[HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

ealexp · 2011-04-25 09:13:34

Hello,

Some days ago, I updated my system to kernel 2.6.38.2-1 and I couldn't set the brightness of my laptop's screen anymore : when I press fn + brightness up, the progress bar appears and moves, but the brightness doesn't change. My desktop environement is KDE, but I also have tried to set the brightness with Gnome.
I have tried to downgrade to 2.6.37.6 and the brightness worked as usual. Yesterday, I tried to upgrade to kernel 2.6.38.3-1 to see if the bug was fixed. It wasn't.
I have also tried to put acpi_osi="Linux" and acpi_backlight="vendor" in the boot line, but it didn't change anything.
The brightness works normally with the Windows Vista installed on the laptop.

My laptop is an HP ProBook 4515s.
My graphic card is an ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics :

lspci wrote:

01:05.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: ATI Technologies Inc RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics] [1002:9612]

I use the xf86-video-ati driver and its version is 6.14.1-1.
My version of xorg-server is 1.10.1-1.

What can I do? Is this a known bug?

Thanks in advance,
ealexp

P.S. : I'm not a native speaker, so please forgive my bad English. Feel free to point me any error I may have done.

ealexp · 2011-05-08 16:28:00

Has anyone got an idea? I have tried with kernel 2.6.38.5, and with acpi_backlight=video, acpi_backlight=legacy and acpi_backlight=vendor but it still doesn't work.
When acpi_backlight=vendor, the Fn + backlight up and down button just don't work, and with the two others options, they work, but the backlight doesn't change.

pacifico · 2011-05-13 01:39:56

Running 2.6.38.ARCH (installed from las week snapshot iso) on Acer 4520 backligh keys work well.

Still the screen dims on boot but this is an old issue.

Regards

ealexp · 2011-05-17 18:39:59

Hello,

Backlight keys don't work for me. I have tried with 2.6.38.6 too.
What can I do?

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by ealexp (2011-05-17 18:41:13)

edacval · 2011-05-17 20:45:28

Try acpi_osi=""

Regards

ealexp · 2011-05-18 18:01:53

Hello,

I have tried acpi_osi="" and it doesn't works.
What can I do? Do you need more information?

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by ealexp (2011-05-18 18:02:11)

ewaller · 2011-05-18 19:29:42

Take a look in /sys/class and see if you've a backlight directory.
If so, look at the subdirectories for something like this:

ewaller@odin:~[1] 1004 %ls /sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0/
actual_brightness  brightness  max_brightness  subsystem
bl_power           device      power           uevent
ewaller@odin:~ 1005 %

If it exists, look at the contents of actual_brightness.

ewaller@odin:/sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0 1031 %cat actual_brightness
0
ewaller@odin:/sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0 1032 %

I should note that my system is 60km away from me with the lid closed, so the back light is off
If you are still with me, try something like

ewaller@odin:/sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0 1039 %sudo bash -c "echo 3 > brightness"
ewaller@odin:/sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0 1040 %cat brightness
3

If those files don't exist, we need a plan B.

ealexp · 2011-05-19 18:45:19

Hello,

Those files exist, but when I do " sudo bash -c "echo number > brightness" ", either nothing happens (brightness doesn't change), or it prints me an error (when number is higher than 21) :

bash: ligne 0 : echo: erreur d'écriture : Argument invalide

ealexp

Last edited by ealexp (2011-05-19 18:50:21)

ewaller · 2011-05-20 15:59:51

Ouch.

The kernel thinks it is controlling the backlight. The API is exposed and seems to work. Unfortunately, nothing happens on the back end

I took a look around kernel.org, and did not see anything relating to this. If you want a project and are up to the task, try building a vanilla kernel and see if the problem is present. If so, you might try posting a bug report upstream. If the vanilla kernel works, file a bug report in the Arch Bug system. If you are not up building a kernel, you still might help by filling a bug in the Arch Linux system -- but you may be told to report it upstream.

ealexp · 2011-05-22 07:33:30

Hello,

I have seen that a new kernel version (2.6.39) has been released. I will wait until it is available in [extra] and try it. If it doesn't work, I will try to compile a vanilla kernel, like you said.

Thank you for your help

ealexp · 2011-06-11 19:40:53

Hello,

I have installed the 2.6.39.1 version of the kernel, but nothing changed. Do you think I should compile a vanilla version?

alculquicondor · 2011-06-12 22:00:58

Hi, guys:
I have an HP 6735-s with an ATI RADEON HD 3200 Graphics and i have the same problem, too. However, my /sys/class/backlight folder is empty.
I have also tried installing Catalyst driver, but it didn't work and i got a lot of rendering problems, so i'm actually using xf86-video-ati driver with the 2.6.39-ARCH version of the kernel.
xbacklight gives me this output:

No outputs have backlight property

My eyes are suffering a lot

alculquicondor · 2011-06-12 22:54:20

Why the backlight works in other distros (i have also installed OpenSuse and Ubuntu). Is there any way to use its drivers? Why Arch doesn't use them? I think they are also free software.

ealexp · 2011-07-09 14:32:17

Hello,

I have tried to compile a vanilla kernel (I used make localmodconfig to compile it) but the result is the same : I can't change the brightness. What can I do? Should a fill a bug report at bugzilla.kernel.org?

Thanks

ealexp · 2011-07-12 18:11:56

Hello,

I have updated my kernel to 2.6.39.3 and it still doesn't work. What can I do?

PM2D · 2011-09-19 15:42:29

Try
# setkeycodes e003 171 e012 224 e017 225
It works for me. Added it in auto load. It also enables the xf86Mail (xf86Tools?) button what is near power button.
Sorry for my english

Arch Linux

#1 2011-04-25 09:13:34

[HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#2 2011-05-08 16:28:00

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#3 2011-05-13 01:39:56

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#4 2011-05-17 18:39:59

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#5 2011-05-17 20:45:28

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#6 2011-05-18 18:01:53

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#7 2011-05-18 19:29:42

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#8 2011-05-19 18:45:19

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#9 2011-05-20 15:59:51

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#10 2011-05-22 07:33:30

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#11 2011-06-11 19:40:53

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#12 2011-06-12 22:00:58

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#13 2011-06-12 22:54:20

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#14 2011-07-09 14:32:17

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#15 2011-07-12 18:11:56

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

#16 2011-09-19 15:42:29

Re: [HP 4515s] Impossible to set brightness with Kernel 2.6.38.3-1

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