PowerManagementPMUtils

This call for testing is now complete

A big thank you to all who were involved in testing the new PM utils power.d scripts. These changes have now landed on Ubuntu Precise 12.04 LTS. The text below is has been kept for historical context. We no longer require any testing or updates to this page.

PM utils power.d improvements

PM utils power.d scripts control power management settings when a laptop is on mains or battery power. The power.d scripts currently attempt to optimize power savings when on battery power by adjusting settings such as audio and wireless power management, readahead and journal commit settings to name just a few.

The kernel provides mechanisms to put specific USB and PCI devices into lower power consuming states and with careful choice of the specific devices we can reduce the overall system power consumption by a few Watts depending on the types of devices installed on a laptop or netbook.

Initial analysis on a range of hardware has identified a set of devices (Bluetooth, Wireless, Ethernet, SD card readers) that can be put into a low power state and we are looking for volunteers to test some updated pm-utils power.d scripts. We are interested in two types of test:

1) Do these pm-util scripts save any power across a range of machines?

2) Does enabling these savings affect any device behavior?

How to Test Power Savings

Download the test script and make it executable: 

wget http://zinc.canonical.com/~cking/power-benchmarking/pm-utils-updates/pm-utils-test.sh
chmod +x pm-utils-test.sh

Install the powerstat tool required to measure power consumption: 

sudo ./pm-utils-test.sh install-powerstat

Note you can uninstall powerstat at a later time using: sudo ./pm-utils-test.sh uninstall-powerstat

Ensure you laptop battery is fully charged and also that you have DISABLED the screen dimming (System Settings -> Screen -> Un-tick "Dim Screen to save power", set "Turn off after:" to "Never" and turn screen lock "Lock" to "OFF".

Next, unplug the laptop from the mains power so that it is running on battery power and the run the test and leave the machine alone in an idle state while testing: 

sudo ./pm-utils-test.sh test

After 16 minutes you will see some results, much like the following: 

sudo ./pm-utils-test.sh test
Stopping cron
Measuring baseline power consumption.. Please wait 8 minutes.
Measuring power consumption with new scripts.. Please wait 8 minutes.
Starting cron

Test Results:

BIOS  :  A13
Kernel:  Linux dell6400 3.0.0-14-generic #23-Ubuntu SMP Mon Nov 21 20:28:43 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Power consumption BEFORE using new pm-utils power.d scripts:
 28.12 Watts on Average with Standard Deviation 0.15

Power consumption AFTER using new pm-utils power.d scripts:
 27.64 Watts on Average with Standard Deviation 0.12

Paste the following line into the results table:

||Dell Inc. MM061||A13||64||3.0.0-14-generic||28.12 W, σ=0.15||27.64 W, σ=0.12||

Thank you for taking the time to run the test.

If the Standard Deviation is high (for example greater than ~5% of the power consumption) then it may be worth re-running the test to see if you get more reliably results a second time around.

Add your findings to the table at the bottom of this page (please put name of the machine in sorted alphabetical order). For the power measurements enter the average power consumed and standard deviation data for the BEFORE and AFTER measurements.

NOTE: The manufacturer name and machine name in the 1st field is extracted from the DMI tables and maybe misleading or wrong. We suggest modifying this field if you have better human readable data. E.g. the above example was identified as "Dell Inc. MM061" where as a better human readable name is in fact a "Dell Inspiron 6400".

How to Test Device Behavior

Assuming you have already downloaded the test script, plug your machine back into mains power and then enable the test using: 

sudo ./pm-utils-test.sh enable

Note that this script will force pm-powersave to be on even though you are running on AC mains power and hence the new power saving pm-utils scripts will be activated so you can test the machine for a long period of time. Please check to see if devices like Bluetooth, Wireless, Ethernet, SD card readers, Web Cameras work correctly. Feel free to exercise the machine by running your normal everyday activities. Please note any incorrect behavior in the notes field in the table below.

To disable the test, use: 

sudo ./pm-utils-test.sh disable

Crowd Sourcing Results

Please put name of the machine in sorted alphabetical order. Thanks!

