root/lm-sensors/trunk/INSTALL

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
=========================

The lm-sensors package, version 3, provides user-space support for the
hardware monitoring drivers in Linux 2.6.5 and later. For older kernel
versions, you have to use lm-sensors version 2.


Dependencies
============

Build-time dependencies:
* GNU make
* gcc
* bison
* flex
* rrd header files (optional, for sensord)

Run-time dependencies:
* perl (for sensors-detect)
* rrdtool >= 1.2.1 (optional, for sensord)
* proper kernel configuration (see below)


Compilation
===========

At the top of the Makefile are a couple of configuration variables that
you may want to change. There's a description of what each variable does
in the Makefile itself.

Compilation is done by `make all'. You will get a lot of warnings about
files which are not found, all ending in `.*d'. You can safely ignore
this; they contain dependency information, which is regenerated on the
spot.

`make install' installs the package (to /usr/local by default).


Kernel configuration
====================

This package assumes that you have a properly configured kernel. If
you run a distribution kernel, that should be the case. If you're
building your own kernel, here are some recommendations:
* Enable "I2C support" (CONFIG_I2C=y or m). On many motherboards, the
  sensor chip is connected to the SMBus, which is supported by I2C
  in the Linux kernel.
* Enable "I2C device interface" (CONFIG_I2C_CHARDEV=m). sensors-detect
  needs this to probe for SMBus hardware monitoring chips.
* In I2C Hardware Bus support, enable all drivers you might need,
  preferably as modules. If you're not sure, select them all.
* Enable "Hardware Monitoring support" (CONFIG_HWMON=y or m).
* Enable all hardware monitoring drivers you might need, preferably
  as modules. If you're not sure, select them all.


Using the sensors package
=========================

There is a scanning program installed called sensors-detect. It
will scan all available I2C and SMBus adapters for all known sensor
devices, and will also look for ISA, PCI and Super-I/O chips with
sensors, and give you a list of what kernel drivers you need to load
(using modprobe).

After loading the suggested drivers, you can use the installed sensors
program to get a report of all detected sensor devices. Check the manual
page for available options.

The initial output of `sensors' will not be perfect. You have to adjust
the configuration file (/etc/sensors3.conf) to match your motherboard.
This includes (re)labelling inputs, ignoring unused inputs, changing
voltage compute lines and setting limits. Write down all the sensor
information your BIOS displays as a hint to what you are supposed to
obtain in the end. Make sure you modify the right chip section.

Once you are done with editing the configuration file, calling
`sensors -s' will set the new limits. Then the output of `sensors'
should look much better.

There are many auxiliary programs not installed. You can find them under
the prog subdirectory. A list can be found in doc/progs.