Setting CPU frequency to hardware minimum limit - will it harm the hardware?

Solution 1:

Let us recall, what a scaling governor does.

here is the official documentation. If the CPU supports dynamic frequency setting, the linux kernel is responsible for setting the appropiate cpu frequency. Setting the scaling governor changes only the limits within which the kernel may change the CPU frequency.

Now what happens when you force the CPU to the lowest frequency available?

• your CPU consumes less power
• your CPU produces less heat which needs to be cooled down.
• the command to change the frequency setting is not being issued, as the frequency stays constant

Considering that the most likely cause for hardware damage is the heat death (for example because of a cpu cooler being covered with dust), you will probably extend the lifetime of your CPU by limiting the CPU speed.

What about other effects on the hardware?

You will suffer a performance penalty of course, which can also include other hardware - for example the network card, since almost everything must go through the CPU. But apart from the performance loss, I do not think that there will be other effects.