2

I need to run ATLAS on my ubuntu laptop, but the software won't run unless you dissable CPU frequency scaling. I've tried the instructions from here http://math-atlas.sourceforge.net/atlas_install/node5.html but they aren't working on my Toshiba laptop. With freq-scaling turned on the software becomes useless.

Can anyone help?

2
  • replace default governer with performance in the following files: /etc/init.d/cpufrequtils and /etc/default/cpufrequtils then run update-initramfs -u -k all then reboot.
    – kenn
    Jul 4, 2019 at 19:31
  • 2
    @kenn please don't post answers as comments. When you do that, you circumvent the voting mechanism of the site since your answer can't be voted on, you don't get any rep for it, and other people might be discouraged from posting an answer because it's there in the comments so the question is never marked as answered.
    – terdon
    Jul 4, 2019 at 19:39

3 Answers 3

1

Replace default governor with performance in the following files:

/etc/init.d/cpufrequtils

/etc/default/cpufrequtils 

Disable ondemand service

sudo update-rc.d ondemand disable

then run

update-initramfs -u -k all 

then reboot

More info: How I can disable CPU frequency scaling and set the system to performance?

https://wiki.debian.org/HowTo/CpuFrequencyScaling

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/CPU_frequency_scaling

2
  • Thanks but this didn't work. cpufreq-info says that its set to performance, but the frequency is still jumping around.
    – Brian
    Jul 4, 2019 at 22:31
  • Try adding udev rule in this link wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/CPU_frequency_scaling SUBSYSTEM=="module", ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="acpi_cpufreq", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'echo performance > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/policy0/scaling_governor'"
    – kenn
    Jul 5, 2019 at 11:10
1

I wrote cpuf GUI to set minimum and maximum frequencies at will. You can use it just before your Math app to set all frequencies to max. After running your Math app you can reset frequencies normal for long battery life and less heat.

cpuf - Simple Bash GUI to set CPU Min/Max Frequency

Demonstration

In this demo cpuf window is on left and conky system information is on right side. This is how the demo progresses:

  • Demo starts whilst youtube video is already running
  • Default CPU min/max frequencies are 800 / 3500
  • Override CPU min/max to 800 / 800 and CPU usage jumps to 20%
  • Override CPU min/max to 3500 / 3500 and CPU usage drops to 10%
  • Demo loops back and starts again

cpuf-demo.gif

With three monitors cpuf can appear 10 feet away, so use parameter 1 --geometry option to put it close to conky:

sudo cpuf --geometry="450x450+4720+80" /home/rick/Pictures/icons/cpu-intel-128.svg
  • Parameter 1 --geometry is Window Width x Height + Width Offset + Height Offset
  • Parameter 2 can be your own icon (in this case Intel CPU image) otherwise it defaults to computer icon

cpuf Bash script

This section requires you to open a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+T.

How to setup

In order to function, cpuf bash script requires:

sudo apt install yad         # from the repository universe
sudo apt install coreutils   # installed by default in most distros

It's easiest when you place cpuf script into a root-owned directory within your search path. For example: /usr/local/bin.

To create cpuf script open the editor with sudo -H gedit /usr/local/bin/cpuf.

  • Highlight the lines in section below
  • Right click and select "Copy"
  • Toggle back to your editor
  • Right click and select "Paste"
  • From the editor menu select "Save" and then "Exit"

Make the script executable with sudo chmod a+x /usr/local/bin/cpuf.

cpuf code to copy to your editor

#!/bin/bash

# NAME: cpuf (Pronounced SEA-PUFF)
# CALL: sudo cpuf
# PARM: $1 = --geometry=WidthxHeight+VertOffset+HorizOffset
#       $2 = Optional image icon

# DESC: Simple GUI script to set CPU Min and Max Frequency.
#       For Ask Ubuntu Question: https://askubuntu.com/q/1141605/307523
# DATE: May 12, 2019.
# UPDT: No updates yet.
# NOTE: No notes yet.

