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IDProjectCategoryView StatusLast Update
0000996SpeedFanHardware supportpublic2007-10-11 19:30
Reporternorman02us Assigned Toalfredo  
PrioritynormalSeverityminorReproducibilityalways
Status resolvedResolutionfixed 
PlatformDesktop PCOSXP 32bitOS Version2600
Summary0000996: CoreTemp change with 4.34 beta 23
DescriptionHello alfredo,

i know the core temp for Core CPUs is a difficult subject, but the change in beta 23 must be wrong.
If it was correct, there would be a temp difference between CPU Temp and Core Temps of 20
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alfredo

2007-10-10 12:53

manager   ~0003042

If you send me a SEND REPORT from SpeedFan's INFO tab I will look into this. I don't like to add things to SpeedFan that are not on a datasheet, but this CORE temperature thing was causing so much talk that I chose to include it. I had to include a lot of CPU identification stuff, but now I can set Tjmax based on the die revision. The change I applied is in line with what almost every user out there has decided to accept as correct.

norman02us

2007-10-10 13:05

reporter   ~0003043

Last edited: 2007-10-10 13:13

I know that for early Core 2 Duos there was a registered that is supposed to indicate whether the Tjmax is 85 or 100

alfredo

2007-10-10 13:14

manager   ~0003044

The problem with the PECI value is that it work with an inverse logic. I can support it only if you agree to see a negative value. In fact Intel states that the PECI reading is a negative value.

norman02us

2007-10-10 13:23

reporter   ~0003045

Last edited: 2007-10-10 13:28

I know PECI is negative, but it's the only safe way to show coretemps. All temperatures deducted from an assumed Tjmax might be wrong.

If Speedfan would use PECI value, no specific adjustments to new models would be necessary and the value would always be correct.

I don't know if other users have the same opinion about it. The PECI value might confuse many users but on the other hand there wouldn't be any more questions like: "Is my Core Temp to high?" or "Does .... show the correct Core Temp?"

With the PECI value there is one simply explanation. It always shows you how far you are from the maximum operating temperature. That's actually very easy to understand.


@edit
In Intel's document it says (p.92):
"Fan speed control solutions based on PECI uses a TCONTROL value stored in the
processor IA32_TEMPERATURE_TARGET MSR. The TCONTROL MSR uses the same offset
temperature format as PECI though it contains no sign bit. Thermal management
devices should infer the TCONTROL value as negative. Thermal management algorithms
should use the relative temperature value delivered over PECI in conjunction with the
TCONTROL MSR value to control or optimize fan speeds. Figure 28 shows a conceptual
fan control diagram using PECI temperatures.
The relative temperature value reported over PECI represents the delta below the onset
of thermal control circuit (TCC) activation as indicated by PROCHOT# assertions. As the
temperature approaches TCC activation, the PECI value approaches zero. TCC activates
at a PECI count of zero."

The picture below shows a difference of 10

alfredo

2007-10-10 13:38

manager   ~0003046

I think that if SpeedFan showed a negative CORE temperature I would get many more support requests. But a negative value is the only one that would not break all the other assumptions about how temperatures work (higher=worse).

norman02us

2007-10-10 13:48

reporter   ~0003047

Why is that? -10 is higher than -20 :)

I know what you mean, but if there is no way to correctly identify the Tjmax than it might be better to use the correct delta to Tjmax.

alfredo

2007-10-10 13:56

manager   ~0003048

Yes, -10 is higher than -20. But the point was that, IMHO, if SpeedFan publishes a negative temperature, a lot of users would start asking what's that.

norman02us

2007-10-10 14:09

reporter   ~0003049

Last edited: 2007-10-10 15:09

In the documentation at tomshardware it says that Tjmax depends on the stepping. The question is where did they get this information from? Do you know any Intel document that verifies this statement?

I know that the PECI value might be confusing to many users, but what's the alternative? We just GUESS the temperature? 'Cause as long as there is no document that says: Stepping ... has a Tjmax of ... one cannot be sure to have correct core temp values.

@edit
Intel: "Note Tj is not a fixed value and the IA32_TEMPERATURE_TARGET[15:8] value can vary from part to part. Tj is also not software readable"

alfredo

2007-10-10 15:11

manager   ~0003050

My position is not very different. Look at all the people asking why SpeedFan doesn't always show the correct voltages (I've answered in the online FAQ). I was simply getting too many reports from people telling me that SpeedFan was showing the wrong temperature. It took less to me to implement what users wanted than answer all of those emails :-)

norman02us

2007-10-10 15:15

reporter   ~0003051

Last edited: 2007-10-10 15:30

But when Tjmax isn't a fixed value, as assumed by Everest, CoreTemp and Speedfan, then the PECI value is the only reliable value.

