* SensorInstallHowto

Ubuntu can monitor CPU and other system temperatures, fan speeds, and other syst
em data using an application called lm-sensors. It can also show this informatio
n on your desktop or GNOME panel using one of several other applications. lm-sen
sor's homepage is http://secure.netroedge.com/~lm78/download.html
This Howto was adapted from this Ubuntu Forums thread. That thread was written f
or Ubuntu 4.10; lm-sensors installation is significantly easier in all supported
versions of Ubuntu.
Make sure to read the Comments below for later versions of Ubuntu.
Install and Configure lm-sensors
1.
Install the lm-sensors package (see InstallingSoftware).
2. Run sudo sensors-detect and answer YES to all YES/no questions. I generall
y use the ISA bus rather than the SMBus bus, your choice to this question!.
3. At the end of sensors-detect, a list of modules that needs to be loaded wi
ll displayed. Type "yes" to have sensors-detect insert those modules into /etc/m
odules, or edit /etc/modules yourself.
4. Next, run "sudo /etc/init.d/module-init-tools restart". This will read the
changes you made to /etc/modules in step 3, and insert the new modules into the
kernel.
Test lm-sensors
Next, you should test that lm-sensors works correctly. Run the "sensors" command
and check the output. Example output is below:
w83627dhg-isa-0290
Adapter: ISA adapter
VCore: +1.13 V (min = +0.00 V, max = +1.74 V)
in1: +11.30 V (min = +0.90 V, max = +0.05 V) ALARM
AVCC: +3.28 V (min = +2.11 V, max = +2.40 V) ALARM
3VCC: +3.28 V (min = +2.05 V, max = +0.37 V) ALARM
in4: +1.41 V (min = +0.00 V, max = +1.57 V)
in5: +1.65 V (min = +0.02 V, max = +0.14 V) ALARM
in6: +4.45 V (min = +3.28 V, max = +1.64 V) ALARM
VSB: +3.28 V (min = +0.14 V, max = +3.07 V) ALARM
VBAT: +3.22 V (min = +2.06 V, max = +1.02 V) ALARM
Case Fan: 0 RPM (min = 2636 RPM, div = 128) ALARM
CPU Fan: 1117 RPM (min = 1591 RPM, div = 8) ALARM
Aux Fan: 0 RPM (min = 1171 RPM, div = 128) ALARM
fan5: 0 RPM (min = 659 RPM, div = 128) ALARM
Sys Temp: +31.0°C (high = +18.0°C, hyst = +96.0°C) sensor = thermistor
CPU Temp: +33.0°C (high = +80.0°C, hyst = +75.0°C) sensor = diode
AUX Temp: +124.5°C (high = +80.0°C, hyst = +75.0°C) ALARM sensor = thermist
or
cpu0_vid: +1.163 V
coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 0: +43.0°C (high = +82.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
coretemp-isa-0001
Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 1: +43.0°C (high = +82.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
coretemp-isa-0002
Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 2: +40.0°C (high = +82.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
coretemp-isa-0003
Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 3: +43.0°C (high = +82.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
This sensors output shows four devices: w83627dhg-isa-0290 (motherboard sensors)
and coretemp-isa-0000 through 0004 (Intel Core sensors). The motherboard sensor
device has information on the voltages received from the power supply unit by t
he motherboard (in1-6), the fan speeds (entries with RPM), and various internal
temperatures. As you can see, some sensors are obviously incorrect (e.g. AUX Tem
p and Case/Aux Fan); this tends to be the case with at least some of the sensors
on most motherboards.
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 applic
ations, including xsensors, ksensors, and sensors-applet.
ksensors
Ksensors seems to work better for many people, and be easier to configure. Insta
ll the ksensors package (see InstallingSoftware). Start it from terminal with ks
ensors, and you should be able to choose which temperature, fan RPM, or other di
splays you want.
ksensors.png
To get Ksensors to start when your computer starts, go System menu --> Preferenc
es --> Sessions, and in the last tab, Startup Programs, add ksensors. (or whiche
ver sensors display program you choose to use).
sensors-applet
For a GNOME alternative, you can apt-get or Synaptic search/install of "sensors-
applet", a GNOME panel applet that displays temperatures and fan speeds from lm-
sensors.
During installation, you'll be presented with the option to start the hddtemp da
emon at startup. Choose "no" here if there was a sensor detected previously that
reports your hard drive temperature, otherwise choose "yes".
After installation, you can right click on any panel that you want to have senso
r information displayed on, and click "Add to Panel...". In the "Add to Panel" w
indow, there should be a icon with the text "Hardware Sensors Monitor". Click on
this entry, then click "Add". You can change the applet's settings by right-cli
cking on the applet and choosing "Preferences".
sensors-applet.png
Comments
In Gutsy the process to configure lm-sensors is much simpler. I installed lm-sen
sors and sensors-applet, ran sudo sensors-detect (and said yes to everything). I
t asks if I want it to automatically add the modules to /etc/modules, I said yes
. Then restart to get the modules (one could do some modprobing, but just restar
ting is easier) . Then I added the sensor applet to my panel. -- SamTygier
The original thread was written with Warty 4.10 in mind. The simple process seem
s to apply for Dapper, Gutsy, Hardy, and Intrepid, so I've removed the over-comp
licated cruft that used to be here -- Robert Wall
Jaunty, Karmic and Lucid
In Jaunty, Karmic, and Lucid, the procedure in Sam Tygier's comment works fine.
Just open a Terminal (Applications -> Terminal) and type:
sudo apt-get install lm-sensors sensors-applet
Next, run sensors-detect. I answered "no" to the question about automatically ch
ecking the hard disks on the pop-up screen because I wasn't sure (as the instruc
tions for sensors-detect state), and "yes" to all the sensor probes that follow.
sudo sensors-detect
Finally, restart to load all the sensors. Once back at the desktop, right-click
on the top panel and choose "Add to Panel." Select "Hardware Sensors Monitor" an
d click the "Add" button, then "Close." Right-click on all the sensors that appe
ar and choose "Preferences." Click the "Sensors" tab. There you can select/de-se
lect all the relevant sensors and adjust their low and high values as well as se
t alarms if desired.
SensorInstallHowto (last edited 2010-04-05 20:50:37 by pouria)
* Page History
The material on this wiki is available under a free license, see Copyright / Lic
ense for details
You can contribute to this wiki, see Wiki Guide for details