### Dependancies ###

command -v yad >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 \
        "yad package required but it is not installed.  Aborting."; \
        exit 1; }

command -v nproc >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 \
        "coreutils package required but it is not installed.  Aborting."; \
        exit 2; }

if [[ $(id -u) != 0 ]]; then # root powers needed to call this script
    echo >&2 Must be called with sudo powers
    exit 3
fi

# $TERM variable may be missing when called via desktop shortcut
CurrentTERM=$(env | grep TERM)
if [[ $CurrentTERM == "" ]] ; then
    notify-send --urgency=critical \
    "$0 cannot be run from GUI without TERM environment variable."
    exit 4
fi

### Program constants ###

## Yad Window parameters
# Hard code Height & Width to suit your screen resolution and scaling factor
GEOMETRY="--width 400 --height 500"
# Pass Parameter 1 with ---geometry="WidxHgt+WidOff+HgtOff" to override
[[ "$1" == --geometry=* ]] && GEOMETRY="$1"

TITLE="cpuf"
TEXT="Set CPU Min/Max Frequencies"
ICON="/usr/share/icons/Adwaita/48x48/devices/computer.png"
# Pass Parameter 2 with icon for window image
# Intel CPU comes from: https://www.gnome-look.org/p/1107932/
[[ ! -z "$2" ]] && ICON="$2"

## Virtual File System directories
      CPU0_DIR=/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq
    PSTATE_DIR=/sys/devices/system/cpu/intel_pstate
 CURR_MIN_FREQ="$CPU0_DIR/scaling_min_freq"
 CURR_MAX_FREQ="$CPU0_DIR/scaling_max_freq"
ALLOW_MIN_FREQ="$CPU0_DIR/cpuinfo_min_freq"
ALLOW_MAX_FREQ="$CPU0_DIR/cpuinfo_max_freq"

OLD_IFS=$IFS            # Save current Input File Separtor (IFS)
declare -a Arr          # Array for YAD Window input
NumCPU=$(nproc --all)   # Number of CPUs (nproc from coreutils)

### Error Message Functions ###

Abend () {
    # Abnormal Ending - Parameter 1 = message to display, Parameter 2=exit code

    yad --image "dialog-error" --image-on-top --title "$TITLE - Fatal Error" \
        "$GEOMETRY" --button=gtk-ok:0 --text "$1" 2>/dev/null
    exit "$2"
   
} # Abend

ErrMsg () {
    # Parmater 1 = message to display

    yad --image "dialog-error" --title "$TITLE - Logical Error" \
        "$GEOMETRY" --button=gtk-ok:0 --text "$1" 2>/dev/null

    fErrMsgForceContinue=true
 
} # ErrMsg

### Initialize Variables ###

InitVars () {

    [[ ! -e "$ALLOW_MIN_FREQ" ]] && Abend "$ALLOW_MIN_FREQ not found" 11
    AllowMinFreq=$(cat "$ALLOW_MIN_FREQ")
    AllowMinFreq="${AllowMinFreq::-3}"  # Chop off three decimals at end

    [[ ! -e "$ALLOW_MAX_FREQ" ]] && Abend "$ALLOW_MAX_FREQ not found" 12
    AllowMaxFreq=$(cat "$ALLOW_MAX_FREQ")
    AllowMaxFreq="${AllowMaxFreq::-3}"

    [[ ! -e "$CURR_MIN_FREQ" ]] && Abend "$CURR_MIN_FREQ not found" 13
    CurrMinFreq=$(cat "$CURR_MIN_FREQ")
    CurrMinFreq="${CurrMinFreq::-3}"
    NewMinFreq="$CurrMinFreq"

    [[ ! -e "$CURR_MAX_FREQ" ]] && Abend "$CURR_MAX_FREQ not found" 14
    CurrMaxFreq=$(cat "$CURR_MAX_FREQ")
    CurrMaxFreq="${CurrMaxFreq::-3}"
    NewMaxFreq="$CurrMaxFreq"

    if [[ -e "$PSTATE_DIR" ]] ; then
        NumPstates=$(cat "$PSTATE_DIR/num_pstates")
        if [[ $(cat "$PSTATE_DIR/no_turbo") -eq 0 ]] ; then
            TurboBoost="Enabled"
        else
            TurboBoost="Disabled"
        fi
    else
        NumPstates="Not found"
        TurboBoost="Not found"
    fi

    if [[ -e "$CPU0_DIR/scaling_governor" ]] ; then
        Governor=$(cat "$CPU0_DIR/scaling_governor")
    else
        Governor="Not found"
    fi

    if [[ -e "$CPU0_DIR/scaling_cur_freq" ]] ; then
        CurrFreq=$(cat "$CPU0_DIR/scaling_cur_freq")
        # Chop off three decimals at end
        CurrFreq="${CurrFreq::-3}"
    else
        CurrFreq="Not found"
    fi

} # InitVars

### Paint / repaint window and get new frequencies ###

GetParameters () {

    # +------------------------------------------+
    # |  cpuf - Set CPU Min/Max Frequencies      |
    # +------------------------------------------+
    # |                                          |
    # |  Turbo Boost:            Enabled         |
    # |                                          |
    # |  Number of pstates:      99              |
    # |  Speed Governor Used:    powersave       |
    # |  Current CPU0 frequency: 9999 Mhz        |
    # |                                          |
    # |  Current Minimum Freq.:  9999 Mhz        |
    # |  Current Maximum Freq.:  9999 Mhz        |
    # |                                          |
    # |  New Minimum Frequency   9999            |
    # |  New Maximum Frequency   9999            |
    # |                                          |
    # +------------------------------------------+

