Psensor report -263C; is this a hardware failure? <probably not>

[ezijlstra]

edit: another NUC, running smoothly, has the same 'feature'. Hence, probably no hardware failure.

original post
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Struggling with problems with my NUC that freezes or hangs every now and then, I installed Psensor to have a look at the temperature in the NUC.
Psensor shows 13 temperature sensors, one of which reports -263C. I wonder if this indicates a hardware failure.
Intel refers me to the BIOS, but there are only four sensors shown in the visual Bios.

I tried to search in the kernel documentation, but this was a wee bit too expert friendly for me.

Does anyone know to which part of the hardware this sensor belongs?



The details refer to: lmsensor acpitz-acpi-0 temp1



Here is the inxi of the NUC

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System:
  Kernel: 5.13.0-27-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 5.0.7 wm: muffin 5.0.2 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:
  Type: Mini-pc System: Intel Client Systems product: NUC8i7BEH 
  v: J72992-309 serial: <filter> Chassis: Intel Corporation type: 35 v: 2.0 
  serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: Intel model: NUC8BEB v: J72688-309 serial: <filter> UEFI: Intel 
  v: BECFL357.86A.0089.2021.0621.1343 date: 06/21/2021 
CPU:
  Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i7-8559U bits: 64 type: MT MCP 
  arch: Kaby Lake rev: A L2 cache: 8192 KiB 
  flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx 
  bogomips: 43198 
  Speed: 500 MHz min/max: 400/4500 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 500 2: 1110 
  3: 521 4: 500 5: 500 6: 517 7: 502 8: 572 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655 driver: i915 v: kernel 
  bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:3ea5 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.13 driver: modesetting 
  unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 2560x1440~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655 (CFL GT3) 
  v: 4.6 Mesa 21.0.3 direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Cannon Point-LP High Definition Audio 
  driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 chip ID: 8086:9dc8 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.13.0-27-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Cannon Point-LP CNVi [Wireless-AC] driver: iwlwifi 
  v: kernel port: 4000 bus ID: 00:14.3 chip ID: 8086:9df0 
  IF: wlp0s20f3 state: up mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Intel Ethernet I219-V driver: e1000e v: kernel port: efa0 
  bus ID: 00:1f.6 chip ID: 8086:15be 
  IF: eno1 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 931.52 GiB used: 253.44 GiB (27.2%) 
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB 
  size: 465.76 GiB speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: <filter> rev: 2B2QEXM7 
  scheme: GPT 
  ID-2: /dev/sda vendor: Samsung model: SSD 860 EVO 500GB size: 465.76 GiB 
  speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 3B6Q 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 456.96 GiB used: 38.13 GiB (8.3%) fs: ext4 
  dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 33.0 C mobo: 27.8 C 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/additional-repositories.list 
  1: deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
  1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com uma main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
  2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
Info:
  Processes: 265 Uptime: 1h 17m Memory: 15.50 GiB used: 3.14 GiB (20.3%) 
  Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 9 Shell: bash 
  v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38

[1000]

Possible causes:
- Driver error ( software failure )
- The temperature sensor is broken ( hardware failure )
- Integrated circuit responsible to temperature measurement for this sensor ( hardware failure )
- The sensor is not plugged in and the temperature transducer ( integrated circuit ) shows minimum or maximum value.
( It depends on how the chip was programmed )
Info: Damaged sensors are a rarity. But sometimes hardware does not work without them. Because the temperature reading is at maximum.
Some types of sensors allow connect the wires together and then the temperature reading will be minimal and the hardware will work .


You can compare:
- You can try to check the temperatures in Bios.
- You can check output of command ( example viewtopic.php?p=2119978#p2119978 )

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sudo  sensors-detect

- You can test another kernel. However I see, you have the newest in Linux Mint.
- You can try search benchmark with the same computer hardware and compare.


Edited

my NUC that freezes or hangs every now

Try check system logs.
There will be a lot of bugs there,
but using timing ( time ), try to find a place in the system log where the last events are before the system freeze.

Example tutorial from internet, but be careful as it may contain bugs
https://github.com/tele1/LinuxTutorial/ ... in/Menu.md

And remember that the grep command only shows lines with the searched word.
This means that part of the message may remain in the log.

[ezijlstra]

Thanks for your elaborate reply "1000".

I installed Psensor on another NUC, running LM19.2, and it also reported a sensor on -263C.
But there is it referred to as "lmsensor acpitz-virtual-0 temp1".

