root/lm-sensors/trunk/README @ 729

=============================================================================
          FOR INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS SEE THE 'INSTALL' FILE
=============================================================================

OVERVIEW OF THE LM_SENSORS PACKAGE AND SUMMARY OF SUPPORTED DEVICES

This is the completely rewritten version of lm_sensors, a collection of
modules for general SMBus access and hardware monitoring. There are quite
a few changes compared with 1.x.y versions; they are now officially
unsupported.

WARNING! Starting with lm_sensors version 2.5.0, only kernels 2.2.0 and
later are supported. Use lm_sensors version 2.4.5 if you use an older
kernel.

WARNING! If you downloaded this package through our CVS archive, you walk
the cutting edge. Things may not even compile! On the other hand, you will
be the first to profit from new drivers and other changes. Have fun!

WARNING! Many things have changed sinse version 2.4.0. Most importantly,
you need the i2c package.  It should have come bundled with lm_sensors,
but you may need to download it separately at:
  http://www.netroedge.com/~lm78
Users of kernel 2.3.34 and later (and also all soon to be 2.4.x) kernels
will be happy to know that the new I2C implementation has been included 
in the kernel, but you can still patch it with the latest version 
(see i2c/mkpatch/mkpatch.pl), but this is optional.

WARNING! The default module installation directory changed since version
2.2.1. If you don't change the directory in /etc/modules.conf (or
/etc/conf.modules), modprobe will probably load the wrong ones.

WARNING! Some things have changed since version 2.1.2. Most notably,
module piix4 is renamed i2c-piix4, module isa is renamed i2c-isa,
and module bit-mb is renamed i2c-via. You have been warned.

At least the following SMBus adapters are supported:
  Acer Labs M1541 and M1543C (used in the Aladdin IV, V and Pro 2 chipsets)
  AMD 756
  Apple Hydra (used on some PPC machines)
  Intel ICH (used in the Intel 810 and 810E chipsets)
  Intel PIIX4 (used in most Intel chipsets)
  Intel I810 GMCH
  SiS 5595 (used in many SiS chipsets)
  3Dfx Voodoo 3 and Banshee
  VIA Technologies 82C586B (used in most VIA chipsets)
  VIA Technologies VT596A/B (used in some more modern VIA chipsets)

At least the following hardware sensor chips are supported:
  Analog Devices ADM1021, ADM1022, and ADM9240
  Asus AS99127F
  Dallas Semiconductor DS1780
  Hewlett Packard Maxilife (several revisions)
  Genesys Logic GL518SM (rev 00, 80), GL520SM, GL523SM
  Intel Xeon processor embedded sensors
  Maxim MAX1617 and MAX1617A
  National Semicoductor LM75, LM77, LM78, LM78-J, LM79. LM80, LM81, and LM84
  SiS Southbridge (integrated in the chipset; the I2C adapter will also be
    supported in the near future)
  TI THMC10 and THMC50
  Winbond W83781D, W83782D, W83783S, and W83627HF


We also support some miscellaneous chips:
  Linear Technologies LTC1710
  Dimms with EEPROMs
  Intel Xeon processor embedded EEPROMs
  DDC Monitor embedded EEPROMs

We could use some testers of hardware. If you own a specific monitoring
chip or I2C bus, and are willing to help us out, please contact us - even
if you did so before. Even if you have no programming knowledge, you could
help us by running new modules and reporting on the results and output. 
If you want to offer more substantial help, this is very welcome too, of
course.


Don't ask us whether we support a particular mainboard; we do not know.
We *do* know what hardware we support, but usually, it is easier to
install everything and run sensors-detect. It will tell you what hardware
you have (and incidentally, what corresponding drivers are needed). You
could also take a look at http://members.brabant.chello.nl/~a.vankaam/mbm
(this lists chips found on many mainboard, but regrettable, not the adapters
on them) or http://web01.fureai.or.jp/~hirobo/project/reserch_project.html
(yes, it is japanese; you want the ninth column, and it again lists only
chips, not adapters).


SMBus, also known as System Management Bus, is a protocol for communicating
through a I2C ('I squared C') bus. Many modern mainboards have a System
Management Bus. There are a lot of devices which can be connected to a
SMBus; the most notable are modern memory chips with EEPROM memories and
chips for hardware monitoring.

Most modern mainboards incorporate some form of hardware monitoring chips.
These chips read things like chip temperatures, fan rotation speeds and
voltage levels. There are quite a few different chips which can be used
by mainboard builders for approximately the same results.

Hardware monitoring chips are often connected to the SMBus, but often they
can also be connected to the ISA bus. The modules in this package usually
support both ways of accessing them.

Because the SMBus is just a special case of the generalized I2C bus, we
can simulate the SMBus protocol on plain I2C busses. These busses are
sometimes used in other parts of your computer. If a supported chip is
attached to one of these additional busses, they can be used too.

Please read INSTALL before trying to compile and install these modules.
There is a lot of additional documentation in the doc/ subdirectory.
Amnong these is a list of supported busses and chips. Regrettably, there
are too many mainboards to keep a list of busses and chips used on them.
On the other hand, we provide a program called 'sensors-detect' which
tries to figure out what hardware is available on your system.

The developers of this package can be reached through the email address
<lm78@stimpy.netroedge.com>. Do not hesitate to mail us if you have questions,
suggestions, problems, want to contribute, or just want to report it works
for you. But please try to read the documentation and FAQ first before you ask
any questions!

The latest version of this package can always be found on our homepage:
http://www.netroedge.com/~lm78. Pre-release versions can be retrieved
through anonymous CVS; see doc/cvs for more information.

This whole package is copyright (c) 1998, 1999 by Frodo Looijaard and 
Philip Edelbrock, except for (almost) everything in the i2c directory, which
is copyright (c) 1995-1999 by Simon Vogl, and a few drivers written by
other people. See the individual files for more exact copyright information.  
This package may be distributed according to the GNU General Public License 
(GPL), as included in the file COPYING.

Note that at this moment, libsensors falls under the GPL, not the LGPL.
In more human language, that means it is FORBIDDEN to link any application
to the library, even to the shared version, if the application itself
does not fall under the GPL. This will probably be changed in the future.
In the meantime, you will have to contact us first if you want to do this.