    IFS="|"
    Arr=($(yad "$GEOMETRY" --form \
        --title "$TITLE" --text "$TEXT" \
        --window-icon="$ICON" --image="$ICON" \
        --field="Turbo Boost:":RO "$TurboBoost" \
        --field="Number of pstates:":RO "$NumPstates" \
        --field="Speed Governor:":RO "$Governor" \
        --field="Current Frequency:":RO "$CurrFreq MHz" \
        --field="Allowable Minimum Frequency:":RO "$AllowMinFreq MHz" \
        --field="Allowable Maximum Frequency:":RO "$AllowMaxFreq MHz" \
        --field="Current Minimum Frequency:":RO "$CurrMinFreq MHz" \
        --field="Current Maximum Frequency:":RO "$CurrMaxFreq MHz" \
        --field="New Minimum Frequency" "$NewMinFreq" \
        --field="New Maximum Frequency" "$NewMaxFreq" 2>/dev/null))

    Return="$?"
    NewMinFreq="${Arr[8]}"
    NewMaxFreq="${Arr[9]}"

} # GetParameters

###################################
#            MAINLINE             #
###################################

ALL_PREFIX="/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu"
MIN_SUFFIX="/cpufreq/scaling_min_freq"
MAX_SUFFIX="/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq"

while true ; do

    InitVars
    GetParameters
    [[ ! "$Return" -eq 0 ]] && break ; # Exit on Cancel=1 or Close Window=252

    # Sanity checks
    fErrMsgForceContinue=false
    [[ $NewMinFreq -lt $AllowMinFreq ]] && ErrMsg "Minimum frequency too low"
    [[ $NewMaxFreq -gt $AllowMaxFreq ]] && ErrMsg "Maximum frequency too high"
    [[ $NewMinFreq -gt $NewMaxFreq ]]   && ErrMsg "Minimum frequency greater than Maximum Frequency"
    [[ $fErrMsgForceContinue == true ]] && continue
    
    # Set new Min/Max frequencies
    for (( i=0 ; i<NumCPU ; i++ )) ; do
        # If New Min > Curr Max, set Max first then Min
        if [[ $NewMinFreq -gt $CurrMaxFreq ]] ; then
            echo "$NewMaxFreq""000" > "$ALL_PREFIX$i$MAX_SUFFIX"
            echo "$NewMinFreq""000" > "$ALL_PREFIX$i$MIN_SUFFIX"
        else
            echo "$NewMinFreq""000" > "$ALL_PREFIX$i$MIN_SUFFIX"
            echo "$NewMaxFreq""000" > "$ALL_PREFIX$i$MAX_SUFFIX"
        fi
    done
    

done

IFS="$OLD_IFS"
exit 0
2
  • Thanks for this, but it's still not working as expected. It seems to obey the max frequency but not the min frequency. My conky shows the cpu freq still jumping around.
    – Brian
    Jul 5, 2019 at 8:31
  • @Brian it's the design of the architecture that only one CPU can run at max at a time. On my system that is 3,500 MHz. With 8 CPU's running it averages out around 3,100 MHz per CPU. Jul 5, 2019 at 10:26
0

Readers need to understand that is is ATLAS that is annoying here. Please know that with modern processors the CPU will scale down frequency on its own and as a function of the idle states it goes into when not busy, even in performance mode. If you want to "pin" the CPU frequencies at maximum then disable all idle states >= 0, in addition to setting performance mode.

NOTE: This will create a lot of waste heat from your processor make sure your system can handle it.

Example:

Starting conditions:

doug@s15:~/idle$ cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpufreq/scaling_driver
intel_cpufreq
intel_cpufreq
intel_cpufreq
intel_cpufreq
intel_cpufreq
intel_cpufreq
intel_cpufreq
intel_cpufreq
doug@s15:~/idle$ cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpufreq/scaling_governor
performance
performance
performance
performance
performance
performance
performance
performance

Step 1: How many idle states does my system have?

