Hi everyone.
I have a Dell Inspiron 5559 laptop which has a 40WHr, 4-cell battery. On Windows 7 I get a battery life of 6-7 hours. On Ubuntu I get a battery life of 5 hours after using PowerTop.
However on Debian I get only 3 hours of battery life. I have done calibration several times and for several hours but I get only 3 hours of battery life.
When I do
powertop --calibrate the following lines appears:
root@debian:/# powertop --auto-tune
Loaded 137 prior measurements
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
Devfreq not enabled
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
To show power estimates do 124 measurement(s) connected to battery only
unknown op '{'
Leaving PowerTOP
root@debian:/# powertop --calibrate
Loaded 87 prior measurements
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
Devfreq not enabled
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertoproot@debian:/# powertop --auto-tune
Loaded 137 prior measurements
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
Devfreq not enabled
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
To show power estimates do 124 measurement(s) connected to battery only
unknown op '{'
Leaving PowerTOP
root@debian:/# powertop --calibrate
Loaded 87 prior measurements
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
Devfreq not enabled
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
Starting PowerTOP power estimate calibration
Calibrating idle
System is not available
unknown op '{'
To show power estimates do 174 measurement(s) connected to battery only
System is not available
Calibrating: disk usage
Calibrating backlight
.... device /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
Calibrating idle
System is not available
System is not available
Calibrating: CPU usage on 1 threads
Calibrating: CPU usage on 4 threads
Calibrating: CPU wakeup power consumption
Calibrating: CPU wakeup power consumption
Calibrating: CPU wakeup power consumption
Calibrating USB devices
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/1-5/power/control
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/1-6/power/control
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/1-8/power/control
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/usb1/power/control
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/usb2/power/control
Calibrating radio devices
.... device /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill0/soft
.... device /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill1/soft
.... device /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill0/soft
.... device /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill1/soft
Finishing PowerTOP power estimate calibration
Parameters after calibration:
Parameter state Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop and
----------------------------------
Value Name
1.17 alsa-codec-power (14)
1.02 backlight (4)
2.08 backlight-boost-100 (8)
0.75 backlight-boost-40 (6)
0.00 backlight-boost-80 (7)
1.97 backlight-power (5)
9.66 base power (83)
5.81 cpu-consumption (3)
24.29 cpu-wakeups (2)
0.00 disk-operations (85)
0.00 disk-operations-hard (84)
0.00 enp3s0-linkCannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop and -100 (20)
0.00 enp3s0-link-1000 (21)
0.00 enp3s0-link-high (22)
0.00 enp3s0-packets (23)
0.00 enp3s0-powerunsave (19)
5.58 enp3s0-up (18)
17.40 gpu-operations (17)
0.00 radio:hci0 (16)
0.00 radio:phy0 (15)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:00.0 (30)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:02.0 (31)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:14.0 (32)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:14.2 (33)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:15.0 (34)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:15.1 (35)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:16.0 (36)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:17.0 (37)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1c.0 (38)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1c.4 (39)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1c.5 (40)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1f.0 (41)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1f.2 (42)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1f.3 (43)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1f.4 (44)
0.00 runtime-0000:01:00.0 (45)
0.00 runtime-0000:02:00.0 (46)
0.00 runtime-0000:03:00.0 (47)
0.00 runtime-ACPI0003:00 (77)
0.00 runtime-ACPI000C:00 (78)
0.00 runtime-DELLABCE:00 (72)
0.00 runtime-INT0800:00 (68)
0.00 runtime-INT33A1:00 (49)
0.00 runtime-INT344B:00 (48)
0.00 runtime-PNP0103:00 (76)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C09:00 (51)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0A:00 (53)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:00 (54)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:01 (55)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:02 (56)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:03 (57)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:04 (58)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0C:00 (59)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0D:00 (60)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0E:00 (61)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C14:00 (52)
0.00 runtime-alarmtimer (63)
0.00 runtime-coretemp.0 (75)
0.00 runtime-dcdbas (64)
0.00 runtime-dell-laptop (69)
0.00 runtime-e820_pmem (71)
0.00 runtime-i2c-0 (79)
0.00 runtime-i2c-1 (80)
0.00 runtime-i2c-2 (81)
0.00 runtime-i2c-3 (82)
0.00 runtime-i8042 (50)
0.00 runtime-microcode (74)
0.00 runtime-pcspkr (66)
0.00 runtime-platform-framebuffer.0 (70)
0.00 runtime-regulatory.0 (73)
0.00 runtime-rtsx_usb_ms.1.auto (62)
0.00 runtime-rtsx_usb_sdmmc.0.auto (65)
0.00 runtime-serial8250 (67)
3.00 usb-device-0bda-0129 (10)
0.00 usb-device-0c45-6712 (9)
0.00 usb-device-1d6b-0002 (12)
0.00 usb-device-1d6b-0003 (13)
0.00 usb-device-8087-07dc (11)
0.00 wlp2s0-link-100 (26)
0.00 wlp2s0-link-1000 (27)
