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#1 2013-05-13 04:32:08

scott_fakename
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Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

[SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Earlier today I upgraded my system (using the traditional 'sudo pacman -Syyu'). After a reboot, I noticed that xfce's power widget no longer had a battery picture by it. It believes my laptop to be plugged in at all times. I went to look at the settings, but it doesn't realize that there IS a battery.

I went into a terminal and typed 'acpi' and was met with:

(0) [scott@destruct-o-bot ~]% acpi
No support for device type: power_supply

but I do in fact have a battery... I have no idea where to look. Also, some of the power buttons work (i have my /etc/acpi/handler.sh set to handle a bunch of different buttons, like suspend), but others that used to no longer do.

I thought I should see if there was an update to fix it a few hours later there was an update for acpi. It did not however fix it.

Thanks
--Scott

Last edited by scott_fakename (2013-06-15 07:13:39)

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#2 2013-05-13 10:40:05

aexoxea
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From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
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Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

I have also encountered a similar issue since updating today; the KDE Battery Monitor widget shows an 'empty' battery symbol with a red 'x' over it, and also claims the 'AC Adapter' is 'Not Plugged In' (regardless of whether or not it actually is). The battery-related options in the powerdevil KCMs are also gone, with only the standard (i.e. desktop) power management options (which do appear to still work).

Additionally -- although this may be unrelated -- the keys for adjusting display brightness no longer function (worked fine prior to update), however display dimming and display switchoff on inactivity still happen without any trouble.

There were 23 packages in the upgrade today, including community/acpid, core/systemd and core/linux, the last of which was the upgrade (for me) from 3.8.11 to 3.9.2. mkinitcpio did complain about "Possibly missing firmware" for modules bfa and aic94xx, however these appear to be block device modules, rather than anything to do with power management.

I haven't had acpid.service explicitly active on my system since January (it's still installed as a dependency for other things), and until today that hadn't been a problem concerning the above.

The ACPI Modules entry on ArchWiki led me to check if I had the relevant vendor-specific modules loaded in my kernel (I have a Toshiba laptop); they weren't loaded, however adding them to modules-load.d and rebooting hasn't helped with the above issues. Running the "acpi -i" command mentioned there gives the same error as you, and the /sys/class/power_supply/ directory mentioned there shows as empty on my system.

JournalCtl from recent restarts also doesn't appear to contain any battery-related errors (though maybe I'm not looking at the right things).

I will post here if I come across anything else, but for the moment, like you, I'm not sure what the next move is...


EDIT: Checking with dmesg doesn't seem to reveal anything additional (though again, maybe I'm not looking at the right things). I do note a recent linux-acpi mailing list thread which may be relevant, but I am ill-equipped at the current time to validate whether or not my issue is actually related.

Last edited by aexoxea (2013-05-13 11:24:39)

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#3 2013-05-14 11:42:48

scott_fakename
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Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Yes that looks to be the exact same problem. I am also running a Toshiba.

Here is a shot in the dark... But I was wondering if its possible that you have the android development thing installed from aur? Specifically android-udev? I do and that was one of the things updated before this unpleasantness began.

Thanks,
Scott

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#4 2013-05-14 13:42:18

aexoxea
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From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
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Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

No, I'm afraid not; I don't have any android-related packages installed, have never had aur/android-udev installed, and (to my knowledge) have never attempted to connect an Android device to this computer.

Sorry neutral

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#5 2013-05-14 13:51:38

aexoxea
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From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
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Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

For your reference, I list below the 23 packages that were part of my upgrade (with the exact version paths), wherein this issue began affecting me after the upgrade was completed and the reboot performed. Are you able to advise from your logs etc. which ones are in common (if any) with your upgrade please?

