lordnic99 / msi-ec

Embedded Controller for MSI laptops

Disclaimer

This driver might not work on other laptops produced by MSI. Use it at your own risk, I am not responsible for any damage suffered.

Also, and until future enhancements, no DMI data is used to identify your laptop model. Check the constants.h file before using.

Installation

From GitHub

1. Install the following packages:

• For Debian: build-essential linux-headers-amd64
• For Ubuntu: build-essential linux-headers-generic
• For Fedora: kernel-devel

2. Clone this repository and cd'ed
3. Run make
4. Run make install
5. (Optional) To uninstall, run make uninstall

From AUR (Arch Linux)

1. Install any AUR helper (yay for example)
2. Run yay -S msi-ec-git

Usage

This driver exports a few files in its own platform device, msi-ec, and is available to userspace under:

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/webcam

  • Description: This entry allows enabling the integrated webcam (as if it was done by a keyboard button).
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values:
    • on: integrated webcam is enabled
    • off: integrated webcam is disabled

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/webcam_block

  • Description: This entry allows blocking the integrated webcam. Being blocked by this entry, webcam can't be enabled by a keyboard button or by writing into the webcam file.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values:
    • on: integrated webcam is blocked
    • off: integrated webcam is not blocked

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/fn_key

  • Description: This entry allows switching the position between the function key and the windows key.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values:
    • left: function key goes to the left, windows key goes to the right
    • right: function key goes to the right, windows key goes to the left

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/win_key

  • Description: This entry allows changing the position for the function key.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values:
    • left: windows key goes to the left, function key goes to the right
    • right: windows key goes to the right, function key goes to the left

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/battery_mode

  • Description: This entry allows changing the battery mode for health purposes.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values:
    • max: best for mobility. Charge the battery to 100% all the time
    • medium: balanced. Charge the battery when under 70%, stop at 80%
    • min: best for battery. Charge the battery when under 50%, stop at 60%

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/cooler_boost

  • Description: This entry allows enabling the cooler boost function. It provides powerful cooling capability by boosting the airflow.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values:
    • on: cooler boost function is enabled
    • off: cooler boost function is disabled

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/available_shift_modes

  • Description: This entry reports all supported shift modes.
  • Access: Read
  • Valid values: Newline separated list of strings.

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/shift_mode

  • Description: This entry allows switching the shift mode. It provides a set of profiles for gaining CPU & GPU overclock/underclock.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values:
    • unspecified (read-only)
    • Values reported by /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/available_shift_modes. Some of the possible values:
      • eco: low clock frequency and voltage for the CPU & GPU, aka power saving mode
      • comfort: dynamic clock frequency and voltage for the CPU & GPU, aka power balanced mode
      • sport: full clock frequency and voltage for the CPU & GPU, aka default desktop mode
      • turbo: over-voltage and over-clock for the CPU & GPU, aka overclocking mode

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/super_battery

  • Description: This entry allows switching the super battery function.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values:
    • on: super battery function is enabled
    • off: super battery function is disabled

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/available_fan_modes

  • Description: This entry reports all supported fan modes.
  • Access: Read
  • Valid values: Newline separated list of strings.

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/fan_mode

  • Description: This entry allows switching the fan mode. It provides a set of profiles for adjusting the fan speed under specific criteria.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values:
    • Values reported by /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/available_fan_modes. Some of the possible values:
      • auto: fan speed adjusts automatically
      • silent: fan is disabled
      • basic: fixed 1-level fan speed for CPU/GPU (percent)
      • advanced: fixed 6-levels fan speed for CPU/GPU (percent)

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/fw_version

  • Description: This entry reports the firmware version of the motherboard.
  • Access: Read
  • Valid values: Represented as string

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/fw_release_date

  • Description: This entry reports the firmware release date of the motherboard.
  • Access: Read
  • Valid values: Represented as string

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/cpu/realtime_temperature

  • Description: This entry reports the current cpu temperature.
  • Access: Read
  • Valid values: 0 - 100 (celsius scale)

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/cpu/realtime_fan_speed

  • Description: This entry reports the current cpu fan speed.
  • Access: Read
  • Valid values: 0 - 100 (percent)

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/cpu/basic_fan_speed

  • Description: This entry allows changing the cpu fan speed.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values: 0 - 100 (percent)

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/gpu/realtime_temperature

  • Description: This entry reports the current gpu temperature.
  • Access: Read
  • Valid values: 0 - 100 (celsius scale)

• /sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/gpu/realtime_fan_speed

  • Description: This entry reports the current gpu fan speed.
  • Access: Read
  • Valid values: 0 - 100 (percent)

In addition to these platform device attributes the driver registers itself in the Linux power_supply subsystem (Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-class-power) and is available to userspace under:

• /sys/class/power_supply/<supply_name>/charge_control_start_threshold

  • Description: Represents a battery percentage level, below which charging will begin.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values: 0 - 100 (percent)
    • 50: when min battery mode is configured
    • 70: when medium battery mode is configured
    • 90: when max battery mode is configured

• /sys/class/power_supply/<supply_name>/charge_control_end_threshold

  • Description: Represents a battery percentage level, above which charging will stop.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values: 0 - 100 (percent)
    • 60: when min battery mode is configured
    • 80: when medium battery mode is configured
    • 100: when max battery mode is configured

Led subsystem allows us to control the leds on the laptop including the keyboard backlight

• /sys/class/leds/platform::<led_name>/brightness

  • Description: sets the current state of the led.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values: 0 - 1
    • 0: Led off
    • 1: Led on

• /sys/class/leds/msiacpi::kbd_backlight/brightness

  • Description: sets the current state of keyboard backlight.
  • Access: Read, Write
  • Valid values: 0 - 3
    • 0: Off
    • 1: On
    • 2: Half
    • 3: Full

List of tested laptops:

• MSI GF75 Thin 9SC (17F2EMS1.106)