Mainly annoyed by the loud fan I looked into ways of reducing power consumption of the HP Probook 4720s and came up with this script:
#!/bin/sh -e # Increase filesystem write cache timeoutecho 1500 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_writeback_centisecs # Enable power management on all PCI devices find /sys/devices/pci* -path "*power/control" -exec bash -c "echo auto > '{}'" \; # Enable power aware CPU scheduler echo 1 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/sched_mc_power_savings # Enable WLAN power management iwconfig wlan0 power on # Enable Intel audio power management echo 1 > /sys/module/snd_hda_intel/parameters/power_save # Enable SATA power management for i in /sys/class/scsi_host/host*/link_power_management_policy; do echo min_power > $i; done # Enable laptop mode tools echo 5 > /proc/sys/vm/laptop_mode # Override PCIE power management echo powersave > /sys/module/pcie_aspm/parameters/policy # Disable wake on lan for LAN ethtool -s eth1 wol d
In order for the PCIE_ASPM hack to work, the kernel needs to be started with some extra parameters in grub. Thus:
1. edit /etc/default/grub and add this setting:
pcie_aspm=force
to his entry:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=
i.e
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="pcie_aspm=force"
2. save
3. run update-grub
4. reboot
The 4720s uses an ATI graphics adapter. The following setting in /etc/X11/xorg.conf device section reduced the overall event count reported by powertop by 50 events/second:
Option "NoDRI"
Option "no_dri" "no"
A word of warning though: the UI is afterwards notably slower and fullscreen video is choppy.[2012.05.06] Also check out the follow-up for Ubuntu 12.04
Just wanted to report that my 4720s with 4GB RAM uses 10 Watts running Ubuntu 12.04 with an empty desktop and minimal backlight after implementing your power tuning advice. That's sensational! Thanks.
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BTW: I additionally disabled bluetooth (via rfkill / stop bluetooth) and I didn't find it necessary to disable DRI as the fglrx driver causes around 50 events/s only with DRI enabled.
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Thanks for sharing, jerico. I guess that extra 2GB on my 4720s account for an extra Watt at least. I posted the script I use for Ubuntu 12.04: http://georgovassilis.blogspot.com/2012/05/reducing-power-consumption-on-hp.html
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