(I did ponder downgrading, but that would have caused all sorts of other difficulties... such is life with a rolling release model! big_smile)

Last edited by aexoxea (2013-05-14 13:54:03)

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#6 2013-05-14 16:13:58

scott_fakename
Member
Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Looking through my pacman logs

Probably not this one but included just in case (since I didn't notice right away so I don't know exactly which time the update broke it):

[2013-05-11 12:17] gnutls (3.1.10-1 -> 3.1.11-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] claws-mail (3.9.0-1 -> 3.9.1-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] libvpx (1.1.0-1 -> 1.2.0-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] ffmpeg (1:1.2-2 -> 1:1.2.1-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] giflib (4.1.6-5 -> 4.2.1-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] libxml2 (2.8.0-1 -> 2.9.1-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] nss (3.14.3-2 -> 3.14.3-3) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] pixman (0.28.2-1 -> 0.30.0-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] python-distribute (0.6.36-1 -> 0.6.38-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] qt4 (4.8.4-17 -> 4.8.4-18) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] thunar-archive-plugin (0.3.0-2 -> 0.3.1-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] thunar-media-tags-plugin (0.2.0-2 -> 0.2.1-1) 
[2013-05-11 12:17] wine (1.5.29-3 -> 1.5.30-2) 
[2013-05-11 12:24] android-udev (1.8-2 -> 1.8-3) 

Then there's this one the next day:

[2013-05-12 13:08] ca-certificates-java (20121112+nmu2-1 -> 20121112+nmu2-2) 
[2013-05-12 13:08] gvfs (1.16.1-1 -> 1.16.1-2) 
[2013-05-12 13:08] libimobiledevice (1.1.4-2 -> 1.1.5-1) 
[2013-05-12 13:08] gvfs-afc (1.16.1-1 -> 1.16.1-2) 
[2013-05-12 13:08] gvfs-smb (1.16.1-1 -> 1.16.1-2) 
[2013-05-12 13:08] imagemagick (6.8.5.3-1 -> 6.8.5.6-1) 
[2013-05-12 13:08] iw (3.8-3 -> 3.10-1) 
[2013-05-12 13:08] libpcap (1.3.0-3 -> 1.4.0-1) 
[2013-05-12 13:08] libxfce4util (4.10.1-1 -> 4.10.1-2) 
[2013-05-12 13:10] linux (3.8.11-1 -> 3.9.2-1) 
[2013-05-12 13:10] lirc-utils (1:0.9.0-43 -> 1:0.9.0-45) 
[2013-05-12 13:10] lm_sensors (3.3.3-2 -> 3.3.3-3) 
[2013-05-12 13:10] lxdm (0.4.1-18 -> 0.4.1-21) 
[2013-05-12 13:10] rsync (3.0.9-5 -> 3.0.9-6) 
[2013-05-12 13:10] upower (0.9.20-1 -> 0.9.20-2) 
[2013-05-12 13:10] xfce4-power-manager (1.2.0-3 -> 1.2.0-4) 

That's when I noticed it, and thought, "before I post anything, i'll make sure nobody's pushed an update that fixed it right away":

[2013-05-12 23:14] acpid (2.0.18-2 -> 2.0.18-3) 
[2013-05-12 23:14] cpupower (3.9-1 -> 3.9-2) 
[2013-05-12 23:14] systemd (203-2 -> 204-1) 
[2013-05-12 23:14] lib32-systemd (203-1 -> 204-1) 
[2013-05-12 23:14] systemd-sysvcompat (203-2 -> 204-1)

So I'm pretty sure it's not acpi, cpupower, systemd, lib32-systemd, systemd-sysvcompat.

I have a feeling that it's the kernel, but I don't know.

--Scott

Last edited by scott_fakename (2013-05-14 16:18:01)

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#7 2013-05-15 09:56:00

aexoxea
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From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
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Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Hi Scott,

Thank you for that. The only commonalities seem to be extra/imagemagick and core/linux; I don't suspect imagemagick wink and so I agree with you.

(I also note we both updated extra/upower in the penultimate upgrade; so far, I haven't seen anything that suggests that is at issue, but I note it here for completeness. The upower CLI tool doesn't return anything when asked about batteries when the available documentation leads me to believe it should, but that may only be a symptom of the same cause...)

I've done some additional searches on mailing lists and bug trackers here, at kernel.org and on the internet more generally; the only thing I turned up, which may or may not be related, is Bug 1179010 No battery present reported a few days ago against Ubuntu 13.04.

I haven't as yet had a chance to look at that report in detail (will do so when I next get a chance to look at this issue), but unless that report shows something, I'm back at the "not sure what next" point...

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#8 2013-05-15 11:32:25

valr
Member
From: Belgium
Registered: 2012-01-08
Posts: 62

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Install linux-lts and try to boot with it. You'll see if there is any difference.
...or reinstall previous linux version from the cache, up to you.