Machine

BIOS

32/64 bit kernel

Kernel

Power 'BEFORE'

Power 'AFTER'

Notes

Acer Aspire 1830T

V1.20

64

3.0.0-14-generic

12.79 W, σ=0.09

12.79 W, σ=0.10

Acer Aspire 5742G

V1.24

64

3.0.0-14-generic

22.12 W, σ=0.36

21.92 W, σ=0.42

working

Acer Aspire 5820TG

V1.19

64

3.0.0-14-generic

13.90 W, σ=0.56

13.98 W, σ=1.26

Kernel cmd line added pcie_aspm=force 915.i915_enable_rc6=1 radeon.nomodeset=1 vt.handoff=7

Apple Computer, Inc. MacBook1,1

MB11.88Z.0061.B03.0610121324

32

3.2.0-7-generic

13.65 W, σ=0.04

13.67 W, σ=0.04

Apple Inc. MacBookPro5,3

MBP53.88Z.00AC.B03.0906151647

64

3.0.0-14-generic

23.24 W, σ=0.64

23.07 W, σ=0.65

Apple MacBook Air 4,1

MBA41.88Z.0077.B0E.1110141154

64

3.2.0-4-generic

7.61 W σ=0.03

6.65 W σ=0.29

Works fine

Asus 1015PE

0603

64

3.2.0-5-generic

6.37 W, σ=0.17

7.17 W, σ=0.12

No device testing

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. N55SF

N55SF.207

64

3.0.0-15-generic

18.38 W, σ=0.18

17.67 W, σ=0.16

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. UX31E

UX31E.206

64

3.0.0-13-generic

12.29 W, σ=0.09

12.38 W, σ=0.09

Dell Inspiron 6400

A13

64

3.0.0-14-generic

28.12 W σ=0.15

27.64 W σ=0.12

Works fine

Dell Inspiron 6400

A13

64

3.2.0-7-generic

25.18 W, σ=0.19

24.79 W, σ=0.10

Dell Inspiron N5110

A06

64

3.0.0-15-generic

24.59 W, σ=0.28

24.54 W, σ=0.16

Dell Latitude D820

A07

32

3.0.0-14-generic

27.77 W, σ=0.06

27.76 W, σ=0.08

Clean install, all updates applied, wifi disconnected, GigE connected

Dell Inc. Latitude E6400

A30

64

3.2.0-030200-generic

13.62 W, σ=0.48

13.66 W, σ=0.32

wifi off, eth0 connected, max brightness

Dell Latitude E6420

A06

32

3.0.0-14-generic-pae

15.75 W, σ=0.10

12.94 W, σ=0.42

Dell Vostro 1310

A15

64

3.0.0-12-generic

28.21 W, σ=0.41

28.51 W, σ=0.29

No device testing

Dell Vostro 1440

A00

32

3.0.0-14-generic

15.26 W, σ=0.45

14.49 W, σ=0.37

Dell Vostro V131

X17

64

3.0.0-13-generic

27.74 W, σ=0.36

27.59 W, σ=0.33

Works fine

Dell Vostro V13

A02

32

3.0.0-14-generic-pae

10.68 W, σ=0.42

10.56 W, σ=0.27

Gateway NV55S04u

V1.01

64

3.0.0-14-generic

9.14 W, σ=0.26

9.20 W, σ=0.26

HP ProBook 4320s

68AHH Ver. F.0E

64

3.0.0-14-generic

23.89 W, σ=1.27

20.28 W, σ=0.43

Works fine

HP Compaq 6710b

68DDU Ver. F.12

64

3.2.0-2-generic

19.65 W, σ=0.20

19.76 W, σ=0.20

HP Compaq 8510p

68MVD Ver. F.15

32

3.0.0-15-generic

28.87 W, σ=4.14

27.36 W, σ=3.75

WIFI left on

HP EliteBook 6930p

Don't know

32

3.0.0-14-generic-pae

31.22 W ± 2.35

28.58 W ± 1.65

Works fine

HP Mini 10

361A0 Ver. F.10

32

3.0.0-12-generic

11.77 W, σ=0.46

11.34 W, σ=0.36

Live USB

HP Mini 500

308F0 Ver. F.01

32

3.0.0-12-generic

9.51 W, σ=0.67

8.80 W, σ=0.64

Live USB

HP Mini 5102

68PGU Ver. F.05

64

3.2.0-4-generic

9.52 W, σ=0.07

9.54 W, σ=0.05

No device testing

HP Pavilion dm1

F.12

32

3.0.0-13-generic

7.85 W σ=0.25

7.76 W σ=0.27

Works fine

HP ProBook 6460b

68SCE Ver. F.08

64

3.2.0-7-generic

14.81 W, σ=0.55

14.29 W, σ=0.39

LENOVO 03285EG

86ET25WW (1.09 )

64

3.0.0-14-generic

14.24 W, σ=0.09

14.30 W, σ=0.06

Edge 13

LENOVO 03285EG

86ET25WW (1.09 )

64

3.2.0-7-generic

13.83 W, σ=0.32

13.66 W, σ=0.26

Same as above, but after upgrade to precise

LENOVO 11433FU

8HET34WW(1.16)

64

3.0.0-14-generic

18.84 W, σ=0.28

18.64 W, σ=1.00

LENOVO 20044

2CCN18WW(V1.07)

