HP Fan Controller Software 2.0

[ezynow]

HI Folks,

This is a pretty much a "comprehensive" fan controller program now

Thanks to all those that gave valuable feedback !! Particular, thanks to Thaibv for his valuable additions to source code

Main Update from Previous versions:

(To update - just download the modified acpi.rar download below -> extract and overite the previous acpi folder in nhc program folder)

1) Haved added Thaibv's brightness control - Great, as NHC will now can be used to adjust display brightnes or prevent it from adjusting it altogether. Settings found under the ACPI control tab. Default state it is disabled. (recommended setting especially for win 7 users)

I should also thank FrankBert for his advice on how to start this program on start up without annoying uac control stuff. Basically create a new sheduled task that starts up NHC when windows starts :
from Control Panel -> System and Security -> Administrative Tools -> Task Scheduler -> create task ...

In General Tab (make sure you tick highest priviliges), to be triggered at logon, the action is start nhc program (nhc.exe), under the conditions make sure you untick "start the task only if the computer is on ac power".
It's pretty self-explanatory

(You may also want to check NHC power modes - and change as appropriate -> in win 7 i have it on dynamic switching when on ac power.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------





HP FAN CONTROLLER v2.0


Main Features :

NHC will start up in "smart 2" mode.

This means fan will stay off until "FAN ON TEMP" is exceeded (defaulted to 60c).
Then fan will go into low fan speed mode until

Either

1) SMART FAN Temp (defaulted at 72c) is exceeded:
In this case, the fan is now controlled by the system fan controller (i.e not by nhc anymore). If however temps falls below 67 -> them SMART TWO takes over.

Or

2) SMART MODE LOOP TEMP is reached (defaulted at 51c):
In this case, the fan will revert back to silence fan mode again.


In essence, smart mode 2 controls fan within the temps range of around 40c'ish (default start up temp of computer) to 72c. Above this, system fan controller takes over completely.

(As 90c is critical temp, then this program's control is well away from that. Also worth bearing in mind, that a web page load cause a 5c increase in temps for a second or two before dropping down again, so at 67c if you load a web page then system temp will then be exceed 72c)


This program has been tested on XP and Win 7 - without trouble. (Please use bios f14 or above)




SImple install instructions:

1) Extract HP_FAN_CONTROL.rar (below). From the unrared directory, then extract nhc_2.0_pre_release_06. Install NHC program
2) Extract acpi.rar. Copy acpi folder over the default acpi folder in the main NHC program directory. (normally under programs folder)
3) Win 7 users (XP users can do this if they want) - extract settings.rar. Overite the settings.xml in the main NHC program directory with the modified one.

(OFF COURSE - have "FAN ALWAYS ON" disabled in bios or this progam will not work !!)



This is a more detailed guide to how to get the program working:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Once installed -> how to initially start up


1) Start up -> Notebook Hardware Control


2) Go to "Settings" Tab -> Click on "Show All NHC options and settings"

3) Click on Show Advanced Settings -> unselect everything except "show cpu clock" & "don't show cpu speed & logos"

7) Go to "ACPI" -> enable "ACPI Control System" -> should get something like "OK -ACPI Contol System Running"

8) Select "Show ACPI Control System details"


9) You should get another ui screen -> HP MINI 311 - FAN Control


10) Select "Enable" -> All systems are go !!!!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


How to use:

I have written four convenience modes:


1) Silence Fan Switch.


This switches off the fan untill the system temperature exceeds the temperature set in "FAN On(Revert to System Fan Control) TEMP


2) Low SPEED Fan Switch


This switches fan to low speed untill the system temperature exceeds the temperature set in "FAN On(Revert to System Fan Control) TEMP


3) Mid Speed Fan Switch

This switches fan to mid speed untill the system temperature exceeds the temperature set in "FAN On(Revert to System Fan Control) TEMP



4)SMART MODE 1 switch

This operates on two levels:

1) Switch off the fan untill the system temperature exceeds the temperature set in "FAN On(Revert to System Fan Control) TEMP


2) After the above, the fan is set low speed untill the system temperature exceeds the temperature set in "SMART FAN TEMP"


Then fan reverts back to System Fan Control.


