Can't adjust brightness on my laptop running Ubuntu 12.10

[SubjectSigma]

Hello, recently I installed ubuntu 12.10 on my laptop (Sony Vaio E series vpceg1bfx) and everything seems to work fine except that I can't change the brightness without the use of terminal commands and even then I have to do it every time i boot, which is often. The Fn + F5/F6 seem to work but the slider only moves one setting away from the max and doesn't affect the actual screen brightness anyway. I'm still very new to this so maybe I'm missing something. Thanks in advance.

[Toz]

Hello and welcome to the forums.

Is this the model that has only the intel graphics?

And have you tried any kernel parameters? If not, I would suggest the following:

acpi_backlight=vendor

...have a look at the "Kernel Boot Parameters" link in my signature for information on how to test kernel parameters.

If that parameter doesn't work, you might want to try these:

acpi_osi=Linux

acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor

acpi_osi=

[SubjectSigma]

Yes it is the model with Intel 3000 graphics. I tried all of those kernel parameters and all of them (aside from the first one) fixed the brightness meter however while the value on the meter changes the actual brightness still does not.

[Toz]

Can you try the acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor kernel parameters again, and this time post back the results of the following commands while these parameters are in use:

1. Show the current kernel boot line:

cat /proc/cmdline

2. Show the backlight interfaces and values:

for i in /sys/class/backlight/*; do echo $i; cat $i/brightness; cat $i/max_brightness; done

3. Show loaded modules:

lsmod

4. Your dmesg log file:

pastebinit /var/log/dmesg

...and post back the link that is generated.

[SubjectSigma]

These are the results after entering those commands:


1) BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-34-generic root=UUID=bb104b0d-815b-4001-bfae-970b0c2086da ro reboot=acpi quiet splash acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor vt.handoff=7

2) /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight
4882
4882
/sys/class/backlight/sony
6
7


3) Module Size Used by
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 32049 1
snd_hda_codec_conexant 61898 1
parport_pc 32689 0
rfcomm 46620 0
ppdev 17074 0
bnep 18141 2
bluetooth 209249 10 rfcomm,bnep
coretemp 13401 0
kvm 414111 0
ghash_clmulni_intel 13221 0
cryptd 20404 1 ghash_clmulni_intel
joydev 17458 0
acer_wmi 32454 0
sparse_keymap 13891 1 acer_wmi
microcode 22804 0
snd_hda_intel 33492 3
snd_hda_codec 134213 3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_ intel
snd_hwdep 17699 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 96668 3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_seq_midi 13325 0
snd_rawmidi 30513 1 snd_seq_midi
psmouse 100389 0
serio_raw 13216 0
snd_seq_midi_event 14900 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 61555 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
arc4 12530 2
snd_timer 29426 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 14498 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
uvcvideo 76750 0
videobuf2_core 32852 1 uvcvideo
videodev 120310 2 uvcvideo,videobuf2_core
videobuf2_vmalloc 12861 1 uvcvideo
videobuf2_memops 13405 1 videobuf2_vmalloc
sony_laptop 54040 0
wmi 19071 1 acer_wmi
ath9k 131317 0
mei 40691 0
i915 520799 3
mac80211 535936 1 ath9k
drm_kms_helper 49113 1 i915
ath9k_common 14056 1 ath9k
ath9k_hw 395357 2 ath9k,ath9k_common
ath 23828 3 ath9k,ath9k_common,ath9k_hw
snd 78921 16 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_ intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi, snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
rtsx_pci_ms 13012 0
mac_hid 13206 0
memstick 16555 1 rtsx_pci_ms
cfg80211 206797 3 ath9k,mac80211,ath
lpc_ich 17062 0
soundcore 15048 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 18485 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
drm 288436 4 i915,drm_kms_helper
lp 17760 0
parport 46346 3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
i2c_algo_bit 13414 1 i915
video 19391 2 acer_wmi,i915
hid_logitech_dj 18605 0
usbhid 46987 1 hid_logitech_dj
hid 100411 2 hid_logitech_dj,usbhid
rtsx_pci_sdmmc 17476 0
ahci 25721 2
libahci 31192 1 ahci
atl1c 41102 0
rtsx_pci 33452 2 rtsx_pci_ms,rtsx_pci_sdmmc


4) The program 'pastebinit' can be found in the following packages:
* pastebinit
* pastebinit
Try: sudo apt-get install <selected package>

[SubjectSigma]

Here's a screenshot of the module list:

http://imgur.com/lHxzpgj
http://imgur.com/HBeapQh

[Toz]

You have 2 backlight interfaces: intel_backlight and sony. This is the problem.

First, lets see which one is the active one. Run the following commands and tell me which ones make a change to the brightness:

echo 2441 | sudo tee /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
echo 3882 | sudo tee /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
echo 4882 | sudo tee /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness

echo 3 | sudo tee /sys/class/backlight/sony/brightness
echo 5 | sudo tee /sys/class/backlight/sony/brightness
echo 7 | sudo tee /sys/class/backlight/sony/brightness

If you have a look at this thread, I helped someone else with a Sony E series and we had to create a workaround to get the brightness to work. I think we may have to do the same for your computer.

We might as well get the key codes for your brightness keys now. Open a terminal window and type in the following command:

acpi_listen

...then press the brightness up key combination followed by thee brightness down key combination. Post back the codes that are displayed in the terminal window.

[SubjectSigma]

The first set of codes changed the brightness, but not the second.

Here's the list that came up from the acpi_listen:

frankie@SubjectSigma:~$ acpi_listen
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000011
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 0000003b
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000011
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 0000003b
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000011
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 0000003b
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000010
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 0000003b
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000010
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 0000003b
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000010
sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 0000003b

[Toz]

Okay. If you want to fix this problem properly, it is best to file a bug report with launchpad against the linux package.

Here is a workaround that should get the function keys and brightness working on your laptop again:

1. Create the brightness up hook:
   

   gksu gedit /etc/acpi/events/sony-brightness-up

   ...and copy/paste this code:
   

   event=sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000011
   action=/etc/acpi/brightup.sh

   ...and save the file.
   .
2. Create the brightness down hook:
   

   gksu gedit /etc/acpi/events/sony-brightness-down

   ...and copy/paste this code:
   

   event=sony/hotkey SNC 00000001 00000010
   action=/etc/acpi/brightdown.sh

   ...and save the file.
   .
3. Create the script to increase brightness:
   

   gksu gedit /etc/acpi/brightup.sh

   ...and copy/paste this code:
   

   #!/bin/bash
   
   curr=`cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/actual_brightness`
   if [ $curr -lt 4272 ]; then
   curr=$((curr+610));
   echo $curr  > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness;
   fi

   ...and save the file.
4. Create the script to decrease brightness:
   

   gksu gedit /etc/acpi/brightdown.sh

   ...and copy/paste the following code:
   

   #!/bin/bash
   
   curr=`cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/actual_brightness`
   if [ $curr -gt 610 ]; then
   curr=$((curr-610));
   echo $curr  > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness;
   fi

   ...and save the file.
5. Make the scripts executable:
   

   sudo chmod +x /etc/acpi/events/sony-brightness-up
   sudo chmod +x /etc/acpi/events/sony-brightness-down
   sudo chmod +x /etc/acpi/brightup.sh
   sudo chmod +x /etc/acpi/brightdown.sh

6. Restart the acpid daemon:
   

   sudo service acpid restart

7. Give it a go.

[SubjectSigma]

Everything worked up until step 5, then it said "no such file or directory."




Edit: Just tried it again and it seemed to work but the brightness still does not change.