0.00 wlp2s0-link-high (28)
0.00 wlp2s0-packets (29)
0.00 wlp2s0-powerunsave (25)
0.00 wlp2s0-up (24)
0.00 xwakes (86)
Score: 1.9 (5079.7)
Guess: 9.7
Actual: 11.3
----------------------------------
Leaving PowerTOP/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
Starting PowerTOP power estimate calibration
Calibrating idle
System is not available
unknown op '{'
To show power estimates do 174 measurement(s) connected to battery only
System is not available
Calibrating: disk usage
Calibrating backlight
.... device /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
Calibrating idle
System is not available
System is not available
Calibrating: CPU usage on 1 threads
Calibrating: CPU usage on 4 threads
Calibrating: CPU wakeup power consumption
Calibrating: CPU wakeup power consumption
Calibrating: CPU wakeup power consumption
Calibrating USB devices
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/1-5/power/control
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/1-6/power/control
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/1-8/power/control
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/usb1/power/control
.... device /sys/bus/usb/devices/usb2/power/control
Calibrating radio devices
.... device /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill0/soft
.... device /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill1/soft
.... device /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill0/soft
.... device /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill1/soft
Finishing PowerTOP power estimate calibration
Parameters after calibration:
Parameter state Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop and
----------------------------------
Value Name
1.17 alsa-codec-power (14)
1.02 backlight (4)
2.08 backlight-boost-100 (8)
0.75 backlight-boost-40 (6)
0.00 backlight-boost-80 (7)
1.97 backlight-power (5)
9.66 base power (83)
5.81 cpu-consumption (3)
24.29 cpu-wakeups (2)
0.00 disk-operations (85)
0.00 disk-operations-hard (84)
0.00 enp3s0-linkCannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop and -100 (20)
0.00 enp3s0-link-1000 (21)
0.00 enp3s0-link-high (22)
0.00 enp3s0-packets (23)
0.00 enp3s0-powerunsave (19)
5.58 enp3s0-up (18)
17.40 gpu-operations (17)
0.00 radio:hci0 (16)
0.00 radio:phy0 (15)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:00.0 (30)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:02.0 (31)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:14.0 (32)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:14.2 (33)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:15.0 (34)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:15.1 (35)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:16.0 (36)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:17.0 (37)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1c.0 (38)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1c.4 (39)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1c.5 (40)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1f.0 (41)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1f.2 (42)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1f.3 (43)
0.00 runtime-0000:00:1f.4 (44)
0.00 runtime-0000:01:00.0 (45)
0.00 runtime-0000:02:00.0 (46)
0.00 runtime-0000:03:00.0 (47)
0.00 runtime-ACPI0003:00 (77)
0.00 runtime-ACPI000C:00 (78)
0.00 runtime-DELLABCE:00 (72)
0.00 runtime-INT0800:00 (68)
0.00 runtime-INT33A1:00 (49)
0.00 runtime-INT344B:00 (48)
0.00 runtime-PNP0103:00 (76)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C09:00 (51)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0A:00 (53)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:00 (54)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:01 (55)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:02 (56)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:03 (57)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0B:04 (58)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0C:00 (59)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0D:00 (60)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C0E:00 (61)
0.00 runtime-PNP0C14:00 (52)
0.00 runtime-alarmtimer (63)
0.00 runtime-coretemp.0 (75)
0.00 runtime-dcdbas (64)
0.00 runtime-dell-laptop (69)
0.00 runtime-e820_pmem (71)
0.00 runtime-i2c-0 (79)
0.00 runtime-i2c-1 (80)
0.00 runtime-i2c-2 (81)
0.00 runtime-i2c-3 (82)
0.00 runtime-i8042 (50)
0.00 runtime-microcode (74)
0.00 runtime-pcspkr (66)
0.00 runtime-platform-framebuffer.0 (70)
0.00 runtime-regulatory.0 (73)
0.00 runtime-rtsx_usb_ms.1.auto (62)
0.00 runtime-rtsx_usb_sdmmc.0.auto (65)
0.00 runtime-serial8250 (67)
3.00 usb-device-0bda-0129 (10)
0.00 usb-device-0c45-6712 (9)
0.00 usb-device-1d6b-0002 (12)
0.00 usb-device-1d6b-0003 (13)
0.00 usb-device-8087-07dc (11)
0.00 wlp2s0-link-100 (26)
0.00 wlp2s0-link-1000 (27)
0.00 wlp2s0-link-high (28)
0.00 wlp2s0-packets (29)
0.00 wlp2s0-powerunsave (25)
0.00 wlp2s0-up (24)
0.00 xwakes (86)
Score: 1.9 (5079.7)
Guess: 9.7
Actual: 11.3
----------------------------------
Leaving PowerTOPAfter calibration, I do
powertop --auto-tune and I get:
root@debian:/# powertop --auto-tune
Loaded 137 prior measurements
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
RAPL device for cpu 0
RAPL Using PowerCap Sysfs : Domain Mask f
Devfreq not enabled
Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
File will be loaded after taking minimum number of measurement(s) with battery only
To show power estimates do 124 measurement(s) connected to battery only
unknown op '{'
Leaving PowerTOP
My Question is, is it normal to get the lines:
- Cannot load from file /var/cache/powertop/saved_parameters.powertop
Is it because of these lines that PowerTop is unable to extend the battery life?
Debian Stretch is currently using PowerTop version 2.8 and I heard somewhere on a forum that there is a bug in the 2.8 version. Is it true that there is a bug ? And is it that bug which is causing the problem?
I thank you in advance for reading this long email 😜 But I really need help.
With Kind Regards,
Dwijesh