## Hardware

| Component | Detail |
|-----------|--------|
| Model | MSI Titan GT77HX 13VI |
| CPU | Intel i9-13980HX (24C/32T) |
| dGPU | NVIDIA RTX 4090 Laptop (AD103M, hybrid Optimus) |
| iGPU | Intel UHD (display pipeline through iGPU) |
| Ethernet | Killer E3000 (RTL8125B, 2.5GbE, PCIe) |
| WiFi | Intel Wi-Fi 6E (CNVi, soldered) |
| Storage | Samsung PM9A1 NVMe x2 |
| Card Reader | Realtek RTS5261 |
| Thunderbolt | Maple Ridge 4 |
| EC | MSI Embedded Controller (msi-ec-dkms-git) |
| Boot | Limine (UKI) on Arch Linux |

## Problem

**Cooler Boost** — a binary EC flag for 100% fan duty — is never enabled by Silent or Auto fan curves. The EC keeps fans on a quiet RPM curve even when CPU/GPU exceed 85C. `CoolerControl` cannot PWM these fans (RPM-only), so it has no way to flip the flag.

Result: thermal throttling under sustained load (rendering, gaming, compile) because the firmware never escalates cooling.

## What This Issue Needs

### 1. Driver Packaging (`install/hardware/msi.sh`)

Triggered by `omarchy-hw-msi` (detects MSI laptops via DMI):

| Driver | Package | Why |
|--------|---------|-----|
| EC sysfs | `msi-ec-dkms-git` | Cooler Boost, fan control, battery thresholds |
| Ethernet | `r8125-dkms` | Killer E3000 — r8169 has stability bugs, needs blacklist |
| Fan daemon | `coolercontrol` | Replaces `thermald`; can't PWM but can trigger Cooler Boost |
| GPU config | `nvidia-settings` | NVIDIA DPMS, power management |
| Battery thresholds | via msi-ec | Start 60% / end 80% for battery longevity |

**Design notes:**
- PCI detection reads from `OMARCHY_PCI_DEVICES_PATH` (sysfs), not `lspci` — avoids waking suspended GPUs on hybrid laptops (see PR #11259)
- `r8169` blacklist is only written when `r8125` is already loaded — avoids leaving the system without network

### 2. Cooler Boost Watcher (Titan GT77HX only)

`omarchy-hw-msi-titan` gates a dedicated systemd unit:

| Threshold | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| CPU or GPU >= 85C, sustained >30s | Cooler Boost ON (Extreme 100%) |
| Both <= 70C | Cooler Boost OFF (Silent floor) |
| In between | Hysteresis — no change (prevents rapid toggling) |

- A short spike above 85C does **not** enable Cooler Boost: the temperature must stay at or above 85C for more than 30 seconds (7 consecutive 5s polls). The sustain counter resets on any dip below 85C.
- Verified live on a GT77HX 13VI: first >=85C under 32-thread load at t+13s, flag flipped `off -> on` at t+44s (31s sustained), all four EC fans ~2,100 -> ~4,900 RPM; flipped `on -> off` at the first poll at/under 70C during cooldown.

**Polling:** 5 seconds (configurable via `MSI_COOLER_BOOST_INTERVAL`)
**Sustain window:** 30 seconds (configurable via `MSI_COOLER_BOOST_SUSTAIN`)
**EC path:** `/sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/cooler_boost`
**Unit:** `omarchy-msi-cooler-boost-watch.service`
**Guard:** `ConditionPathExists=/sys/devices/platform/msi-ec/cooler_boost`

### 3. MSI Detection Coverage

The `omarchy-hw-msi` detector covers 14 MSI laptop families:

| Family | Segment |
|--------|---------|
| Titan | Flagship gaming |
| Stealth | Thin gaming |
| Raider | High-performance gaming |
| Vector | Creator/gaming |
| Crosshair | Budget gaming |
| Summit | Business |
| Creator | Content creation |
| Modern | Mainstream |
| Katana | Budget gaming |
| Cyborg | Budget gaming |
| Pulse | Mid-tier gaming |
| Bravo | AMD gaming |
| Alpha | Entry gaming |
| Prestige | Ultrabook |

**Excludes:** Desktop boards (MEG, MAG, MPG) that report "Micro-Star International" as vendor but have board names in `product_name` only, not `product_family`.

## Verification Checklist

Hardware-verified on GT77HX 13VI (the only MSI model available; 2026-09-16):

- [x] `omarchy-hw-msi` returns 0 on MSI Titan (GT77HX 13VI)
- [x] `omarchy-hw-msi-titan` returns 0 on GT77HX
- [x] `r8125-dkms` installed, `r8169` blacklisted, `r8125` in `modules-load.d`
- [x] `coolercontrold` running, `thermald` disabled
- [x] `omarchy-msi-cooler-boost-watch` service starts after `multi-user.target` (active + enabled)
- [x] Watcher flips Cooler Boost ON only after >=85C sustained >30s, OFF at <=70C (verified live: 31s sustained, fans ~2.1k -> ~4.9k RPM)
- [x] All tests pass: `bash test/shell.d/hw-msi-test.sh && bash test/shell.d/msi-cooler-boost-test.sh` (45 + 27 assertions)

Covered by stubbed unit tests only — not verifiable on the available hardware (no other MSI/non-MSI machines):

- `omarchy-hw-msi` returns 1 on non-MSI laptops — stubbed DMI tests: ASUS, Dell, Lenovo, HP, Acer, Framework rejected; MSI desktops (MEG/MAG) rejected
- `omarchy-hw-msi-titan` returns 1 on Stealth/Raider — stubbed DMI tests
- `install/hardware/msi.sh` triggers only when `omarchy-hw-msi` passes — code read + stub tests
- Watcher exits cleanly on non-Titan MSI hardware — stubbed DMI test (ASUS); verified it does not touch the EC
- `r8125` behavior on other MSI models — same driver path as this machine, not re-verified on other hardware

## Scope Exclusions

- **RGB** — Cherry MX keyboards on GT77HX are not supported by `msi-perkeyrgb`. The tool exits 0 with no effect. RGB must be a separate issue with explicit model support.
- **Other MSI laptops** get driver packaging; only GT77HX gets the Cooler Boost watcher (specific EC layout).
- **GRUB** — Omarchy uses Limine. No GRUB work in this issue.

## Related

- PR #12003 (implementation)
- PR #11259 (sysfs PCI detection pattern)