doug@s15:~/idle$ ls -l -d /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpuidle/state*
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpuidle/state0
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpuidle/state1
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpuidle/state2
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpuidle/state3
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpuidle/state4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpuidle/state0
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpuidle/state1
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpuidle/state2
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpuidle/state3
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/cpuidle/state4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu2/cpuidle/state0
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu2/cpuidle/state1
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu2/cpuidle/state2
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu2/cpuidle/state3
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu2/cpuidle/state4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu3/cpuidle/state0
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu3/cpuidle/state1
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu3/cpuidle/state2
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu3/cpuidle/state3
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu3/cpuidle/state4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu4/cpuidle/state0
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu4/cpuidle/state1
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu4/cpuidle/state2
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu4/cpuidle/state3
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu4/cpuidle/state4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu5/cpuidle/state0
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu5/cpuidle/state1
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu5/cpuidle/state2
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu5/cpuidle/state3
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu5/cpuidle/state4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu6/cpuidle/state0
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu6/cpuidle/state1
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu6/cpuidle/state2
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu6/cpuidle/state3
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu6/cpuidle/state4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu7/cpuidle/state0
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu7/cpuidle/state1
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu7/cpuidle/state2
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu7/cpuidle/state3
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 0 Jul  3 11:41 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu7/cpuidle/state4

O.K. I have 5 idle states, 0-4:

Step 2: Disable states 1-4 (I use scripts run as sudo):

doug@s15:~/idle$ cat idle_1-4_disable
#! /bin/bash
echo "idle disable states 1-4:"

/home/doug/idle/idle_state1_disable
/home/doug/idle/idle_state2_disable
/home/doug/idle/idle_state3_disable
/home/doug/idle/idle_state4_disable

doug@s15:~/idle$ cat idle_state1_disable
#! /bin/bash
echo "idle state 1: before:"
cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpuidle/state1/disable

for file in /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpuidle/state1/disable; do echo "1" > $file; done

echo "idle state 1: after:"
cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpuidle/state1/disable

Resulting in:

doug@s15:~/idle$ sudo ./idle_1-4_disable
idle disable states 1-4:
idle state 1: before:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
idle state 1: after:
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
idle state 2: before:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
idle state 2: after:
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
idle state 3: before:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
idle state 3: after:
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
idle state 4: before:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
idle state 4: after:
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
doug@s15:~/idle$

And if we watch all this with turbostat:

doug@s15:~/idle$ sudo turbostat --quiet --Summary --show Busy%,Bzy_MHz,PkgTmp,PkgWatt,GFXWatt,IRQ --interval 15
Busy%   Bzy_MHz IRQ     PkgTmp  PkgWatt GFXWatt
0.02    2743    438     30      3.75    0.12
0.02    2753    406     29      3.75    0.12
0.02    2806    402     29      3.75    0.12
0.02    2764    436     29      3.75    0.12
58.62   3500    70887   50      30.75   0.12  <<<< ilde state 1-4 disabled
100.00  3500    120240  55      50.39   0.12  <<<< tubostat counts idle state 0 as busy
100.00  3500    120243  58      50.95   0.12  <<<< The system is actually still idle.
100.00  3500    120241  60      51.38   0.12
100.00  3500    120248  62      51.91   0.12
100.00  3500    120241  64      52.58   0.12
100.00  3500    120244  65      52.88   0.12
100.00  3500    120252  67      53.13   0.12
100.00  3500    120251  68      53.29   0.12
100.00  3500    120242  68      53.46   0.12
100.00  3500    120268  68      53.56   0.12
100.00  3500    120260  68      53.63   0.12
100.00  3500    120267  70      53.69   0.12

If the processor temperature gets to high, then limit your upper CPU frequency limit. Intel Pstate example:

doug@s15:~/idle$ echo 60 | sudo tee /sys/devices/system/cpu/intel_pstate/max_perf_pct
60

resulting in:

100.00  3500    120267  70      53.96   0.12
100.00  3500    120274  71      53.92   0.12
100.00  3500    120256  70      53.95   0.12
100.00  3500    120277  70      53.93   0.12
100.00  3500    120326  70      53.95   0.12
34.97   3500    42719   48      21.53   0.12
0.02    2712    378     45      4.00    0.12
0.02    2754    396     42      3.96    0.12
0.02    2724    504     40      3.92    0.12
0.02    2816    378     39      3.89    0.12
94.33   3500    113569  60      48.59   0.12
100.00  3500    120242  63      51.88   0.12
100.00  3500    120240  65      52.64   0.12
100.00  3500    120280  68      53.08   0.12
100.00  3500    120333  68      53.32   0.12
100.00  1713    120348  55      20.29   0.12  <<< Had to toggle to powersave governor
100.00  2201    120280  57      26.31   0.12  <<< And then back to performance governor
100.00  2300    120239  56      27.58   0.12  <<< Now new max is in effect.
100.00  2300    120237  56      27.53   0.12  <<< And processor temp is less
100.00  2300    120237  55      27.46   0.12
100.00  2300    120232  54      27.42   0.12

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