5) SMART MODE 2 switch


This works on four levels

It Switch off the fan until the system temperature exceeds the temperature set in "FAN On(Revert to System Fan Control) TEMP . After the above, the fan is set low speed until the system temperature exceeds the temperature set in "SMART FAN TEMP" or if the system temperatures falls below the Temp set in "SMART MODE LOOP TEMP", then smart mode starts over again.


The example sceenario:


Fan On Temp: 60c

SMART FAN Temp: 72c

SMART FAN LOOP TEMP: 51c




1) silence mode untill -> 60c

2) low speed fan mode till -> 72c.


3.1) while in low fan mode if temps falls below 51 -> then smart 2 cycles again -> re-enter silence mode

or

3.2) while in low fan mode if temps goes above 72 -> then fan controls revers back to system controller



4) IF temps fall to (SMART FAN TEMP-6c) i.e. 66c then re-enter SMART TWO MODE.




6) SMART MODE 3




Works exactly as SMART MODE 2 -> but instead of low fan speed it uses mid fan speed mode (so in theory cool faster / but at the expense of noise). I have made some provision in the source code to actually change this to higher speed. But probably not worth it.



(p.s. make sure smart fan loop temp is the lowest temp set. smart fan temp is the highest with system fan on temp somewhere in the middle .You can also edit temps during a mode & thermal zone display readings work when in a mode.)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


NOTES: (please read)

1. The HP MINI 311 fan control system starts off in default state -> Smart Mode 2

2. FAN ON / SMART FAN have default values and ranges. Settings temperatures outside the range will cause error.


FAN ON

range 40 to 70c / default = 60c


Smart Fan

range 40 to 80c / default = 72c


Smart Mode Loop

range 40 to 80c / default = 51c



(if you need to change default values -> go to source file (Hewlett_Packard.cs) and search for the following :



look for these lines (search text)

public const int nhc_default_value = 60; // the default value
public const int nhc_default_value = 72; // the default value
public const int nhc_default_value = 51; // the default value

These correspond to the values above (each is under its own class i.e FAN_ON_TEMP / SMART_MODE / SMART LOOP Temp)

And just change the default values to the one's you want.

It will then always start up with those values.



3) To change the SMART MODE TWO drop temp for re-entering smart two mode after the maximium temp has been reached:

go to source file (Hewlett_Packard.cs) and search for the following :


FAN.loop_mode_temp = (FAN.SMART_FAN_TEMP.smart_fan_temp-6);



Just change the 6 to a number you prefer. This gives how much the temp should drop by before re-entering smart mode two again.






4) THE FAN CONTROL SYSTEM WORKS BY writting a "DUMMY TEMPERATURE" to the thermal zone temperature register of the Embedded Controller. However, it also checks the real temperature every ~50 milliseceonds and takes appropriate measures based on these.

(if you have a temp monitoring program -> you will sees these temps as opposed to real thermal zone temps when a specific mode is engaged.



5) USE SILENCE MODE WITH CAUTION - set sensible temps!!!!!!




6) The author takes no responsibility for any damage or loss caused by use of this program. MEssING with your system's thermal dynamics may seriously harm.


7) Please understand this is a "hacked system controller" -> if you don't feel comfortable please do not use.



SOME SUGGESTIONS:


1) Probably test before use when overclocking



(If you find this program useful please make a small donation to a charity. A little can go further than you think)

Cheers

Ezynow!!!

[scaramonga]

Interesting.

Stand by for more bricked systems though, due to overheating under overclock. I'd be very wary of using this over 2GHz.

Never found the fan to be loud myself, in fact it's even quieter now lol....it's dead

[joe_dude]

OMG... even if this increases the risk of bricking, it's still an amazing piece of work! I'm constantly astonished at the level of technical expertise on this forum!

Other netbook owners lament about their netbook's shortcomings. Here, the Mini 311 has slowly become the mother-of-all netbooks. Is it that we all saw its potential and wanted to make it happen?

