F11, F12 brightness keys are dead (serious)

Message

quenyan · #1 Post by **quenyan** » Sun 15 Dec 2019, 04:45

Laptop Dell Inspiron 14-3452
Default keyboard layout : US English
Tried Layout variant: US Intl, US Intl with dead keys, etc.
Key tested on: xev
Key worked in BIOS: YES
Puppy Version: Bionic Puppy Latest
Dead keys are: F11(Brightness down), F12(Brightness up)
Functioning key: Fn+F11(system read as F11), Fn+F12(system read as F12)
Chips: Intel
possibly hardware failure? Not, it is tested on another Linux distribution with Xev command, the output was just fine, while puppy doesnt give any output when they are pressed.

more on inxi output (when i was using Mint):

Code: Select all

System:
  Host: tentram-pc Kernel: 4.15.0-66-generic x86_64 bits: 64 
  Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 Distro: Linux Mint 19.2 Tina 
Machine:
  Type: Portable System: Dell product: Inspiron 14-3452 v: 4.0.7 
  serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: Dell model: 0KT6WF v: A02 serial: <filter> UEFI [Legacy]: Dell 
  v: 4.0.7 date: 04/26/2016 
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 41.4 Wh condition: 32.9/41.4 Wh (79%) 
CPU:
  Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Celeron N3050 bits: 64 type: MCP 
  L2 cache: 1024 KiB 
  Speed: 608 MHz min/max: 480/2160 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 481 2: 513 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Atom/Celeron/Pentium Processor x5-E8000/J3xxx/N3xxx 
  Integrated Graphics 
  driver: i915 v: kernel 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.19.6 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
  resolution: 1366x768~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell) 
  v: 4.5 Mesa 19.0.8 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Atom/Celeron/Pentium Processor x5-E8000/J3xxx/N3xxx Series 
  High Definition Audio 
  driver: snd_hda_intel 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.15.0-66-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9565 / AR9565 Wireless Network Adapter 
  driver: ath9k 
  IF: wlp1s0 state: up mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Atheros type: USB driver: btusb 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 480.43 GiB used: 37.74 GiB (7.9%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Seagate model: ST500LT012-1DG142 size: 465.76 GiB 
  ID-2: /dev/sdb type: USB vendor: SanDisk model: Cruzer Blade 
  size: 14.66 GiB 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 457.45 GiB used: 37.74 GiB (8.3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 50.0 C mobo: 47.0 C 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 0 
Repos:
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gezakovacs-ppa-bionic.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/gezakovacs/ppa/ubuntu bionic main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/home:stevenpusser.list 
  1: deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/stevenpusser/xUbuntu_19.04/ /
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
  1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com tina main upstream import backport
  2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ bionic partner
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/thierry-f-fork-michael-gruz-bionic.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/thierry-f/fork-michael-gruz/ubuntu bionic main
Info:
  Processes: 180 Uptime: 4h 17m Memory: 1.86 GiB used: 867.2 MiB (45.5%) 
  Shell: bash inxi: 3.0.32

quenyan · #2 Post by **quenyan** » Mon 16 Dec 2019, 09:07

UPDATE

TESTED ON:
-XenialPuppy
-TahrPup

Result: SAME RESULT

Tried to install Slackpup and some other new stuff like LXPup and DebPup, but the X couldn't start(cannot get into the desktop, stuck at console), so can't test wether F11 and F12 works or not.

ally · #3 Post by **ally** » Mon 16 Dec 2019, 14:44

my lenovo x230 did the same

try adding

Code: Select all

intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"

to the end of the menu.1st grub entry

works for me

quenyan · #4 Post by **quenyan** » Tue 17 Dec 2019, 01:05

ally wrote:my lenovo x230 did the same

try adding
Code: Select all
intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012" 
to the end of the menu.1st grub entry

works for me

sorry this is my first time editting grub. can you tell me how to do it? where to find the grub file, and which line I should add it to?

ally · #5 Post by **ally** » Tue 17 Dec 2019, 12:09

I used grub4dos, look for menu.1st on your boot partition

this is the first entry of mine:

Code: Select all

title Puppy xenialpup64 7.5 (sda2/xenial64_7.5)
  uuid 2a4a699a-747d-4d51-bb4c-12ceb62c1edd
  kernel /xenial64_7.5/vmlinuz   psubdir=xenial64_7.5 pmedia=atahd pfix=fsck intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"
  initrd /xenial64_7.5/initrd.gz

enter this

Code: Select all

intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"

to the end of the line that starts with kernel

save it and reboot

good luck

quenyan · #6 Post by **quenyan** » Tue 17 Dec 2019, 13:21

ally wrote:I used grub4dos, look for menu.1st on your boot partition

this is the first entry of mine:
Code: Select all
title Puppy xenialpup64 7.5 (sda2/xenial64_7.5)
  uuid 2a4a699a-747d-4d51-bb4c-12ceb62c1edd
  kernel /xenial64_7.5/vmlinuz   psubdir=xenial64_7.5 pmedia=atahd pfix=fsck intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"
  initrd /xenial64_7.5/initrd.gz
enter this
Code: Select all
intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"
to the end of the line that starts with kernel

save it and reboot

good luck

im using frugal install, how to find menu.lst in frugal?

quenyan · #7 Post by **quenyan** » Tue 17 Dec 2019, 13:33

I dont see menu.1st in boot/grub/

ally · #8 Post by **ally** » Tue 17 Dec 2019, 14:49

then add to your grub file, as I said, I use grub4dos

quenyan · #9 Post by **quenyan** » Tue 17 Dec 2019, 15:14

ally wrote:then add to your grub file, as I said, I use grub4dos

okay, ill try tomorrow

B.K. Johnson · #10 Post by **B.K. Johnson** » Tue 17 Dec 2019, 15:19

It is in the boot partition or /root
see screeny attached
A slight error- not the "advanced" it is the other.

bigpup · #11 Post by **bigpup** » Tue 17 Dec 2019, 16:37

im using frugal install, how to find menu.lst in frugal?

What boot loader did you install?

enrique · #12 Post by **enrique** » Tue 17 Dec 2019, 17:08

When you ask you need to provide as much info as you can. That will help the ones trying to help you.

What I understand is that you need to tell us how you boot puppy. Puppy can be boot from CD, USB Flash and Hard disk. Then you need to tell us what is your boot loader. For example; Isolinux, grub, grub2 or grub4dos

I you are install puppy just now chances are that you are using grub4dos. For grub4dos you need to find out what Disk/partition you use. Must likely "sda1". There you may find a file called menu.lst

For isolinux you add the info in isolinux.cfg or syslinux.cfg. Then you look for the line "append pmedia=" and add at the end you new kernel command. So let say it read "append pmedia=cd" Then this means yiou need to add append pmedia=cd acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"

If you use grub2 (lets say you have ubuntu) then you need to modify the file in Ubuntus's boot /boot/grub/grub.cfg

So lets say it in another way.

1) If you boot from a CD then you need to edit iso and modify isolinux.cfg then repack iso.
2)USB Flash booting from using isolinux. Then you need to edit USB isolinux.cfg or syslinux.cfg. But you may be booting from grb4dos. Then you will have in your usb a file called menu.lst
3) If you are booting from HDD. Then you need to figure out what is your boot loader and in what HHD/Partition.

Options
You can try to add what is been suggested : acpi_osi="!Windows 2012" another option is acpi_backlight=vendor

If you Puppy uses xrand then sipliest test to do is to open a terminal and try:
a) 1rts figure out what are your monitor name. xrandr --listmonitors

I have a Laptop with an external monitor in VGA port.

Code: Select all

xrandr --listmonitors
Monitors: 2
 0: +*LVDS-1 1600/382x900/214+0+0  LVDS-1
 1: +VGA-1 1920/598x1080/336+1600+0  VGA-1

Now I know my external monitor name is VGA-1 So to dime monitor I use Full Brightness xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness 1
3/4 Brightness xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness .75

Code: Select all

xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness 1
xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness .75

Be warn if you go dark all the way you will NOT see and would not be able to correct as your monitor will be BLACK. So do not do xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness 0 So go slowly down in test.

