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How To: Change IPMI Sensor Thresholds using ipmitool

Ericloewe

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You mean the host? Fascinating. Factory reset it is, apparently.
 

drwoodcomb

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Feeew. Ok well if anyone here is ever dumb enough to do what I just did you can reset the BMC within freenas with

Code:
ipmitool raw 0x3c 0x40


This brought me back up and running. Although this will reset all your setting except for network settings so keep that in mind
 

Ericloewe

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Ericloewe submitted a new resource:

How To: Change IPMI Sensor Thresholds using ipmitool - Introduction to IPMI sensor thresholds and ipmitool

Many server motherboards, including the Supermicro X10 series, have their fans monitored by the BMC, which automatically attempts to recover stalling (of the motor, not in the aerodynamic sense) fans by spinning them up to maximum (PWM set to 100% speed). This behavior is determined by the sensor thresholds.

Supermicro X10 motherboard fan profiles are controlled via IPMI. Unfortunately, only very basic functions are exposed via its web interface and Supermicro's own IPMI utility is superbly...

Read more about this resource...
 

Ericloewe

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AVSION

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Hi Guys,

I'm useing the Nucta NH-U9DXi4 CPU fan with the supermicro X10SRi-F and have the same issue CPU FAN1 & FAN2 speed going up and down 300rpm low to 1600rpm HIGH every few seconds. i used the guide and enter in freenas shell the codes but they rejected.

first code
~]# kldload ipmi.ko
kldload: can't load ipmi.ko: module already loaded or in kernel

Second code
~]# ipmitool sensor thresh "*FAN1*" lower *140* *200* *240*
Given lnc '*140*' is invalid.

Per instructions i tried to change the values and the order but still not going through, alway get *inr* is invalid.

please let me know what to do next?

Nucta NH-U9DXi4 CPU fan specs are:
Max. Rotational Speed (+/- 10%) 1600 RPM
Max. Rotational Speed with L.N.A. (+/- 10%) 1300 RPM
Min. Rotational Speed (PWM, +/-20%) 300 RPM

FN Shell screen shot,

Thank you

index.php
 

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zoomzoom

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@AVSION Out of curiosity, have you verified the smart fan values in the BIOS (there should be 10 values) and are you using a PWM fan [4pin] port? Your fan RPMs are way out of spec at 25300, 25400, & 25500 RPM
 

AVSION

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@zoomzoom I just solved the issue with the codes and now they updated :)

The issue was the * " symbols that was on the FAN1 and values needed to be excluded from the code.
the correct code format is
~]# ipmitool sensor thresh FAN1 lower 200 300 400
~]# ipmitool sensor thresh FAN2 upper 1500 1600 1700
index.php

FYI @Ericloewe

ATM i have a new problem, the speed is constant but too high 1600rpm for both fans, i think my fan speed value incorrect.
base on my fan specs above what values you recommend for the high and the low?

index.php


regarding the PWM fan yes i'm using [4pin] port, i will check the bios for the values, what values it should show/set?

Thank you
 

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zoomzoom

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@Ericloewe ATM i have a new problem, the speed is constant but too high 1600rpm for both fans, i think my fan speed value incorrect... base[d] on my fan specs above what values you recommend for the high and the low?

@zoomzoom regarding the PWM fan yes i'm using [4pin] port, i will check the bios for the values, what values it should show/set?
I'm not sure how SuperMicro lists their Smart Fan values, but on my AsRock C2750D4I they're listed by percentages in tandem with the CPU temp.
  • FWIW, I don't have a lot of knowledge about Fan RPM management, so my thought process here may or may not help, but I would set the Smart Fan values in the BIOS to default, save the change, boot FreeNAS, then see what ipmitool shows for the default levels.
    • Once the default levels have been garnished, I think it would provide context to what custom values should/shouldn't be. Other members, like @Ericloewe, with more experience than I, will need to verify if my thought process makes sense or not.
 

Ericloewe

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So increase it from 1600 to 1700.
 

AVSION

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I have checked the BIOS and couldn't find any fan power management or any fan settings to change.
i increased the upper to 1600 1700 1800 it shows green but the speed is 1600rpm constant which is the maximum for that CPU fan.
any idea how to lower the fan speed?
index.php


FYI i upgraded last week the BIOS to 2.0b
 

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Ericloewe

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AVSION

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Thank you will check it out
 

AVSION

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Hi Guys,

i manage to solve the fan speed issues(sorry it took me a while to post) and now fan speed down to 300rpm constant and dead quite :)
for those ones who have the same issue i would like to share the process solution without a script.

1. First issue was to update the ipmi values in the shell using the ipmitool

The issue was the * " symbols that was on the FAN1 and values needed to be excluded from the code.
the correct code format is:
~]# ipmitool sensor thresh FAN1 lower 100 200 300
~]# ipmitool sensor thresh FAN1 upper 1600 1700 1800
~]# ipmitool sensor thresh FAN2 lower 100 200 300
~]# ipmitool sensor thresh FAN2 upper 1600 1700 1800
Note - values are for my fan specification, you should check the values for your fan manufacture specification.

