TLP is not running on system startup after upgrading to Ubuntu 21.04+

Question

TLP configurations is not applied on system startup after upgrading to Ubuntu 21.04. Reinstalling the package does not help.

Inspecting TLP systemd unit tlp.service confirms the issue.

$ systemctl status tlp.service                  

● tlp.service - TLP system startup/shutdown
     Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/tlp.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: inactive (dead)
       Docs: https://linrunner.de/tlp

Answer 1

The new power-profiles-daemon package is the problem (see TLP/issues/564). This package is installed by default in Ubuntu 21.04+ and a couple of other distributions.

Explanation

The new power-profiles-daemon package comes with a systemd unit power-profiles-daemon.service. This unit declare a conflict with tlp.service causing tlp.service to be effectively disabled.

/lib/systemd/system/power-profiles-daemon.service (notice the Conflicts= directive)

[Unit]
Description=Power Profiles daemon
Conflicts=tuned.service tlp.service auto-cpufreq.service
Before=multi-user.target display-manager.target

...

If a unit has a Conflicts= directive on another unit, starting the former will stop the latter and vice versa. And because tlp.service doesn't declare Conflicts= directive on power-profiles-daemon.service. It will always be the one that get disabled regardless of the activation order of the units.

Solution

• You may either disable power-profiles-daemon.service unit with sudo systemctl disable power-profiles-daemon.service; or
• Remove power-profiles-daemon package from the system with sudo apt purge power-profiles-daemon.
• Alternatively, you may override tlp.service configurations with sudo systemctl edit tlp.service and set the the Conflicts= along with Before= directives manually.

[Unit]
Conflicts=power-profiles-daemon.service
Before=power-profiles-daemon.service