Last edited by valr (2013-05-15 11:35:25)

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#9 2013-05-15 16:12:50

serviscope_minor
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Registered: 2013-05-15
Posts: 9

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Check to see if you have the battery acpi kernel module inserted. I've found on recent upgrades this is not done automatically.

find  /lib/modules/`uname -r` | grep  acpi  | grep battery

should tell you which module to modprobe. Try that and then check the results of the acpi command.

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#10 2013-05-20 03:33:33

Anatin
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From: Cascadia
Registered: 2013-05-09
Posts: 9

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Another bit of information: /sys/class/power_supply is empty or populated for me as follows:

newish Toshiba, 3.9.2-1-ARCH, x86_64 : empty
newish Toshiba, 3.8.10-1-ARCH, x86_64 : populated
older  Toshiba, 3.9.2-1-ARCH, i686 : populated

On the new machine with the 3.9.2 kernel, I modprobed battery, as well as ac and the invitingly-named toshiba_acpi modules, but /sys/class/power_supply remained empty.

On the two configurations where power_supply populates, both ac and battery are loaded when the system boots.  I tried loading ac and battery at boot time, but still no joy.

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#11 2013-05-21 06:01:28

scott_fakename
Member
Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Like Anatin, I tried the modprobing thing and didn't get any changes. Figured I'd wait till the next kernel update came out and see if it was fixed (since this seems like it's not just affecting arch) but no dice.

Also I tried using the linux-lts by installing it and the linux-lts headers via pacman and updating grub and all that, but it didn't boot at all past grub. That, however, is probably for a different forum thread.

hmmmmm...

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#12 2013-05-31 14:59:47

aexoxea
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From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
Website

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

valr wrote:

Install linux-lts and try to boot with it. You'll see if there is any difference.
...or reinstall previous linux version from the cache, up to you.

[#1273026]

I thought about that. However, the update to 3.9 has resolved several other issues for me, and is running noticeably more smoothly here; the ACPI issue, while inconvenient, is actually worth living with for right now as against downgrading (at least for me). Thank you for the suggestion though smile.

serviscope_minor wrote:

Check to see if you have the battery acpi kernel module inserted. I've found on recent upgrades this is not done automatically.

find  /lib/modules/`uname -r` | grep  acpi  | grep battery

should tell you which module to modprobe. Try that and then check the results of the acpi command.

[#1273180]

I gave that a try, and indeed the battery module was not loaded automatically. However, like Anatin, I had no joy either modprobe-ing it manually, nor when adding it through /etc/modules-load.d/ at boot time; the module is apparantly loaded successfully, but has as "Used by: 0" under lsmod, and all the other symptoms present as before.

Interestingly, even with those symptoms, when I have this computer plugged in at my desk, the KDE Battery Monitor widget recognises the UPS unit there as a battery (and, under Kernel 3.8, it thus showed me as having two batteries when at my desk), and this allows all the normal Power Management options within KDE as though it were a built-in battery. It being available doesn't change what is visible through /sys/class/power_supply etc., however.

Again, though, my thanks for the suggestion smile.

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#13 2013-05-31 15:00:18

aexoxea
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From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
Website

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

I have since updated to Kernel 3.9.3 and 3.9.4, and can confirm in both instances that the issue continues.

I have also had a look at some of the files attached to the LaunchPad Bug Report mentioned earlier; due to distribution differences it's difficult to tell if it's really the same issue or not (and especially since it lists Kernel 3.8.0, rather than the 3.9 series). However, if it is the same, this certainly supports the theory that it's more widespread, given that the unit quoted there (Acer Aspire 5553G) is a different manufacturer, different hardware profile (mine is mostly Intel/Nvidia devices; that unit mostly AMD/ATI), and of course, a different distribution.

Anyways, for now, I'll be crossing my fingers for Kernel 3.9.5 (and will of course post here if I become aware of anything else...).

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#14 2013-06-06 06:12:35

scott_fakename
Member
Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Still no news obviously, except that I have filed a bug report for it on arch if you guys want to vote for it or whatever. Otherwise just carry on.

Sorry don't mean to necrobump.

