Sony Brightness not working

[MRCRUSHER]

Solution: a workaround that could solve the problem which is http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...6&postcount=54

I used to have brightness control working on Ubuntu 10.04 but after upgrade to 12.04, my brightness control does not work. When I press Fn+F5 and Fn+F6 the brightness bar changes but the actual brightness does not change at all.

Here is the output from several commands:
$ cat /proc/cmdline

BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-29-generic root=UUID=36f3940a-e8b4-4fe2-884c-9101d21781f4 ro quiet splash nomodeset video=uvesafb:mode_option=1024x768-8,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap vt.handoff=7

$ sudo lspci -vnn | grep -A12 VGA

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation G72M [GeForce Go 7400] [10de:01d8] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
    Subsystem: Sony Corporation Device [104d:820f]
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
    Memory at d1000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
    Memory at b0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
    Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
    Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
    Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 2
    Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
    Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
    Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
    Capabilities: [128] Power Budgeting <?>
    Kernel driver in use: nvidia

$ ls /sys/class/backlight

sony

$ lsmod

Module                  Size  Used by
dm_crypt               22528  0 
rfcomm                 38139  12 
bnep                   17830  2 
parport_pc             32114  0 
ppdev                  12849  0 
binfmt_misc            17292  1 
nvidia              10962290  33 
joydev                 17393  0 
snd_hda_codec_realtek   174222  1 
snd_hda_intel          32765  3 
snd_hda_codec         109562  2 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
pcmcia                 39791  0 
snd_hwdep              13276  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm                80845  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_seq_midi           13132  0 
snd_rawmidi            25424  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event     14475  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                51567  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer              28931  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device         14172  3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd                    62064  15 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
arc4                   12473  2 
yenta_socket           27428  0 
pcmcia_rsrc            18367  1 yenta_socket
iwl3945                73111  0 
iwl_legacy             71134  1 iwl3945
mac80211              436455  2 iwl3945,iwl_legacy
tifm_7xx1              12937  0 
pcmcia_core            21511  3 pcmcia,yenta_socket,pcmcia_rsrc
btusb                  17912  2 
soundcore              14635  1 snd
tifm_core              15040  1 tifm_7xx1
psmouse                87213  0 
serio_raw              13027  0 
snd_page_alloc         14115  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
sony_laptop            39681  0 
cfg80211              178679  3 iwl3945,iwl_legacy,mac80211
bluetooth             158438  23 rfcomm,bnep,btusb
mac_hid                13077  0 
sonypi                 19573  0 
lp                     17455  0 
parport                40930  3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
uvesafb                28403  1 
firewire_ohci          40180  0 
firewire_core          56906  1 firewire_ohci
crc_itu_t              12627  1 firewire_core
sky2                   49545  0 
video                  19068  0 
usb_storage            39646  0

$ sudo dmidecode -s system-manufacturer

Sony Corporation

$ sudo dmidecode -s system-product-name

VGN-C23S_L

content of /etc/default/grub

# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.

GRUB_DEFAULT=6
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=3
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset video=uvesafb:mode_option=1024x768-8,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
#GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

[coffeecat]

Welcome to the forum.

I see that you have a nvidia GPU and you are using the proprietary nvidia driver. One of the fixes in this post should help:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...96&postcount=7

The first fix - the line in /etc/X11/xorg.conf - works for me in my Sony Vaio, albeit a different model from yours.

[MRCRUSHER]

Dear coffeecat,

Thank you for your suggestion. I have already tried to put the

Option "RegistryDwords" "EnableBrightnessControl=1"

in /etc/X11/xorg.conf and restart but it does not work.

I just tried to put

acpi_backlight=vendor

in /etc/default/grub, run
$ sudo update-grub
restart and run
$ cat /proc/cmdline
and get

BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-29-generic root=UUID=36f3940a-e8b4-4fe2-884c-9101d21781f4 ro acpi_backlight=vendor quiet splash nomodeset video=uvesafb:mode_option=1024x768-8,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap acpi_backlight=vendor vt.handoff=7

and still it does not work yet.
I will try
- acpi_osi=Linux
- acpi_osi=
- acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor

[MRCRUSHER]

Update:
I tried all three of following:
- acpi_osi=Linux
- acpi_osi=
- acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor
in /etc/default/grub as

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset video=uvesafb:mode_option=1024x768-8,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap acpi_osi=Linux"

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset  video=uvesafb:mode_option=1024x768-8,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap acpi_osi="

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset  video=uvesafb:mode_option=1024x768-8,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap acpi_osi=Linux  acpi_backlight=vendor"

and none of them is working.

[MRCRUSHER]

I still need help on this. Thank you.

[Marric]

maybe this thread will help you
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2042459

[MRCRUSHER]

I read and tried but it still not working. When I call the command

sudo setpci -s "00:02.0" F4.B=35

I get

setpci: Warning: No devices selected for "F4.B=35"

So I guess that I should change "00:02.0" to "01:00.0" because my graphic card is

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation G72M [GeForce Go 7400] [10de:01d8] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])

But it still does not work.

[Marric]

what is the output of

lspci

[MRCRUSHER]

Here is the output of lspci:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express PCI Express Root Port (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7-M Family) SATA Controller [IDE mode] (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family SMBus Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G72M [GeForce Go 7400] (rev a1)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88E8036 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller (rev 16)
06:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)
0a:03.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCIxx12 Cardbus Controller
0a:03.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments PCIxx12 OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
0a:03.2 Mass storage controller: Texas Instruments 5-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO/xD)

[Marric]

your integrated graphics controller does not show up. It's probably disabled in the bios. Try to activate it there (both cards).
Please output

lsmod | grep i915