How do I set the CPU frequency scaling governor for all cores at once?

Question

I'd like to set the CPU frequency scaling governor for all cores at once instead of doing it individually for each core. Is there a way to do this?

(I know it would be easy to echo the governor to /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpufreq/scaling_governor, but I'm not looking for a custom solution.)

With "custom solution" you mean that a shell script is unacceptable, it needs to be a built-in GUI button?
I'm just wondering if there already exists a solution in a standard installation (doesn't need to have a GUI).
Check this page: idebian.wordpress.com/2008/06/22/cpu-frequency-scaling-in-linux under "debian implementation": It is apparently possible to change the boot default, and there is a userspace tool called powernowd. (This is a comment rather than reply because the post is from 2008, and I haven't tested if it still works...)

Alexandre · Answer 1 · 2012-07-07 17:22:08Z

up vote 5 down vote

I'm still a linux noob but don't you think cpufrequtils lets u do it by using (its not bundled in the Ubuntu OS but is there in the repository)

sudo apt-get install cpufrequtils
cpufreq-set -r -g performance #-r for related (all) the cores

edited Jul 7 '12 at 17:22

Alexandre
732214

answered Mar 6 '12 at 15:13

user49449
5113

	Unfortunately cpufrequtils isn't part of a standard installation of Ubuntu. – htorque Mar 6 '12 at 15:29
	@htorque What prevents you from installing the `cpufrequtils` package? – Marco Mar 6 '12 at 15:42

ΤΖΩΤΖΙΟΥ · Accepted Answer · 2011-04-18 18:06:16Z

up vote 2 down vote accepted

I googled a lot and I think it's just not possible, so I added the following one-liner to my .bashrc:

function setgov ()
{
    echo "$1" | sudo tee /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpufreq/scaling_governor 
}

Now I can run something like setgov ondemand and all cores will switch to the ondemand governor.

edited Apr 18 '11 at 18:06

ΤΖΩΤΖΙΟΥ
404718

answered Jan 23 '11 at 22:17

htorque
24.4k1381155

sfeole · Answer 3 · 2012-03-06 16:56:31Z

Check out Jupiter:

It's a power mgmt daemon that runs in the background and will govern your cores on-demand.

3 Answers