[3.11-rc4] [HD2400] - radeon.dpm

[Alex Deucher]

On Fri, Sep 27, 2013 at 1:21 PM, * SAMÍ * <miaousami at hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Alex,
>
>
> could you just point me to the right location in the driver code to play
> with?
> I am less afraid to play with the driver than to flash my vbios...
> Even though, I promise I won't bother you or complain if I break something
> :-)

rv6xx_parse_pplib_clock_info() in rv6xx_dpm.c is what parses the
performance levels for a power state.  rv6xx_parse_power_table() in
rv6xx_dpm.c is what parses the overall power tables.

Alex

>
> NB: Daniel, although I won't modify my vbios, I still like your solution: it
> reminds me of good old time where you just had to edit your game files with
> an hex editor to cheat...
>
>
> Regards
> Sam
>
> On 09/26/2013 08:19 PM, Alex Deucher wrote:
>>
>> On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 1:49 PM,  <daniel at motaleite.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi
>>>
>>>> As I suspected, on your system all the performance levels are the same:
>>>
>>> (...)
>>>>
>>>> [    8.961704]                power level 0    sclk: 45000 mclk: 50000
>>>> vddc: 950
>>>> [    8.961706]                power level 1    sclk: 45000 mclk: 50000
>>>> vddc: 950
>>>> [    8.961708]                power level 2    sclk: 45000 mclk: 50000
>>>> vddc: 950
>>>
>>> (...)
>>>>
>>>> So there is no dynamic switching supported on your system.
>>>
>>>          I also had this problem and manage to "fix" it (on a HD2600) :)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>          Please be warnned that this is dangerous, requires editing the
>>> bios and
>>> may brick your card. Also, will not work on recent cards (but a HD2400
>>> should be ok).
>>> Also, this is a hack and no one will support you if things go wrong!
>>>
>>>
>>>          You need a windows machine, for some steps, but other can use a
>>> linux
>>> equivalent... but editing the GPU bios i know no alternative to using the
>>> windows program. I also don't know is there is any way in linux to load a
>>> GPU
>>> bios (and avoid the flashing)... we have the firmware, but i think that
>>> the
>>> firmware is just a subset of the bios.
>>>
>>>
>>>          So here is the "HOWTO":
>>>
>>>          Make a usb pendrive bootable to DOS:
>>>
>>>          Get this files:
>>> http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=196
>>>
>>> http://pt.kioskea.net/download/baixaki-433-hp-usb-disk-storage-format-tool
>>>
>>>
>>>          Unzip the windows98 DOS support to a directory and run the HP
>>> usb storage
>>> app and format the pendrive. Chek the flag "Create a DOS startup disk"
>>> and choose
>>> the extracted windows98 files.
>>>
>>>          After formating, download and extract the ATI flash to the pen:
>>>
>>> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1731/ATIFlash_3.79.html
>>>
>>>          Now lets edit the bios. Ddownload this two apps:
>>>
>>> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ -> Dump the GPU Bios
>>> http://www.techpowerup.com/rbe/  -> ATI/AMD Bios editor
>>>
>>>          use the gpu-z to dump the current bios, backup it up on a
>>> pendrive, to
>>> revert to the original bios if needed.
>>>
>>>          use the rbe to edit the power levels. be conservative, DO NOT
>>> TOUCH the
>>> boot power profiles (this way you can always boot the machine), avoid
>>> changing
>>> the voltage, as it's more dangerous (but it can also save more power).
>>>
>>>          Edit the lower leves to reduce the GPU frequencies and keep the
>>> level
>>> 2 high. please note that too low or too high frequencies may cause the
>>> card
>>> to be unstable. DRAM frequencies usually save little power, but may help
>>> reducing
>>> the heat. For evey change, test it and check if the card is stable, the
>>> picture
>>> is not corrupted in different resolutions and loads. Again, if something
>>> goes
>>> wrong, power off the machine and startup again, the boot profile should
>>> be the
>>> one that always work (don't forget to have a boot entry in grub that
>>> disables
>>> the dynamic powermanagement, to avoid jumping to a unstable profile).
>>>
>>>          After doing the changes, save the bios and save it to the
>>> pendrive.
>>>
>>>          Now shutdown the machine, make sure you have the full charge and
>>> have
>>> the power connected. If power faills during the flashing of the bios, you
>>> may
>>> brick the card/laptop.
>>>
>>>          Startup the computer with the pendriver, enter the DOS and run
>>> the
>>> flash command:
>>>
>>> atiflash -p 0 xxxx.rom
>>>
>>>          where the xxxx.rom is the new "tuned" bios. After some seconds
>>> and
>>> the command line returned, you can reboot and test it. If something
>>> fails,
>>> flash back the original bios.
>>>
>>>          Test the card, increase the load, let screen/card enter the
>>> sleep
>>> mode (screensaver/suspend), change resolutions and look at the
>>> temperature.
>>> If all OK, you can try to tune even more.
>>>
>>>          So this is a possible (and dangerous) solution for this problem,
>>> but
>>> may help some people.
>>
>> You can edit the power states in the driver as well if you don't want
>> to flash your vbios.  However the same caveats apply.  It's not
>> recommended that you flash your vbios, or edit your power states.  It
>> may break your card, void your warranty, etc.
>>
>> Alex
>>
>>
>