The LM19.2 NUC is running fine, so my guess is that the reading does not indicate a hardware failure, but something else in the Psensor or lmsensor tool.

As I wrote in my first post, the BIOS shows only four temperature sensors.
It still puzzles me that Psensor reports many more sensors.

[AndyMH]

Not a hardware problem, when I boot a linux distro in a VM my CPU temp applet is showing -271. What does the output of sensors show?

This on a T430:

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andy@T432 ~ $ sensors
thinkpad-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
fan1:        3633 RPM
temp1:        +50.0°C  
temp2:         +0.0°C  
temp3:         +0.0°C  
temp4:         +0.0°C  
temp5:         +0.0°C  
temp6:         +0.0°C  
temp7:         +0.0°C  
temp8:         +0.0°C  

BAT0-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
in0:          12.19 V  

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0:  +50.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 0:        +44.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 1:        +50.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 2:        +41.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 3:        +45.0°C  (high = +87.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

acpitz-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
temp1:        +50.0°C  (crit = +200.0°C)

[1000]

It still puzzles me that Psensor reports many more sensors.

I can not find documentation or wiki.
However
- user manual for your hardware
- information from psensor
( right click with mouse on a specific measurement --> " Preferences " --> And you have " Chip " and " Id " )
- information from sensors-detect (output in terminal )
- information from kernel documentation
( chip information can be in the documentation or user manual or in the manufacturer's documentation )
- information from wiki / internet
should let you get rudimentary / basic information.


For example

E.g: “acpitz” indicates it’s an ACPI thermal device.

https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/abi ... ght=acpitz

" Generic Thermal Sysfs driver How To " https://docs.kernel.org/driver-api/ther ... l%20device

" ACPI Device Tree - Representation of ACPI Namespace " https://docs.kernel.org/firmware-guide/ ... l%20device


Edited
About " NUC CPU temperature concerns "
https://community.home-assistant.io/t/n ... /189287/35


Edited
You can read also in terminal

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man sensors

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man sensors-detect

Edited
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/ACPI_modules

[ezijlstra]

Thank you both for your assistance.

What does the output of sensors show?

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coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0:  +32.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 0:        +32.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1:        +32.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 2:        +31.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 3:        +31.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)

pch_cannonlake-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:        +32.0°C  

acpitz-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
temp1:       -263.2°C  
temp2:        +27.8°C  (crit = +119.0°C)

iwlwifi_1-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:        +29.0°C  

nvme-pci-3b00
Adapter: PCI adapter
Composite:    +29.9°C  (low  = -273.1°C, high = +84.8°C)
                       (crit = +84.8°C)
Sensor 1:     +29.9°C  (low  = -273.1°C, high = +65261.8°C)
Sensor 2:     +25.9°C  (low  = -273.1°C, high = +65261.8°C)

[1000]

What does the output of sensors show?

- You can check output of command ( example viewtopic.php?p=2119978#p2119978 )

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sudo  sensors-detect

and search for some information on the internet.

-----------------------
Edited
For example

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Some south bridges, CPUs or memory controllers contain embedded sensors.
Do you want to scan for them? This is totally safe. (YES/no): y
Module cpuid loaded successfully.
...
Intel digital thermal sensor...                             Success!
    (driver `coretemp')

-----------------------

coretemp-isa-0000 --> The name indicates the temperature measurements of the processor cores.

pch_cannonlake-virtual-0 --> Probably a chip ( integrated circuit ) " Cannon Lake (microprocessor) " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannon_La ... processor)

acpitz-acpi-0 --> Probably not a chip. ( I 'm not sure ) These are all sensors detected by ACPI. Built-in or connected to the motherboard.

ACPI = Part of BIOS or UEFI responsible for communication between the motherboard and the operating system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_ ... _Interface
Regarding the motherboard, you can ask your motherboard manufacturer.

iwlwifi_1-virtual-0 --> " iwlwifi is the wireless driver for Intel's current wireless chips " https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Iwlwifi

nvme-pci-3b00 --> " The acronym NVM stands for non-volatile memory, which is often NAND flash memory " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NVM_Express

[ezijlstra]

Thank you for your support.
I ran Psensor on another NUC (running LM19.2) and it also reported the same sensor at -263C, referring to it as 'virtual'.
So I concluded that this does not indicate an hardware error, as the other NUC runs smoothly.
But it was yet another opportunity to learn something.
I will close the topic.