--Scott

Last edited by scott_fakename (2013-06-06 06:13:28)

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#15 2013-06-06 08:38:04

aexoxea
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From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
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Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

scott_fakename wrote:

Still no news obviously, except that I have filed a bug report for it on arch if you guys want to vote for it...

[#1283899]

Voted and watched. Much obliged smile.

For the information of others here, the bug reports involved are:

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#16 2013-06-10 04:48:07

aexoxea
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From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
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Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Just checking in to confirm the issue still occurs under Kernel 3.9.5-1-ARCH (not that this is particularly surprising).

If another affected computer is needed to help diagnose this bug, just let me know (I'm subscribed to this thread and the Flyspray report, and am also periodically checking progress at the Kernel Bugzilla).

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#17 2013-06-10 19:53:49

scott_fakename
Member
Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

At kernel.org, they weren't able to trace the problem with any diagnostics and so they asked me to do a git bisect. So I started on that.

But the problem is that I can't get any 3.8 kernel to boot properly. If I download, compile, and install the latest 3.8 kernel, it boots into zsh but not into a GUI (which it should) and the "early kms" (which just changes the resolution during boot) never kicks in, meaning that I'm left in a CLI environment with enormous letters. ACPI doesn't work, but neither do video, wireless, or anything else so that's not really fair.

I started doing a git bisect anyway, and none of the kernels I have compiled that way have booted at all (they always "soft freeze". CPU0 frozen for 23 seconds it says, or something like that).

Do you have any idea why I couldn't boot these kernels properly? I'm assuming it has something to do with some programs I have not being compatible with 3.8, stable, and the bisect is probably just downloading versions in the middle of updates or something, but I have no idea.

Anyway at this point I've hit a brick wall and don't know how to go any further. I was hoping someone else might be willing to give it a shot? Maybe I'm doing something wrong over here. Would you be willing to try doing a bisect on your end, see if you have any better luck?

Thanks
--Scott

Last edited by scott_fakename (2013-06-10 20:01:27)

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#18 2013-06-13 07:18:25

scott_fakename
Member
Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

So I got the kernels compiling. They work well enough. But none of the ones that I get from kernel.org have working ACPIs, not even ones whose versions predate the "bad" kernel.

This leads me to believe, since I've been basing the configurations on the current ("bad") kernel's configuration (found at /proc/config.gz), that it may be a config issue. So what I would like to try is looking at the previous working kernel and see if I can get it to show battery info, and then if so, look at it's config file.

The problem is that I deleted my copy of the good one (with pacman -Sccu). I no longer have it saved on my machine. So does anybody have, or know where to find, the pacman package containing the previous working kernel?

If someone would be willing to either point me in the direction of that package, OR boot up that kernel on a machine that's having this problem, see if it works, and if so send me their copy of /proc/config.gz, then those would be great.

Thanks

Last edited by scott_fakename (2013-06-13 07:20:50)

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#19 2013-06-13 14:24:11

scott_fakename
Member
Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

SOLVED (pretty much)! Now I'm just narrowing down which solution made it work.

Turns out it was something in the config. I changed three things from arch's configuration. Now my ACPI works. Within the day I'll be able to say which option is missing.

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#20 2013-06-14 12:31:09

aexoxea
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From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
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Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

scott_fakename wrote:

I was hoping someone else might be willing to give it [git-bisect] a shot? Maybe I'm doing something wrong over here. Would you be willing to try doing a bisect on your end, see if you have any better luck?

[#1286291]

I realise this has been superseded by subsequent events, but I wanted to note for the record -- having been off the forums for a few days -- that I was willing to help out with this (though it would take me a little time to get started with it since, among other things, I've never actually interacted with Git directly before).

scott_fakename wrote:

...So does anybody have, or know where to find, the pacman package containing the previous working kernel [3.8]?

If someone would be willing to either point me in the direction of that package, OR boot up that kernel on a machine that's having this problem, see if it works, and if so send me their copy of /proc/config.gz, then those would be great.

[#1287417]

I have retained a copy of this kernel package (core/linux 3.8.11-1-ARCH x86_64), so if this is still required, I'll see what I can do at my end (revolving mainly around how possible and practical it is to modify a compiled/packaged package to install under a different name). That said, this post proves just how much I have yet to learn about the Linux Kernel yikes.

scott_fakename wrote:

SOLVED (pretty much)! Now I'm just narrowing down which solution made it work.

