How do i use power mizer?

[Mar91]

I have updated my nvidia drivers to 169.07 and found powermizer, which can get my 8800gts ( 320 mb ), clocking down, to use less power. I went into Nvidia X-server settings, and then to power mizer:
Adaptative clocking: Enabled;
Clock: 513 mhz;
Memory clock: 800 mhz;
Performance level: 0;
performance mode: maximum performance;

I use my opensuse 10.3 with compiz fusion and nothing else.. I don't use games or get my GPU working hard.. Can i tell to powermizer to underclock more my 8800 ?
Or it's just at minimum performance now?
Thank you..

PS:
kernel 2.6.22 and my 8800gts isn't overclocked, it's the standard series...

[NvFuchs]

Powermizer is not used for user based underclocking,
set the Coolbits Option in your device section
in the xorg.conf file (Option "Coolbits" "1")
then you have a new section in nvidia-settings
called clock frequencies, where you can underclock your card.

hth,

Fuchs

[lordcenzinux]

Hi all,
i'm also trying to reduce the power of my nvidia geforce 8400GS on xps m1330 (archlinux).

I modified my xorg file and the new menu appeared. My default frequency was 169 MHz. But how can I choose the right one?

I tried to set 100...but when I tried to restart X and check if everything was working...i got black screen!!! I needed to force shut down!!

What can i do? can you better explain hoe this settings are working? Thanks in advance

[shaundennie]

Underclocking with Coolbits applies to the highest powermizer state so, no, you can't underclock the idle state lower than it already is in 3D mode. In my experience underclocking my 8400M GS (Dell XPS M1330) caused many, many problems and it didn't seem worth the hassle. If you are using compiz, you are better off adjusting the speed/framerate of things so that they can happen without forcing the card into maximum power. It takes the card between 45 seconds and 1 minute to drop down to lowest power after it's gone to max power so, preventing it from getting to the highest power state is probably more beneficial that having it idle at slightly less power.

[lordcenzinux]

Originally Posted by shaundennie

Underclocking with Coolbits applies to the highest powermizer state so, no, you can't underclock the idle state lower than it already is in 3D mode. In my experience underclocking my 8400M GS (Dell XPS M1330) caused many, many problems and it didn't seem worth the hassle. If you are using compiz, you are better off adjusting the speed/framerate of things so that they can happen without forcing the card into maximum power. It takes the card between 45 seconds and 1 minute to drop down to lowest power after it's gone to max power so, preventing it from getting to the highest power state is probably more beneficial that having it idle at slightly less power.

Hi shaudennie, thanks for your answer! The problem is that my temperature is always 75°C (~167°F), and i'm not playing and i'm not stressing GPU...! Maybe the copper mode could be useful but...is not a solution!

Is it normal that nvidia-settings shows me always "maximum performance"?

Any suggestion?