2. after updating the ipmi values by using the ipmitool, you can confirm using the following code

~]# ipmitool sensor list all

here is how mine looks after the ipmi update with my fan specification
index.php


3. After updating the ipmi values my fans was running at 1600rpm constant full speed and was unable to drop the speed
to the normal ultra quiet speed as specified by the fan manufacture.
index.php



I have discovered that rebooting the IPMI itself is necessary after using ipmitool. Do this by selecting the Maintenance -> Unit Reset menu item under the IPMI web interface. After this, my RPMs went way down to reasonable levels.

here is the end result:)
index.php


hope that helps
 

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I have discovered that rebooting the IPMI itself is necessary after using ipmitool. Do this by selecting the Maintenance -> Unit Reset menu item under the IPMI web interface. After this, my RPMs went way down to reasonable levels.
You can also reboot the IPMI via CLI, with ipmitool bmc reset warm or ipmitool bmc reset cold. The cold reset is a full reset, and will work in some cases when a warm reset does not.
 

Sir SSV

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This is an absolutely fantastic thread however I'm having some trouble. I can set my fan thresholds, reset ipmi interface but when I shutdown/restart the server the fans go back to near full speed. Is this normal?

Fans I have are (with set values via ipmi)

NF-A8
Lower: 200, 300, 400
Upper: 2200, 2300, 2400

NH-U9DX-i4
Lower: 100, 200, 300
Upper: 1600, 1700, 1800

NF-F12 PPC (3000pwm)
Lower: 400, 500, 600
Upper: 3100, 3200, 3300

Edit: by removing the NF-A8 from Fan5, the CPU and HDD fans are running quiet but every 2-5 mins speed up then back down.
Edit 2: it seems that setting the CPU fans is throwing an error code saying can't read cpu2 value... maybe I have to increase to 200, 300, 400
 
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Ericloewe

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when I shutdown/restart the server the fans go back to near full speed. Is this normal?
Some people have reported this behavior, but it seems rare. What motherboard are you using?
 

Sir SSV

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I'm using the Supermicro X10SRL-F.
Maybe I need to set my fan speed to "optimal" via Supermicro ipmi?
 

Sir SSV

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Ok, looks like I have fixed the issue. Here are my fans and speed settings used in ipmitools within FreeNAS. Also set fan speed to "Optimal" in Supermicro ipmi

NF-A8
Lower: 200, 300, 400
Upper: 2200, 2300, 2400

NH-U9DX-i4
Lower: 100, 200, 300
Upper: 1600, 1700, 1800

NF-F12 PPC (3000pwm)
Lower: 200, 300, 400
Upper: 3100, 3200, 3300

I unplugged all fan cables from FAN1, FAN2, FAN5 and FANA headers and left only the CPU (FAN1 and FAN2) connected. Started server and there was no oscillating fan speeds on the CPU.
Next, I plugged in the rear chassis fans (FAN5) and started server. No fan oscillations present. I used the included Noctua fan splitter.
Here comes the weird part. When I plugged in the fanwall (FANA), the oscillating fan speed started on the fanwall, CPU and rear chassis fans. Replaced the 3-1 PWM fan splitter with the Noctua ones (2 fan splitter cables plugged in to eachother. Looks messy but I will be able to clear that mess easily). Started server and no oscillating of fan speeds.

So, it looks like the 3-1 PWM fan splitter I purchased was playing havoc with the FANA fans possibly causing incorrect voltage to be supplied to the three fans.

Supermicro sensors report 300rpm on CPU fans (FAN1 and FAN2), 500rpm on rear chassis fans (FAN5) and 600rpm on fanwall (FANA).

Now I can finally start memtesting and get this server build moving again :)

Edit: turns out setting fan speed to "Optimal" is not good on Noctua fans as they drop below 30%. Seems "Standard" profile is better for initial testing however the fan controller script by Stux is the way to go
 
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DarkLogix

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Sorry if this has already been answered but I didn't see it.

I tried using the info https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...nge-ipmi-sensor-thresholds-using-ipmitool.35/
to set my fans properly, but it seems to have now worked and now on the standard profile the FANs are all at full blast.

I'm using an X11SSH board (Yes I now know and wish I'd gotten an X11SSM) I'm using 2xCorsair ML120 fans and a fractal design C360 AIO for the CPU.
I went with the AIO because I had hoped I'd be able to have the 3 fans on it spin slowly and still provide plenty of cooling, but so far all fans are just going full speed.

Initially they're rev up and down constantly (very annoying) I tried the full speed profile and at least it was a constant speed, but way to loud.
After I found the how-to I used the ipmiutil to set the thresholds but that just so far has resulted in all fans going 100% on any profile.

For the ML120's I set using "-l 360 -h 2400" since the specs say 400-2400 though they seem to spin at 2300 when at full speed.
Would moving the AIO to the FANa header help or be pointless? I'm thinking about just buying a fan controller.

Thanks, I know I'm new on this forum and just came here since this was the most promising document on fixing IPMI fans.
 

Ericloewe

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You may have to reset the BMC (either reboot it from the IPMI webGUI or completely cut power to the server for a few seconds).
 
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