Listen just look at

Code: Select all

https://www.pcsuggest.com/adjust-linux-screen-brightness/

It is nicely explained.

quenyan · #13 Post by **quenyan** » Wed 18 Dec 2019, 00:37

bigpup wrote:
im using frugal install, how to find menu.lst in frugal?
What boot loader did you install?

the default grub that came with bionicpup, which is grub4dos i guess.

quenyan · #14 Post by **quenyan** » Wed 18 Dec 2019, 00:44

enrique wrote:When you ask you need to provide as much info as you can. That will help the ones trying to help you.

What I understand is that you need to tell us how you boot puppy. Puppy can be boot from CD, USB Flash and Hard disk. Then you need to tell us what is your boot loader. For example; Isolinux, grub, grub2 or grub4dos

I you are install puppy just now chances are that you are using grub4dos. For grub4dos you need to find out what Disk/partition you use. Must likely "sda1". There you may find a file called menu.lst

For isolinux you add the info in isolinux.cfg or syslinux.cfg. Then you look for the line "append pmedia=" and add at the end you new kernel command. So let say it read "append pmedia=cd" Then this means yiou need to add append pmedia=cd acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"

If you use grub2 (lets say you have ubuntu) then you need to modify the file in Ubuntus's boot /boot/grub/grub.cfg

So lets say it in another way.

1) If you boot from a CD then you need to edit iso and modify isolinux.cfg then repack iso.
2)USB Flash booting from using isolinux. Then you need to edit USB isolinux.cfg or syslinux.cfg. But you may be booting from grb4dos. Then you will have in your usb a file called menu.lst
3) If you are booting from HDD. Then you need to figure out what is your boot loader and in what HHD/Partition.

Options
You can try to add what is been suggested : acpi_osi="!Windows 2012" another option is acpi_backlight=vendor

If you Puppy uses xrand then sipliest test to do is to open a terminal and try:
a) 1rts figure out what are your monitor name. xrandr --listmonitors

I have a Laptop with an external monitor in VGA port.
Code: Select all
xrandr --listmonitors
Monitors: 2
 0: +*LVDS-1 1600/382x900/214+0+0  LVDS-1
 1: +VGA-1 1920/598x1080/336+1600+0  VGA-1
Now I know my external monitor name is VGA-1 So to dime monitor I use Full Brightness xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness 1
3/4 Brightness xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness .75
Code: Select all
xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness 1
xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness .75
Be warn if you go dark all the way you will NOT see and would not be able to correct as your monitor will be BLACK. So do not do xrandr --output VGA-1 --brightness 0 So go slowly down in test.

Listen just look at
Code: Select all
https://www.pcsuggest.com/adjust-linux-screen-brightness/
It is nicely explained.

okay bos, noted it. thanks for the explanations..

Terry H · #15 Post by **Terry H** » Wed 18 Dec 2019, 02:42

quenyan,

A simple way to alter the screen brightness on your Dell laptop from command line.

The settings for the screen brightness are stored in a directory:
/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight (This directory is actually a link, makes it easier to access the data.)

The backlight setting is stored as a positive integer between 1 and 937. ( See examples below.)

You can raise or lower the setting by issuing a command from the terminal:

Code: Select all

# echo 500 > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness

Important Note: If you use echo 0 (zero) it will turn the backlight off and you may not be able to turn it back on again.

Note 2: Negative numbers will return an error. Numbers above 937 will also return an error.

Examples:

Code: Select all

# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/max_brightness          < **** The cat command displays the contents of the file.  ****
937


# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/actual_brightness       < ****  The setting of my backlight prior to adjustment.  You don't change this value. ****
638

# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness                  < ****  This is the one you adjust  ****
638


# echo 500 > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness     <  ****  Issuing the command to reduce the backlight  ****


# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
500

# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/actual_brightness
500

quenyan · #16 Post by **quenyan** » Wed 18 Dec 2019, 03:19

It seems the one that DEAD is not the F11 F12 button, it's the Brightness Buttons that are DEAD.

By default Pup in my system read my F1~12 using the 'Fn' key.

