Gfilui

I receive following error messages a couple of times per hour:

08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU0: Core temperature above threshold, cpu clock throttled (total events = 2234)
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU2: Core temperature above threshold, cpu clock throttled (total events = 2234)
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU1: Package temperature above threshold, cpu clock throttled (total events = 2695)
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU3: Package temperature above threshold, cpu clock throttled (total events = 2695)
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU2: Package temperature above threshold, cpu clock throttled (total events = 2695)
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU0: Package temperature above threshold, cpu clock throttled (total events = 2695)
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU2: Core temperature/speed normal
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU0: Core temperature/speed normal
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU3: Package temperature/speed normal
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU1: Package temperature/speed normal
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU0: Package temperature/speed normal
08.03.18 21:27 kernel CPU2: Package temperature/speed normal

Hardware spec:

ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2nd
N1NET33W (1.20 )
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7600U CPU @ 2.80GHz
Production date 2017.11

Software:

Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 17.10
Release: 17.10
Codename: artful
Linux 4.13.0-36-generic #40-Ubuntu SMP Fri Feb 16 20:07:48 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Bios:

I set both battery and AC to performance in my BIOS settings, the BIOS is up to date.

What is the problem

The problem is that a threshold of CPU temperature is hit quite too early, it happens around 75°C, even though the CPU is allowed to reach up to 100°C. The temperature never goes higher than 85°C. So the CPU power gets throttled so fast.

I don't know if I may have a manufacturer hardware issue regarding inadequate thermal paste, or if it is software related. Before I send it to Lenovo I want to be sure it's not a self-made problem.

Stats

When I run a stress test

stress -c 4 -t 300

the error message happens almost instantly.

i7z gives following output:

Cpu speed from cpuinfo 2903.00Mhz
cpuinfo might be wrong if cpufreq is enabled. To guess correctly try estimating via tsc
Linux's inbuilt cpu_khz code emulated now
True Frequency (without accounting Turbo) 2903 MHz
 CPU Multiplier 29x || Bus clock frequency (BCLK) 100.10 MHz

Socket [0] - [physical cores=2, logical cores=4, max online cores ever=2]
 TURBO ENABLED on 2 Cores, Hyper Threading ON
 Max Frequency without considering Turbo 3003.10 MHz (100.10 x [30])
 Max TURBO Multiplier (if Enabled) with 1/2/3/4 Cores is 39x/39x/39x/39x
 Real Current Frequency 3187.97 MHz [100.10 x 31.85] (Max of below)
 Core [core-id] :Actual Freq (Mult.) C0% Halt(C1)% C3 % C6 % Temp VCore
 Core 1 [0]: 3187.97 (31.85x) 99.9 0 0 0 85 1.0037
 Core 2 [1]: 3187.97 (31.85x) 99.9 0 0 0 84 1.0037 


C0 = Processor running without halting
C1 = Processor running with halts (States >C0 are power saver modes with cores idling)
C3 = Cores running with PLL turned off and core cache turned off
C6, C7 = Everything in C3 + core state saved to last level cache, C7 is deeper than C6
 Above values in table are in percentage over the last 1 sec
[core-id] refers to core-id number in /proc/cpuinfo
'Garbage Values' message printed when garbage values are read
 Ctrl+C to exit

As said, it never exceeds the 85 Temp, yet the CPU gets throttled.

sensors shows following output

iwlwifi-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +30.0°C 

pch_skylake-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +52.0°C 

acpitz-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1: +56.0°C (crit = +98.0°C)

thinkpad-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
fan1: 5859 RPM

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0: +59.0°C (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 0: +59.0°C (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1: +58.0°C (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)

But the high-setting probably has no effect.

thermald

So I've played around with thermald then.

