Dell "PC Extras" Driver Slated For Linux 6.11 - Initially To Control Fan Modes

Queued into the x86 platform drivers' "for-next" branch ahead of the Linux 6.11 kernel cycle is the "Dell PC Extras" driver. Initially this new dell-pc driver is used for controlling fan modes via the Platform Profile setting on capable systems.

This Dell PC driver is the work of the previously reported on patches around fan mode controls tied to the ACPI Platform Profile setting. Lyndon Sanche led the work on this driver and for capable Dell devices will now support configuring the preset fan modes through SMBIOS tables when adjusting the platform profile.

This new driver is guarded by the "DELL_PC" Kconfig option and its help text is explained as:

"This driver adds support for controlling the fan modes via platform_profile on supported Dell systems regardless of formfactor. Module will simply do nothing if thermal management commands are not supported."

So it's good news for those wanting more fan control support under Linux for their newer Dell systems. Until the Linux 6.11 kernel merge window opens up in mid-July, the driver is currently living in platform-drivers-x86.git's for-next branch.