Linux on Intel Atom 230

BusError

BusError

BusError

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8 Apr 2008
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Debian installed without any hitch, however the acpi modules for cpufreq won't load, do the cpu stays at 1.6Ghz, and the fan stays on...

I'm using 2.6.27-1 so far. I have a nasty feeling I'm going to have to roll my own kernel :/

Anyone else using that cpu, or the atom in general ? (eeepc etc)
 
What kernel do you run ? Is it an Atom N270 ? Is it a stock kernel or a 'special' one ?

I don't want *ubuntu, it's not a desktop computer I'm making, it's a small server.. but the kernel support is just what I need..
 
Kernels are really really easy to build (especially as you'll only have to change one or 2 things from the original config)

I think you'll be able to use the stock one (as your using 2.6.27) there'll be some power saving options to enable that should make it all work nicely
 
Well turns out it just won't work. The Atom 230... doesn't support speedstep. And the fan on the northbridge is always on (4000rpm !!) so really, for a machine that I wanted quiet/silent, it's exactly the contrary I got.

It makes more noise than my Mac Pro AND overclocked q9650 put together !

The Atom N270 seems to have speedstep, but what is really needed is a different northbridge.
 
sorry confused, long day of reading (john s mill's an exciting guy...)

Yeah anyway something to control the NB fan would do the trick (or jsut a massive cooler for it as BigglesPiP has mentioned)
 
There is no room in that tiny case for a passive cooler unfortunately. it's already a "low profile" cooler.
The sad thing is that the CPU itself barely warms up, but the northbridge grows /hot/ very quick if I unplug the fan...

I think the Atom 230 boards as they are is just a no go for quiet low power. Only thing they achieve is the low price point!
 
Can you post your board and case, I've hacked together a few cooling solutions in my time.

This, I believe, is where AMD will win out with bobcat, the integrated north-bridge brings the CPU/NB combo to 8W, rather than the 22W of the Intel combo.
 
BigglesPiP said:
Can you post your board and case, I've hacked together a few cooling solutions in my time.

This, I believe, is where AMD will win out with bobcat, the integrated north-bridge brings the CPU/NB combo to 8W, rather than the 22W of the Intel combo.
Click to expand...

wow forgot to keep up with AMD, whats this bobcat you speek of young sir?
 
Actually this is worth reading, AMD is already on top, with existing hardware...

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/Atom-Athlon-Efficient,1997.html

--
I managed to quiet the machine down a bit, and now it's running at ~35C/~40 (idle/load) it's somehow not ideal tho, I will look into quieting the chipset -- possibly with a peltier, I have a few lying around !

Any suggestion on how to hook a peltier without dew problems or related ? My guess is that I could use the chassis as heatsink somehow, it's a nice solid metal case.

Otherwise, I rebuilt a kernel x64_64 and surprisingly, that works quite a bit better! I kept all the userspace 32 bits of course.
 
heat pump is completely unsuitable, the pretty much double the heat you need to dump.

Just get a big fat passive sink and cut away until it fits round everything else.
 
Well I might get a different board/chassis in the end. there is just not enough room in that case for any passive cooler. It's already a tight fit !

I managed to get better control on the case fan, and I'm very happy with the temperatures, just not with the noise level.

Made a custom x86_64 kernel that works quite a bit better on that CPU too; I kept the userspace 32 bits but it appears the extra registers and such helps a lot with the kernel itself. I now wonder why the hell it's not a standard option in mainstream distros !
 
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