This is my adjusted configuration that I've found here:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ThermalConfiguration>
 <Platform>
 <Name>Use Fan control first then CPU throttle</Name>
 <ProductName>*</ProductName>
 <Preference>QUIET</Preference>
 <ThermalZones>
 <ThermalZone>
 <Type>x86_pkg_temp</Type>
 <TripPoints>
 <TripPoint>
 <SensorType>x86_pkg_temp</SensorType>
 <Temperature>90000</Temperature>
 <type>passive</type>
 <ControlType>SEQUENTIAL</ControlType>
 <CoolingDevice>
 <type>_fan_</type>
 </CoolingDevice>
 </TripPoint>
 </TripPoints>
 </ThermalZone>
 </ThermalZones>
 <CoolingDevices>
 <CoolingDevice>
 <Type>_fan_</Type>
 <Path>/sys/bus/platform/devices/thinkpad_hwmon/pwm1</Path>
 <MinState>100</MinState>
 <MaxState>255</MaxState>
 <IncDecStep>50</IncDecStep>
 <DebouncePeriod>10</DebouncePeriod>
 </CoolingDevice>
 </CoolingDevices>
 </Platform>
</ThermalConfiguration>

This makes no real difference, but I can see threshold settings at least (the last lines):

╰─ sudo thermald --no-daemon --loglevel=info

NO RAPL sysfs present 
22 CPUID levels; family:model:stepping 0x6:8e:9 (6:142:9)
Running on a vanilla kernel
Polling mode is enabled: 4
sensor_update: type x86_pkg_temp
sensor_update: type pch_skylake
sensor_update: type iwlwifi
sensor_update: type acpitz
thd_read_default_thermal_sensors loaded 4 sensors 
dts /sys/devices/platform/coretemp.0/name doesn't exist
dts /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon3/name doesn't exist
failed to open /dev/acpi_thermal_rel 
failed to open /dev/acpi_thermal_rel 
TRT/ART read failed
 Dumping parsed XML Data
 *** Index 0 ***
Name: UseFancontrolfirstthenCPUthrottle
UUID: 
type: 0
 Zone 0 
 Name: x86_pkg_temp
 Trip Point 0 
 temp 90000 
 trip type 2 
 hyst id 0 
 sensor type x86_pkg_temp 
 cdev index 0 
 type _fan_ 
 influence 0 
 SamplingPeriod 0 
 Cooling Dev 0 
 Type: _fan_
 Path: /sys/bus/platform/devices/thinkpad_hwmon/pwm1
 Min: 100
 Max: 255
 Step: 50
 AutoDownControl: 0
Product Name matched [wildcard]
sensor index:3 x86_pkg_temp /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone3/ Async:1 
sensor index:1 pch_skylake /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone1/ Async:0 
sensor index:2 iwlwifi /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone2/ Async:0 
sensor index:0 acpitz /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/ Async:0 
sensor index:4 hwmon /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon1/temp1_input Async:0 
sensor index:5 hwmon /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon1/temp2_input Async:0 
sensor index:6 hwmon /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon1/temp3_input Async:0 
thd_read_default_cooling devices loaded 4 cdevs 
powercap RAPL no long term time window
Use Default pstate drv settings
Product Name matched [wildcard]
3: Processor, C:0 MN: 0 MX:10 ST:1 pt:/sys/class/thermal/ rd_bk 0 
1: Processor, C:0 MN: 0 MX:10 ST:1 pt:/sys/class/thermal/ rd_bk 0 
2: Processor, C:0 MN: 0 MX:10 ST:1 pt:/sys/class/thermal/ rd_bk 0 
0: Processor, C:0 MN: 0 MX:10 ST:1 pt:/sys/class/thermal/ rd_bk 0 
4: intel_pstate, C:0 MN: 0 MX:10 ST:1 pt:/sys/devices/system/cpu/intel_pstate/ rd_bk 1 
5: _fan_, C:255 MN: 100 MX:255 ST:50 pt:/sys/bus/platform/devices/thinkpad_hwmon/pwm1 rd_bk 1 
6: LCD, C:0 MN: 0 MX:1060 ST:106 pt:/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/ rd_bk 1 
Sorted trip dump zone index:1 type:pch_skylake:
index 0: type:critical temp:115000 hyst:1 zone id:1 sensor id:1 cdev size:0
trip type: 0 temp: 115000 
Sorted trip dump zone index:0 type:acpitz:
index 0: type:critical temp:98000 hyst:1 zone id:0 sensor id:0 cdev size:0
trip type: 0 temp: 98000 
thd_read_default_thermal_zones loaded 2 zones 
zone cpu will be created 
dts zone /sys/devices/platform/coretemp.0/name doesn't exist
/sys/class/hwmon/hwmon4/name->iwlwifi
/sys/class/hwmon/hwmon2/name->pch_skylake
/sys/class/hwmon/hwmon0/name->acpitz