32

3.4.9-030409-generic

31.05 W, σ=0.18

25.37 W, σ=0.18

LENOVO HuronRiver Platform

45CN34WW

64

3.0.0-12-generic

17.79 W, σ=0.08

17.94 W, σ=0.06

Lenovo IdeaPad Y430

0BCN57WW(V3.13)

64

3.2.0-5-generic

16.04 W, σ=0.11

16.05 W, σ=0.12

Live USB

LENOVO T420 4177CTO

83ET63WW (1.33 )

64

3.2.0-1-generic

19.20 W, σ=0.87

18.98 W, σ=0.84

Lenovo Thinkpad T420s

8CET50WW (1.30 )

64

3.2.0-4-generic (on Oneiric)

13.83 W ± 0.03

13.87 W ± 0.03

Lenovo ThinkPad T510

6MET75WW (1.35 )

64

3.2.0-4-generic

11.26 W ± 0.16

11.12 W ± 0.06

Lenovo ThinkPad T61 8891CTO

7LETA9WW (2.09 )

64

3.0.0-14-generic

20.90 W, σ=0.18

20.84 W, σ=0.17

Lenovo ThinkPad x120e

8FET31WW (1.15 )

64

3.2.0-4-generic

12.52W ± 0.19

12.16W ± 0.16

Lenovo ThinkPad X200s

6DET65WW (3.15 )

64

3.0.0-14-generic

8.10 W, σ=0.07

8.09 W, σ=0.07

Lenovo ThinkPad X200s

6DET70WW (3.20 )

64

3.1.4-030104-generic

14.17 σ=0.10

14.20 σ=0.11

Lenovo ThinkPad x220

8DET51WW (1.21 )

64

3.0.0-14-generic

11.40 W ± 0.59

10.78 W ± 0.18

Works fine

Lenovo ThinkPad x220

8DET51WW (1.21 )

64

3.2.0-4-generic

12.46 W ± 0.29

12.29 W ± 0.03

Works fine

LENOVO ThinkPad x220i

8DET50WW (1.20 )

64

3.0.0-14-generic

9.70 W, σ=0.14

9.70 W, σ=0.07

no improvements

Lenovo ThinkPad X220i

8DET54WW (1.24 )

32

3.0.0-12-generic

15.66 W, σ=0.04

15.65 W, σ=0.05

Live USB

Lenovo ThinkPad X220i

8DET54WW (1.24 )

64

3.0.0-12-generic

17.07 W, σ=0.07

17.00 W, σ=0.06

Live USB

Lenovo ThinkPad X220i

8DET54WW (1.24 )

64

3.2.0-7-generic

8.66 W, σ=0.11

8.42 W, σ=0.06

Lenovo ThinkPad x301

6EET44WW (3.04)

64

3.2.0-4-generic

12.84 W ± 0.19

12.36 W ± 0.25

Works fine

LENOVO x120e 05962RU

8FET31WW (1.15 )

32

3.2.0-4-generic

10.01 W, σ=0.03

9.25 W, σ=0.09

Live USB

LENOVO x120e 05962RU

8FET31WW (1.15 )

64

3.2.0-4-generic

9.83 W, σ=0.06

9.00 W, σ=0.09

Live USB

Lenovo x120e 0596CTO

8FET31WW (1.15 )

64

3.0.0-14-generic

8.44 W, σ=0.08

8.64 W, σ=0.04

LENOVO/IBM T43

70ET66WW (1.26 )

32

3.2.0-7-generic

17.85 W, σ=0.82

17.80 W, σ=0.83

Micro-Star International CX705 MX

A1737SMS V1.0G

64

3.0.0-14-generic

25.04 W, σ=0.15

25.13 W, σ=0.20

Micro-Star International L2100

080015

64

3.0.0-15-generic

16.71 W, σ=0.16

16.65 W, σ=0.14

Samsung 350U2A

03PY.M019.20110709.WZW

64

3.0.0-14-generic

9.91 W ± 0.30

9.45 W ± 0.29

Works fine

Samsung NF210

03MY.M029.20101228.JIP

64

3.0.0-14-generic

5.48 W ± 0.62

5.06 W ± 0.43

Works fine

Sony Corporation VPCF11KFX

R0250Y6

64

3.0.0-14-generic

28.97 W, σ=1.33

29.25 W, σ=1.71

Sony Corporation VPCF12S1E

R1110Y6

64

3.0.0-14-generic

33.34 W, σ=1.99

32.42 W, σ=2.23

Zareason Corporation PT20 (Terra HD)

PT20_B1.1.216_E1.1.351_P0

32

3.0.0-14-generic

10.87 W, σ=0.63

10.69 W, σ=0.12

Wireless and webcam work fine, did not test ethernet and card readers, no bluetooth hardware available.

Kernel/PowerManagementPMUtils (last edited 2012-08-24 21:50:18 by static-213-88-59-155)