Set up a new server for home use (DNS, files, etc.) and was gratified to find it using around 50 watts when the older machine it replaces was using around 90. However, just before sticking it in the closet, I changed it to runlevel 3 since I won't be using the GUI typically. I had assumed this might reduce power usage a bit more, but surprisingly it caused the power draw to go UP by about 3 watts! I thought it a fluke, but verified that this is a real phenomenon: the machine draws about 3 watts less when X and KDE are running than when they are not. Seems like running more processes should cause more power usage. Any ideas what might be causing what I see? Odd.
I note that: (1) I set kernel scaling_governor parameter for each core to ondemand for any runlevel; (2) whether logged into KDE or just sitting at the DM the power usage is stabilizes at the same level when in runlevel 5; (3) I have not made any power settings in KDE and the power applet is not running; (4) runlevel 5 has all the same services as runleve 5 plus: dm and atieventsd. Thanks for any insights! Norm
