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#1 2010-06-10 12:01:22

Ree
Member
Registered: 2010-05-19
Posts: 37

Laptop: permanently dimmed screen

I was setting up an Arch installation (no desktop environment yet) on my laptop today and in the process I went away for some time. When I returned I noticed the screen was turned off (that's completely normal when you leave your machine to idle). I pressed a button to turn the screen on and it did but it looked very dark (I could barely read the text on it). I rebooted but it didn't help. I reset the BIOS settings but that didn't help either. Cold booting doesn't help. Now my screen is permanently dimmed - even before the OS loads (say, in BIOS setup).

I suspect hardware failure (backlight/inverter). What's your opinion? Anything to try? I really doubt Arch broke my screen. smile

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#2 2010-06-10 16:02:45

Dheart
Member
From: Sofia, Bulgaria
Registered: 2006-10-26
Posts: 956

Re: Laptop: permanently dimmed screen

Do a

 cat /proc/acpi/video/VID/LCD/brightness

Try pressing FN + key for increasing brightness (has small sun on it usually)
What model is your laptop? Try installing some DE.


My victim you are meant to be
No, you cannot hide nor flee
You know what I'm looking for
Pleasure your torture, I will endure...

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#3 2010-06-10 16:07:15

Skripka
Member
From: 2X1280X1024
Registered: 2009-02-19
Posts: 555

Re: Laptop: permanently dimmed screen

I'd bet it is the inverter, given that it is b0rked prior to POST.

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#4 2010-06-11 07:26:49

Ree
Member
Registered: 2010-05-19
Posts: 37

Re: Laptop: permanently dimmed screen

OK, I spoke too soon. Fn+brightness controls work. I didn't even try them at first since I was sure they were not working outside of OS. I was wrong and all is fine now. However, that indicates the problem is Arch related (or some component it uses).

Last edited by Ree (2010-06-11 07:27:06)

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#5 2010-06-12 07:20:24

justinwood
Member
Registered: 2010-06-11
Posts: 4

Re: Laptop: permanently dimmed screen

i have dell laptop. I had tried fn+ to adjust the screen brightness, but i got no result. Please can some on help me to get out of these problem. Or i should go for the service center.

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#6 2010-11-04 06:18:20

crackhead
Member
Registered: 2010-02-04
Posts: 8

Re: Laptop: permanently dimmed screen

Hey everybody,

kind of an old thread but didn't want to open a new one and the title kinda fits the problem I am having.
I have a Gateway ID49C07u. Graphics card is Intel onboard.

$ lspci | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02) 

So, the brightness doesn't change, it is stuck at full brightness as far as I can see. I confirmed that my brightness keys are working on the lowest level I know, which is /proc/acpi/video/GFX0/DD02/brightness and /sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0/actual_brightness. The values in these files change when I press Fn+F11/F12 (my brightness keys), but the monitor brightness doesn't. The keys work in Grub and Windows. I use Openbox but that can hardly be the cause, since it doesn't work in the console either.
Is this a compatibility issue with the laptop? Or is there anything I am missing?
Any help would be appreciated!

crakkhead

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#7 2010-11-22 06:08:05

crackhead
Member
Registered: 2010-02-04
Posts: 8

Re: Laptop: permanently dimmed screen

*Bump*
Sry, but this problem is bugging me still (and killing my battery time) and I can't find a solution for it.
So, anyone got any ideas?
Thanks.

crakkhead

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