revision=FSepia001 kernel_image modules_image

The revision can be whatever string you want. Use dpkg -i to install the resulting .deb file. You can also build kernel_headers if you wish (it takes a long time though).

I wanted the ALSA release candidate, so I didn't build alsa support in the kernel. Instead I downloaded the release candidate tarball, did

./configure --with-cards=hda-intel --with-card-options=hda-codec-via,hda-generic,hda-power-save
make
sudo make install

Note that you should be running the new kernel when you do this. Load the new modules by doing

modprobe snd-hda-intel

The module should load correctly on bootup from now on.

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