SensorInstallHowto
Ubuntu can monitor CPU and other system temperatures, fan speeds, and other system data, using an application called lm-sensors and another application to display lm-sensors's data on your desktop. Warning: IBM Thinkpad users should not install LM Sensors. Full story is available here.
sensor homepage http://secure.netroedge.com/~lm78/download.html
This Howto is from [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2780 this Ubuntu Forums thread].
Install and Configure lm-sensors
Install lm-sensors using apt-get or the Synaptic GUI.
sudo apt-get install lm-sensors
Run the mkdev.sh script in the lm-sensors source. It is extacted below:
Copy the script file below to a text editor and save it to a file named mkdev.sh.
# Here you can set several defaults. # The number of devices to create (max: 256) NUMBER=32 # The owner and group of the devices OUSER=root OGROUP=root # The mode of the devices MODE=600 # This script doesn't need to be run if devfs is used if [ -r /proc/mounts ] ; then if grep -q "/dev devfs" /proc/mounts ; then echo "You do not need to run this script as your system uses devfs." exit; fi fi i=0; while [ $i -lt $NUMBER ] ; do echo /dev/i2c-$i mknod -m $MODE /dev/i2c-$i c 89 $i || exit chown "$OUSER:$OGROUP" /dev/i2c-$i || exit i=$[$i + 1] done #end of file
Make the file executable:
chmod 755 mkdev.sh
Run mkdev.sh from the current directory
sudo ./mkdev.sh
3. Now run sensors-detect and answer YES to all YES/no questions. I generally use the ISA bus rather than the SMBus bus, your choice to this question!. At the end of the detection phase, a list of modules that needs to be loaded will displayed. You will need to write these down or print the list for the next steps.
sudo sensors-detect
Below is an example of results from sensors-detect:
#************************************************* ***************************** To make the sensors modules behave correctly, add these lines to /etc/modules: #----cut here---- # I2C adapter drivers i2c-viapro i2c-isa # I2C chip drivers eeprom it87 #----cut here----
Then, run /etc/init.d/module-init-tools
To make the sensors modules behave correctly, add these lines to /etc/modprobe.d/local and run update-modules ([#* *]):
#----cut here---- # I2C module options alias char-major-89 i2c-dev #----cut here---- #**********************************
In this example, we add the modules in reverse order (order is critical!) in "/etc/modules".
#*************************************************************** # /etc/modules: kernel modules to load at boot time. # # This file should contain the names of kernel modules that are # to be loaded at boot time, one per line. Comments begin with # a "#", and everything on the line after them are ignored. psmouse mousedev ide-cd ide-disk ide-generic lp #For lm-sensors, i2c modules it87 i2c-viapro i2c-isa #end of file! #*****************************************
Anchor(*) * I found that there was no "/etc/modprobe.d/local" and that "alias char-major-89 i2c-dev" was already listed in "/etc/modprobe.d/aliases". So, nothing to do here.
Now load the modules manually using modprobe and update the dependencies.
sudo modprobe i2c-sensor sudo modprobe i2c-viapro sudo modprobe i2c-isa sudo modprobe it87 sudo depmod -a <may not be needed!> sudo update-modules <may not be needed!>
Now test the sensor output using the lm-sensors utility "sensors".
sensors ************************************************** ***************** it87-isa-0290 Adapter: ISA adapter VCore 1: +1.57 V (min = +1.42 V, max = +1.57 V) ALARM VCore 2: +2.66 V (min = +2.40 V, max = +2.61 V) ALARM +3.3V: +6.59 V (min = +3.14 V, max = +3.46 V) ALARM +5V: +5.11 V (min = +4.76 V, max = +5.24 V) +12V: +11.78 V (min = +11.39 V, max = +12.61 V) -12V: -19.14 V (min = -12.63 V, max = -11.41 V) ALARM -5V: +0.77 V (min = -5.26 V, max = -4.77 V) ALARM Stdby: +5.00 V (min = +4.76 V, max = +5.24 V) VBat: +3.12 V fan1: 3668 RPM (min = 0 RPM, div = fan2: 0 RPM (min = 664 RPM, div = ALARM fan3: 0 RPM (min = 2657 RPM, div = 2) ALARM M/B Temp: +39°C (low = +15°C, high = +40°C) sensor = thermistor CPU Temp: +36°C (low = +15°C, high = +45°C) sensor = thermistor Temp3: +96°C (low = +15°C, high = +45°C) sensor = diode ************************************************** ********************
Reboot Ubuntu and the sensors should now be detected during the boot process properly!
The sensor output may be tweaked by editing the "/etc/sensors.conf" file. It is possible to correct inaccurate scaling too. For details check "man sensors.conf".
Get Sensor Information Displayed on your Desktop
Search Synaptic for either "sensors" to bring up a list of sensor-related applications, including xsensors and ksensors.
Ksensors seems to work better for many people, and be easier to configure. Use Synaptic or apt-get to install ksensors. Start it from terminal with ksensors, and you should be able to choose which temperature, fan RPM, or other displays you want.
attachment:Screenshot-KSensors.png
To get Ksensors to start when your computer starts, go System menu --> Preferences --> Sessions, and in the last tab, Startup Programs, add ksensors. (or whichever sensors display program you choose to use).