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-link*Cannot 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-link*Cannot 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 After 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* - *Devfreq not enabled* 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