Warnings

Which types of warnings does tlp-stat -w check for?

Currently the command checks the kernel log for disk device related errors possibly caused by the settings for ALPM.

What should I do if warnings are shown?

TLP’s former [until 1.0] default setting on battery SATA_LINKPWR_ON_BAT=min_power is optimimized for maximum power saving. Try less aggressive values: with kernel ≥ 4.15 use

SATA_LINKPWR_ON_BAT=med_power_with_dipm

for kernel < 4.15 use

SATA_LINKPWR_ON_BAT=medium_power

or use

SATA_LINKPWR_ON_BAT=max_performance

or disable the setting completely – see SATA_LINKPWR_ON_AC/BAT.

Don’t forget to reboot before checking again.

Note

The same applies to SATA_LINKPWR_ON_AC
The difference in power consumption between min_power and max_performance may amount to more than 1 W depending on your hardware

What to do if the warnings do not disappear after changing the settings?

In case there are only 1 or 2 warnings immediately after system boot or a change of power source: users reported it is safe to just ignore them
In case of a high warning count: try to use a newer kernel version
Disable SATA_LINKPWR_ON_AC/BAT completely

What is the cause for these errors?

Candidates are:

Poor implementation of ALPM in the disk’s firmware or SATA controller or System BIOS
Issues between the controller and the disk
Kernel driver issues