undervolt-go

README

undervolt-go

undervolt-go is a Go port of the original undervolt utility, designed to allow users to undervolt Intel CPUs on Linux systems. Undervolting can help reduce CPU temperatures, decrease power consumption, and potentially increase system stability and longevity.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Installation
• Building
• Usage
• Features
• Dependencies
• Configuration
• Examples
• Troubleshooting
• Contributors
• License

Introduction

undervolt-go enables users to apply voltage offsets to various components of Intel CPUs, such as the core, cache, GPU, and more. By adjusting these voltage offsets, users can achieve lower power consumption and reduced heat output, which is particularly beneficial for laptops and compact systems where thermal management is crucial.

Building

To build undervolt-go, follow these steps:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/Softorage/undervolt-go.git
   

2. Navigate to the project directory:

   cd undervolt-go
   

3. Build the application:

   go build
   

   This will generate the undervolt-go executable in the current directory.

4. Run the application:

   sudo ./undervolt-go -h
   sudo ./undervolt-go --read
   

   Because the program accesses MSRs, you must run it as root (e.g., with sudo).

Installation

To install undervolt-go on your system, follow these steps:

1. Download latest release from GitHub Releases.
2. Extract the archive
3. Simply make install-undervolt.sh executable
   • chmod +x install-undervolt.sh
   • or you can right click install-undervolt.sh, go to Properties, and in the Permissions tab, tick 'Make executable'
4. If you have built the binary by yourselves, replace the downloaded undervolt-go with your undervolt-go
5. Run install-undervolt.sh with sudo (it's always recommended to check the script by opening it in a text editor before executing it) sudo ./install-undervolt.sh

Usage

undervolt-go requires root privileges to interact with the CPU's model-specific registers (MSRs). Ensure you have the necessary permissions before proceeding.

1. To apply a voltage offset, use the following syntax:

   sudo ./undervolt-go --core -100 --cache -100 --gpu -50
   

   This command applies a -100 mV offset to both the CPU core and cache, and a -50 mV offset to the GPU.

2. This command applies a 40W power limit to PL1 and a 32s time window. PL1 is the long term power limit, that can be safe for longer periods.

   sudo undervolt -p1 40 32
   

3. This command applies a 60W power limit to PL2 and a 32s time window. PL2 is the short term power limit, that can be safe for shorter periods and is useful for short bursts of performance.

   sudo undervolt -p2 60 32
   

4. All commands can be found in the help menu:

     -analogio float
         analogio offset (mV) (default NaN)
     -cache float
         cache offset (mV) (default NaN)
     -core float
         core offset (mV) (default NaN)
     -force
         allow setting positive offsets
     -gpu float
         gpu offset (mV) (default NaN)
     -lock-power-limit
         lock the power limit
     -p1 string
         P1 Power Limit (W) and Time Window (s), e.g., "35 10"
     -p2 string
         P2 Power Limit (W) and Time Window (s), e.g., "35 1"
     -read
         read existing values
     -temp int
         set temperature target on AC (°C) (default -1)
     -temp-bat int
         set temperature target on battery (°C) (default -1)
     -turbo int
         set Intel Turbo (1 disabled, 0 enabled) (default -1)
     -uncore float
         uncore offset (mV) (default NaN)
     -verbose
         print debug info
   

Features

• Voltage Offset Adjustment: Apply custom voltage offsets to CPU components to optimize performance and thermal characteristics.
• Temperature Target Override: Set a custom temperature target for CPU throttling.
• Power Limit Configuration: Adjust the CPU's power limits to control performance and power consumption.

Dependencies

• Linux Kernel with MSR Support: Ensure that the msr kernel module is loaded. You can load it using:

  sudo modprobe msr
  

• Go Programming Language: Required for building the application. Download and install from the official Go website.

Configuration

undervolt-go does not use a configuration file. All settings are applied via command-line arguments. To maintain settings across reboots, consider creating a startup script that runs your preferred undervolt-go command.

Examples

• Read Current Voltage Offsets:

  sudo ./undervolt-go --read
  

  This command displays the current voltage offsets applied to the CPU components.

• Set Temperature Target to 85°C:

  sudo ./undervolt-go --temp 85
  

  This sets the CPU throttling temperature target to 85 degrees Celsius.

• Disable Intel Turbo Boost:

  sudo ./undervolt-go --turbo 1
  

  This command disables Intel Turbo Boost, potentially reducing heat and power consumption.

Troubleshooting

• System Instability: Applying too much voltage offset can cause system instability or crashes. If you experience issues, reduce the magnitude of the offsets.
• Settings Reset After Reboot: Voltage offsets are not persistent across reboots by default. Create a startup script to apply your preferred settings automatically.
• Permission Denied Errors: Ensure you are running the commands with sudo to have the necessary privileges.

Contributors

We welcome contributions from the community. If you'd like to contribute to undervolt-go, please fork the repository and submit a pull request with your changes.

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. See the LICENSE.txt file for details.

NO WARRANTY

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

Documentation

Overview

main.go Go port of undervolt.py (v0.4.0) including power limit adjustments. WARNING: Undervolting and power limit changes are dangerous; use at your own risk.