Turns out it was something in the config. I changed three things from arch's configuration. Now my ACPI works. Within the day I'll be able to say which option is missing.

[#1287538]

Nice work! Look forward to seeing the culprit identified (and apologies for showing up again just as it gets figured out...).

Based upon your remarks above and at the Kernel Bugzilla, do you see this as being something that can be adjusted in the core/linux config, or as something that will necessitate custom compiles under 3.9? Also, I note that the -TEST kernel you posted the config for at the Kernel Bugzilla was 3.10.0-rc5; do you see 3.10x as being a prerequisite in any way?

Last edited by aexoxea (2013-06-14 12:32:13)

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#21 2013-06-14 16:19:48

scott_fakename
Member
Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

Since this is a config issue, the kernel bugzilla ended up getting closed. So when arch's 3.9.6 kernel comes out, I plan to compile the 3.9.6 one from kernel.org just making the small changes needed, then let them know what needed to be changed to fix it on flyspray. Then we'll see what happens from there.

In the mean time, though, you might want to try it out... if so, then you can download any kernel from kernel.org's front page (the one I'm running right now is 3.10-rc5 and that's the one the config file is for, if that's still up), unzip it, then extract this file https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8sOA5x … sp=sharing into the base of that directory as ".config", and run "make silentoldconfig" then just run make. (sorry if you already know how to do this, I'm including this in case you don't). Then you can install the kernel by following https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ke … raditional

Let me know if that works for you. In my case it does. I get my precious battery information back, as well as the fn keys.

Last edited by scott_fakename (2013-06-14 16:23:02)

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#22 2013-06-15 07:10:11

scott_fakename
Member
Registered: 2012-08-15
Posts: 92

Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

I upgraded to the arch version of linux using pacman WHILE running the custom compiled version that included the battery modules, and it seems to be working now.

I don't have any way to check whether that was from something that I did or whether it just ended up being fixed. Either way, solved for me.

Please let me know if I can help.

Last edited by scott_fakename (2013-06-15 07:12:54)

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#23 2013-06-15 10:25:16

aexoxea
Member
From: Australia
Registered: 2012-11-17
Posts: 70
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Re: [SOLVED] ACPI no longer detects battery after update

scott_fakename wrote:

I upgraded to the arch version of linux using pacman WHILE running the custom compiled version that included the battery modules, and it seems to be working now.

I don't have any way to check whether that was from something that I did or whether it just ended up being fixed. Either way, solved for me.

[#1288298]

I upgraded to core/linux 3.9.6-1-ARCH a short time ago and can confirm this has been fixed at my end without necessitating any further intervention:

  • The KDE Battery Monitor widget correctly represents the status of the internal Battery and the AC Adapter (and thus shows two batteries as present when at my desk, since I have a UPS there).

  • The powerdevil KCM now shows all of the battery-related options with just the internal Battery available.

  • Power-related events -- so far, plugging and un-plugging the AC Adapter -- are responded to once again within KDE.

  • The Fn keys used to control the brightness of the integrated display now work again.

  • "acpi -i" now correctly returns the battery status.

  • /sys/class/power_supply/ now contains two symlinks (instead of being empty), and "upower --enumerate" references two similarly-named devices.

Additionally, functionality was also returned for a Fn key to enable and disable the WLAN transciever in hardware, and for full access to the Bluetooth transceiver within the Linux environment. I also got a visceral "YES! big_smile" moment out of the deal, as I'm sure you did wink and, hopefully, will Anatin and anyone else impacted.

Some checking against the 3.9.6 ChangeLog suggests (to me, anyway; happy to be corrected!) that this is the result of fixing either Toshiba P870-303:regression: panic on boot (#58201) or Backlight control regression on System 76 laptop with Nvidia GPU (#58091); I strongly suspect the former, as in addition to the brand similarity, it relates to power management and the commentary confirms the issue was introduced with 3.9 (which matches the experience here), even though we (thankfully) didn't get panics on boot. Should this regress again, the above can be used as a starting point for any further investigation.

Finally, many thanks to you for your efforts and assistance with this matter, and enjoy your battery-recognising, function-key-operable ArchLinux environment I guess smile.

Last edited by aexoxea (2013-06-15 10:35:12)

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