How to set a custom power consumption mode as the default mode

Robotics & Edge Computing Jetson & Embedded Systems Jetson Thor
1

How do I configure a custom power consumption mode as the default in an image?
When compiling the image, I add custom power consumption mode 2 to the /etc/nvpmodel.conf file, set PM_CONFIG DEFAULT=2, and install it as a separate deb package patch into the image.

However, after the device is flashed and booted, the system power consumption mode remains 1 (120W). The custom power consumption mode only takes effect using the command nvpmodel -m 2. How can I use the custom power consumption mode by default when building the image?

2

Are you sure the nvpmodel content in this situation is really that one you want to use?
Are you sure nvpmodel behavior follows what you want before you reflash?

4

The following details are provided.

  1. Customize your flashing image based on the Thor SDK. The default setting is 120W, with PM_CONFIG DEFAULT=1.
  2. Add custom power mode 2 (60W) to the nvpmodel_p3834_0008.conf file and set PM_CONFIG DEFAULT=2.
    /etc/nvpmodel.conf → /etc/nvpmodel/nvpmodel_p3834_0008.conf
  3. Create a deb package for the second step and install it in your custom flashing image.
  4. Flash the image to the device and start it. The changes in the nvpmodel_p3834_0008.conf file are correct, with PM_CONFIG DEFAULT=2, but the actual power mode is 120W.
  5. Use the nvpmodel -m 2 command. A system reboot is required for mode 2 to take effect, but you’d prefer to enable mode 2 without a reboot after the first flash.
5

Hi,

Yes, what I wana to ask here is whether you validated thing goes what you want after step 2?

這裡想問你的就是請問你在step2做完, deb package建好之前有驗過這個狀況真的會照你預期的用到default mode =2 嗎?

我的意思是先不用管那些什麼debian package/flash之類的事情. 你單純改好nvpmodel 之後重開機有照你預期的用到mode 2嗎?

6

单纯修改默认配置为2，重启系统，并没有生效， nvpmodel -q 查看还是模式1；

必须要使用 nvpmodel -m 2 设置才能生效

使用devkit，38.2.1版本也存在这个问题

7

ok 那我們這邊先確認這個問題.

以後開問題也請你先像這樣先簡化一下. 不要有太過多的客製化. 這樣會花太多時間在釐清到底哪一段出了問題.

8

这个功能你们有自己验证过吗？

确定正常情况下，只修改配置文件 PM_CONFIG DEFAULT=2 就可以生效吗？

10

Have you verified this issue? Have you found the cause of the problem?

11

Hi,

Please remove /var/lib/nvpmodel/status first and the setting in the config shall work.

13

After deleting the /var/lib/nvpmodel/status file and restarting the system, the default configuration in /etc/nvpmodel.conf did not take effect. Instead, it caused the following problem:

nvpmodel -q
NVPM WARN: power mode is not set!

$ sudo systemctl status nvpmodel.service
× nvpmodel.service - nvpmodel service
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/nvpmodel.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2025-10-09 14:43:21 CST; 17s ago
Main PID: 1630 (code=exited, status=234)
CPU: 11ms

Oct 09 14:43:22 tegra-ubuntu-mos nvpmodel.sh[1631]: NVPM WARN: Reboot required for changing to this power mode: 1
Oct 09 14:43:22 tegra-ubuntu-mos nvpmodel.sh[1631]: NVPM WARN: DO YOU WANT TO REBOOT NOW? enter YES/yes to confirm:
Oct 09 14:43:22 tegra-ubuntu-mos nvpmodel.sh[1631]: NVPM ERROR: bad input!
Oct 09 14:43:22 tegra-ubuntu-mos nvpmodel.sh[1631]: NVPM ERROR: optMask is 2, no request for power mode
Oct 09 14:43:21 tegra-ubuntu-mos systemd[1]: Starting nvpmodel.service - nvpmodel service…
Oct 09 14:43:21 tegra-ubuntu-mos systemd[1]: nvpmodel.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=234/n/a
Oct 09 14:43:21 tegra-ubuntu-mos systemd[1]: nvpmodel.service: Failed with result ‘exit-code’.
Oct 09 14:43:21 tegra-ubuntu-mos systemd[1]: Failed to start nvpmodel.service - nvpmodel service.

14

Not sure what is your step but it works fine on my side.

$ sudo rm /var/lib/nvpmodel/status
$ sudo vim /etc/nvpmodel/nvpmodel_p3834_0008.conf
—> Change the <PM_CONFIG DEFAULT=1 >
$ sudo reboot

15

The /etc/nvpmodel/nvpmodel_p3834_0008.conf file provides two default modes. You can switch between them using the method you described.

POWER_MODEL ID=0 NAME=MAXN
POWER_MODEL ID=1 NAME=120W

I need to add a new power consumption mode.
<POWER_MODEL ID=2 NAME=60W>
CPU_ONLINE CORE_0 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_1 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_2 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_3 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_4 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_5 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_6 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_7 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_8 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_9 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_10 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_11 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_12 1
CPU_ONLINE CORE_13 1
CPU_AE_0MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_0 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_1MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_1 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_2MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_2 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_3MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_3 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_4MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_4 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_5MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_5 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_6MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_6 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_7MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_7 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_8MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_8 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_9MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_9 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_10MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_10 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_11 MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_12 MAX_FREQ -1
CPU_AE_13MIN_FREQ 972000
CPU_AE_13 MAX_FREQ -1
GPU_POWER_GATING GPU_PG_MASK 96
GPU_POWER_CONTROL_ENABLE GPU_PWR_CNTL_EN on
GPU_POWER_CONTROL_DISABLE GPU_PWR_CNTL_DIS auto
GPU MIN_FREQ 54000000
GPU MAX_FREQ 54000000
VIDEO MIN_FREQ 801000000
VIDEO MAX_FREQ 1557000000

< PM_CONFIG DEFAULT=2 >

Switching to mode 2 using the method you described fails.

16

ok. 我們先讓兩邊狀況一樣. 如果你用原生nvpmodel的mode. 有辦法切換default mode嗎

17

可以，使用原生的 MAXN 和 120W 模式 是可以通过修改默认配置生效的

19

上面提供的 60W 示例，通过 nvpmodel -m 2 命令是可以切换的，但是需要重启系统，我希望通过默认配置使其生效

<POWER_MODEL ID=2 NAME=60W>

21

Hi,

能請你先作個實驗把原生的mode1內容完全複製成mode 2 然後改個name看這樣能否生效嗎?
我們剛才這樣測試是可行的.

你貼在forum上的mode好像有一些syntax error. 不知道是forum系統改到他們還是哪邊有問題

22

mode1內容完全複製成mode 2，使用你说的方法是可以生效的

23

如果我本地文件有语法错误，为什么通过 nvpmodel -m 2 命令是可以切换？

24

该问题主要是两个原因

1、是这个配置项导致 GPU_POWER_GATING GPU_PG_MASK 96 默认配置无法生效，不修改该配置默认配置可以生效；

2、删除 /var/lib/nvpmodel/status 文件或者修改文件为对应模式编号。