I know this is a very difficult situation and all Intel's fault :), but I don't see any use in showing a possibly wrong temp in contrast to a confusing but correct value.

What do you think?

@edit
Maybe just leave it as it is now :). The people who know the problem also know how to evaluate the temps shown and the ones that don't know the problem won't be confused.
If everybody believes strongly that these temps are correct, then they are :)


@edit2
pp. 520-531 are very interesting:
http://developer.intel.com/design/processor/manuals/253668.pdf

alfredo

2007-10-10 15:56

manager   ~0003052

I fully agree with what you say. I don't think that the correct name would be "PECI". I think it should be "DTS". PECI is the one-wire interface used to read the value returned by the DTS.

norman02us

2007-10-10 16:27

reporter   ~0003053

But doesn't the software read the value from the PECI Interface?

I think this issue can be marked as "resolved". I don't know anything else to say. Subject is clear, and unless Intel improves documentation there is nothing that could be done to truly resolve the issue.

alfredo

2007-10-10 16:35

manager   ~0003054

No, the software reads it from the CPU specific MSR. The PECI interface allows external devices to read it.
I just created SpeedFan 4.34 beta 24 which includes an ADVANCED option to select "DTS interpretation" between ABSOLUTE and RELATIVE.
Everybody can now choose the preferred reading type.

norman02us

2007-10-10 16:52

reporter   ~0003055

Last edited: 2007-10-10 16:53

Great, I think that's a very goog way.

@edit
Just saw the new beta in my email account. I'll try it right away :)

alfredo

2007-10-10 16:54

manager   ~0003056

Did you try the beta I sent to you?

norman02us

2007-10-10 17:03

reporter   ~0003057

Last edited: 2007-10-10 17:20

New Beta works perfectly :)

alfredo

2007-10-11 19:30

manager   ~0003066

SpeedFan 4.34 beta 25 will add support for ABSOLUTE / RELATIVE temperature reading for Intel Core. The option will be in CONFIGURE / ADVANCED.

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
2007-10-10 12:12 norman02us New Issue
2007-10-10 12:12 norman02us Status new => assigned
2007-10-10 12:12 norman02us Assigned To => alfredo
2007-10-10 12:53 alfredo Note Added: 0003042
2007-10-10 12:53 alfredo Status assigned => acknowledged
2007-10-10 13:05 norman02us Note Added: 0003043
2007-10-10 13:06 norman02us Note Edited: 0003043
2007-10-10 13:13 norman02us Note Edited: 0003043
2007-10-10 13:14 alfredo Note Added: 0003044
2007-10-10 13:23 norman02us Note Added: 0003045
2007-10-10 13:24 norman02us Note Edited: 0003045
2007-10-10 13:27 norman02us Note Edited: 0003045
2007-10-10 13:28 norman02us Note Edited: 0003045
2007-10-10 13:38 alfredo Note Added: 0003046
2007-10-10 13:48 norman02us Note Added: 0003047
2007-10-10 13:56 alfredo Note Added: 0003048
2007-10-10 14:09 norman02us Note Added: 0003049
2007-10-10 15:09 norman02us Note Edited: 0003049
2007-10-10 15:11 alfredo Note Added: 0003050
2007-10-10 15:15 norman02us Note Added: 0003051
2007-10-10 15:18 norman02us Note Edited: 0003051
2007-10-10 15:18 norman02us Note Edited: 0003051
2007-10-10 15:30 norman02us Note Edited: 0003051
2007-10-10 15:56 alfredo Note Added: 0003052
2007-10-10 16:27 norman02us Note Added: 0003053
2007-10-10 16:35 alfredo Note Added: 0003054
2007-10-10 16:52 norman02us Note Added: 0003055
2007-10-10 16:53 norman02us Note Edited: 0003055
2007-10-10 16:54 alfredo Note Added: 0003056
2007-10-10 17:03 norman02us Note Added: 0003057
2007-10-10 17:15 norman02us Note Edited: 0003057
2007-10-10 17:20 norman02us Note Edited: 0003057
2007-10-11 19:30 alfredo Note Added: 0003066
2007-10-11 19:30 alfredo Status acknowledged => resolved
2007-10-11 19:30 alfredo Resolution open => fixed