Thanks ezynow! Even if I don't use it, I'm still downloading it just in case.

[ezynow]

OMG... even if this increases the risk of bricking, it's still an amazing piece of work! I'm constantly astonished at the level of technical expertise on this forum!

Other netbook owners lament about their netbook's shortcomings. Here, the Mini 311 has slowly become the mother-of-all netbooks. Is it that we all saw its potential and wanted to make it happen?

Thanks ezynow! Even if I don't use it, I'm still downloading it just in case.

I definitely agree - if you are an overclocker than you should proceed with caution. In any event, this is something you should not use everyday. (also - if it is charging the battery / going to be on ac power for a long time - until more weeks testing) It is experimental and it has not been really tested yet (1 day ) - we could have a lot of burning mini's soon or orders for new fans . (There is an underclock feature -in nhc > cpu speed setting-> battery optimized -> seems to set the fsb multilier at x6 (800 mhz ) but use at own risk.)

Id say only use silence mode when you actually need to (for me if i'm in a meeting / other and then only when idling). It is supposed to act as a 5-10 minute thing at best -> then use low fan speed -> try silence after some time (5-10mins etc). Or smart mode x 2 .. in other words. I probably write another smart mode with some sort of sleep / wakeup thingy going on.(may not be possible now due to limited NHC api access - so i'll have to replace it altogether) Also silence mode has the detrimental effect of increasing temps much quicker - the best way to use this software is probably with low fan speed but increase temps it stays on for.

(p.s found a minor bug with smart mode - has been updated in main post).


cheers

[disable]

great work ezynow, i will definitely shut up this f***ing fan...

before that i tried to disable the "fan always on" option in my bios but it cause problem on wake up from hibernate

[deus3x]

Ezynow,

Ok first I want to thank you for your time and effort. People like yourself and other members/users around this forum have shown that dedication and commitment can change a average product into a complete Animal and one that outdoes any in its league.

I salute you and if your ever in Essex, England. Then beer is on me.

[mudkip]

Awesome thanks! I'll try this and give my feedback.

[disable]

So, you're little acpi program works great on Win 7 on my mini 311.
Low speed and Smart mode were my favorites.
Silence mode increase temps too quickly for me (i'am actually @2.2ghz).

I will test more options and try to modify the script a little bit.

[Stradevarius]

Awesome. While the fan isn't a big deal for me, it's never gets super loud, but by putting it in low mode I should improve my battery life by a bit. Great job!

[aleandre1974]

Hi everybody,

I also think this is a great step in the right direction, but is anybody having the same issue as me ? Once the temperatures go high enough to revert back to system fan control, the software doesn't seem able to take control again after they have come down. I must go into the various menus and re-activate "silent mode"or "smart mode" to have my silence again.

This lack of automatism is a big minus for me and makes the software not really usable in practice.

Anyway, congratulations to the author for this technical feat !

[mattday]

Congratulations ezynow - you beat me to it. I really have too many projects on the go at the moment! There is some very good work you have done there although personally I don't think I could bring myself to release anything that was quite such a dirty hack! You are repeatedly overwriting the memory location where the CPU temperature is stored with a bogus value, and simultaneously relying on reading this location to provide a valid temperature? Can that be safe?

I will provide the details on how to control it properly - i.e. disable onboard speed controller and set speed manually, leaving the contents of RTMP register well alone (since this is only intended to be read). However, I did not want to make this publically available yet for a number of reasons...

I plan on some heatsink mods for my mini, so I was thinking I might write a brief guide on cooling improvements in a (probably futile) attempt to reduce the number of cooked minis once people get their hands on manual fan control. I also think GPU temperature should be taken into consideration (even though the embedded controller appears not to do so). This is not available through ACPI, but very easy to get with nvAPI. Then finally, if the truth be known, I am slightly pissed off with this site right now, so probably won't post the info here in any case.

[scaramonga]

Then finally, if the truth be known, I am slightly pissed off with this site right now, so probably won't post the info here in any case.

Interesting.