diff --git a/docs/plans/pn51-stability.md b/docs/plans/pn51-stability.md index 7c29fee..427c9e3 100644 --- a/docs/plans/pn51-stability.md +++ b/docs/plans/pn51-stability.md @@ -54,6 +54,23 @@ Two ASUS PN51-E1 mini PCs (Ryzen 7 5700U) purchased years ago but shelved due to - The kernel handles TSC instability gracefully (falls back to HPET), and PSP LOAD_TA is non-fatal - Neither issue is likely the cause of the hard freezes — the fTPM bug remains the primary suspect +### 2026-02-22: Stress Test (1 hour) + +- Ran `stress-ng --cpu 16 --vm 2 --vm-bytes 8G --timeout 1h` on both units +- CPU temps peaked at ~85°C, settled to ~80°C sustained (throttle limit is 105°C) +- Both survived the full hour with no freezes, no MCE errors, no kernel issues +- No concerning log entries during or after the test + +### 2026-02-22: TSC Runtime Switch Test + +- Attempted to switch clocksource back to TSC at runtime on pn01: + ``` + echo tsc > /sys/devices/system/clocksource/clocksource0/current_clocksource + ``` +- Kernel watchdog immediately reverted to HPET — TSC skew is ongoing, not just a boot-time issue +- **Conclusion**: TSC is genuinely unstable on the PN51-E1 platform. HPET is the correct clocksource. +- For virtualization (Incus), this means guest VMs will use HPET-backed timing. Performance impact is minimal for typical server workloads (DNS, monitoring, light services) but would matter for latency-sensitive applications. + ## Benign Kernel Errors (Both Units) These appear on both units and can be ignored: @@ -62,19 +79,13 @@ These appear on both units and can be ignored: - `pcie_mp2_amd: amd_sfh_hid_client_init failed err -95` — AMD Sensor Fusion Hub, no sensors connected - `Bluetooth: hci0: Reading supported features failed` — Bluetooth init quirk - `Serial bus multi instantiate pseudo device driver INT3515:00: error -ENXIO` — unused serial bus device +- `snd_hda_intel: no codecs found` — no audio device connected, headless server - `ata2.00: supports DRM functions and may not be fully accessible` — Samsung SSD DRM quirk (pn02 only) ## Next Steps -- Monitor both units for stability (fTPM disabled on both, BIOS updated on pn02) -- **Test TSC stability after boot**: The TSC skew may only occur during early boot (power state transitions, frequency scaling) and stabilize later. Test by switching clocksource back to TSC at runtime: - ```bash - # Check current clocksource - cat /sys/devices/system/clocksource/clocksource0/current_clocksource - # Switch back to TSC (kernel watchdog will revert if skew persists) - echo tsc > /sys/devices/system/clocksource/clocksource0/current_clocksource - ``` - If TSC stays stable after boot, this is just an early-boot calibration issue. This matters for virtualization performance — HPET is 50-100x slower than TSC per timing call, and KVM guests rely on the host clocksource. +- Monitor both units for stability over the next few days - If either freezes again, try disabling unused hardware in BIOS (GPU, WiFi, Bluetooth, audio) - If still freezing, may be a hardware defect - Once stable: add second RAM stick back to pn02, reinstall with NVMe +- Evaluate for Incus hypervisor use (see `nixos-hypervisor.md`)