Without Fn, the key pressed is determined as Option button like turning sound off. up, down, forward. backward, search, brightness, etc.

i tried acpi_osi="!Windows 2012" and acpi_backlight=vendor
both seems didn't work.

what I did was edit the menu.lst and reboot

Code: Select all

# menu.lst produced by grub4dosconfig-v1.9.3
color white/blue black/cyan white/black cyan/black
#splashimage=/splash.xpm
timeout 10
default 0

# Frugal installed Puppy

title Puppy bionicpup64 8.0 (sda1/bionicpup648.0frugal)
  find --set-root uuid () f6c414a7-714f-4b79-b8be-75dd6e710ed1
  kernel /bionicpup648.0frugal/vmlinuz  pdrv=f6c414a7-714f-4b79-b8be-75dd6e710ed1  psubdir=/bionicpup648.0frugal pmedia=atahd pfix=fsck [b]acpi_backlight=vendor[/b] and this separately [b]intel_pstate=disable acpi_osi="!Windows 2012"[/b]

  initrd /bionicpup648.0frugal/initrd.gz

# Windows
# this entry searches Windows on the HDD and boot it up
title Windows\nBoot up Windows if installed
  errorcheck off
  find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd  /bootmgr
  chainloader /bootmgr
  find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd  /ntldr
  chainloader /ntldr
  find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd   /io.sys
  chainloader /io.sys
  errorcheck on

# Advanced Menu
title Advanced menu
  configfile /menu-advanced.lst
  commandline

quenyan · #17 Post by **quenyan** » Wed 18 Dec 2019, 03:36

Terry H wrote:quenyan,

A simple way to alter the screen brightness on your Dell laptop from command line.

The settings for the screen brightness are stored in a directory:
/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight (This directory is actually a link, makes it easier to access the data.)

The backlight setting is stored as a positive integer between 1 and 937. ( See examples below.)

You can raise or lower the setting by issuing a command from the terminal:
Code: Select all
# echo 500 > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
Important Note: If you use echo 0 (zero) it will turn the backlight off and you may not be able to turn it back on again.

Note 2: Negative numbers will return an error. Numbers above 937 will also return an error.

Examples:
Code: Select all
# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/max_brightness          < **** The cat command displays the contents of the file.  ****
937


# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/actual_brightness       < ****  The setting of my backlight prior to adjustment.  You don't change this value. ****
638

# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness                  < ****  This is the one you adjust  ****
638


# echo 500 > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness     <  ****  Issuing the command to reduce the backlight  ****


# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
500

# cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/actual_brightness
500

im using xbacklight -inc - dec code, curretly im using ctrl+alt+up or down for the brightness key because the f11 and f12 brightness button doesnt work.

quenyan · #18 Post by **quenyan** » Wed 18 Dec 2019, 03:50

I suspect the one that didnt registered in puppy system is the X86MONBRIGHTNESS key which reside in the F11 and F12 button. the other F are just fine.

the xev didnt give any feedback when F11 and F12 is pressed, but when Fn+F11(F12) is pressed it gives feedback, and its functioning as regular F11 and F12 key, not the Functional toogle key.

Terry H · #19 Post by **Terry H** » Wed 18 Dec 2019, 04:01

quenyan wrote:I suspect the one that didnt registered in puppy system is the X86MONBRIGHTNESS key which reside in the F11 and F12 button. the other F are just fine.

The XF86monBrightnessUp and XF96MonBrightnessDown Fn Keys don't work, as they haven't been configured to work in most puppies.

Different Window Managers configure hot keys differently. If using JWM you can configure the Fn Keys using JWMDesk under Setup > JWM Hotkeys.

The XF86MonBrightness.... are near the bottom of the scroll list. You will need to add a a command, for them to use.

quenyan · #20 Post by **quenyan** » Wed 18 Dec 2019, 05:00

as we can see in the screenshot i made, the XEV did give some feedback for the Fn+F11 and Fn+F12 button which registered under keycode: 95 and 96. The F11 and F12 button alone do not have keycode assigned so whenever they're pressed, nothing happened.

(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

F11, F12 brightness keys are dead (serious)

F11, F12 brightness keys are dead (serious)