dts zone /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon3/name doesn't exist
/sys/class/hwmon/hwmon1/name->coretemp
Buggy max temp: to close to critical 90000
Core temp DTS :critical 100000, max 90000, psv 95000
node type: Element, name: CoolingDevice value: rapl_controller
node type: Element, name: CoolingDevice value: intel_pstate
node type: Element, name: CoolingDevice value: intel_powerclamp
node type: Element, name: CoolingDevice value: cpufreq
node type: Element, name: CoolingDevice value: Processor
CDEVS order specified in thermal-cpu-cdev-order.xml
Sorted trip dump zone index:4 type:cpu:
index 0: type:passive temp:95000 hyst:0 zone id:4 sensor id:65535 cdev size:2
cdev[0] intel_pstate
cdev[1] Processor
trip type: 2 temp: 95000 
Product Name matched [wildcard]
zone x86_pkg_temp bounded 
Sorted trip dump zone index:5 type:x86_pkg_temp:
index 0: type:passive temp:90000 hyst:0 zone id:5 sensor id:3 cdev size:1
cdev[0] _fan_
trip type: 2 temp: 90000 
Zone 1: pch_skylake, Active:0 Bind:0 Sensor_cnt:1
..sensors.. 
sensor index:1 pch_skylake /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone1/ Async:0 
..trips.. 
index 0: type:critical temp:115000 hyst:1 zone id:1 sensor id:1 cdev size:0
Zone 0: acpitz, Active:0 Bind:0 Sensor_cnt:1
..sensors.. 
sensor index:0 acpitz /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/ Async:0 
..trips.. 
index 0: type:critical temp:98000 hyst:1 zone id:0 sensor id:0 cdev size:0
Zone 4: cpu, Active:1 Bind:0 Sensor_cnt:1
..sensors.. 
sensor index:3 x86_pkg_temp /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone3/ Async:1 
..trips.. 
index 0: type:passive temp:95000 hyst:0 zone id:4 sensor id:65535 cdev size:2
cdev[0] intel_pstate
cdev[1] Processor
index 1: type:polling temp:90000 hyst:0 zone id:4 sensor id:3 cdev size:0
Zone 5: x86_pkg_temp, Active:1 Bind:1 Sensor_cnt:1
..sensors.. 
sensor index:3 x86_pkg_temp /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone3/ Async:1 
..trips.. 
index 0: type:passive temp:90000 hyst:0 zone id:5 sensor id:3 cdev size:1
cdev[0] _fan_
index 1: type:polling temp:85000 hyst:0 zone id:5 sensor id:3 cdev size:0
FD = 7
Current user preference is 0
thd_engine_thread begin
Set : threshold:90000, temperature:53000, cdev:5(_fan_), curr_state:205, max_state:255
Set : threshold:90000, temperature:57000, cdev:5(_fan_), curr_state:155, max_state:255
Set : threshold:90000, temperature:85000, cdev:5(_fan_), curr_state:105, max_state:255
Set : threshold:90000, temperature:85000, cdev:5(_fan_), curr_state:100, max_state:255

Final thoughts/questions

• Is it possible to set the CPU temperature threshold?


• Is it meant to be set at all or is this BIOS/hardware related?


• May my hardware (thermal paste) be defect?


• Or did I maybe analysed something completely wrong?

Update #1

After diving deeper into this topic and reading several articles regarding Intel's CPU throttling and other posts facing same (or just slight different) issues on other operating systems and kernels, I came to the conclusion that my laptop may be not misbehaving as I thought it would.

Though the kernel-messages are still bizarre, but the reason could be a wrong kernel printk level or whatsoever. I also retrieve those messages when my CPU package temperature is around +52.0°C and CPU frequency just 1200MHz.
This just does not make any sense at all.

When testing my laptop with stress-tests I can see the error messages, but in fact the CPUs don't get throttled.
If I test 1 core only, I get full turbo boost speed of 3,900MHz.
Testing all 4 cores reduces the maximum frequency to ~3,300MHz.
Which is the expected behavior.

So I'll just put this issue aside - unless someone here may provide more insides.

Update #2

No changes after updating the system:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Release: 18.04
Codename: bionic
Linux4.15.0-20-generic #21-Ubuntu SMP Tue Apr 24 06:16:15 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux