Turn off screen -- no X

oog · n00b Joined: 18 Oct 2003 Posts: 22

I have a machine that I only use via SSH and I don't have X running on it. Everything I do with it is in a terminal window. It's an HP Omnibook 6000 laptop, and I was wondering how I turn off the screen on the laptop since I never use it. I've seen instructions for how to do it if it were running X, but I'd rather not install it.

nix_newb · n00b Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 72

I don't know of a quick way or command (except maybe closing the lid which causes my laptop to shut off the display) but you can turn on the option in your kernel to "Enable console blanking using APM" it's under Power Management Options -> APM (..) BIOS Suport -> Enable Console blanking... or just CONFIG_APM_DISPLAY_BLANK=y in your .config (2.6.x, but I'm sure it's in 2.4 as well)

mhodak · Veteran Joined: 15 Nov 2003 Posts: 1218

I am also interested in knowing how this can be done. I always had console balanking enabled in kernel, but it only blanks the screen, it does not turn off the monitor.

nix_newb · n00b Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 72

mhodak: If you're running X, then it will only blank unless you make changes to your xorg.conf file, or you can ctrl+alt+f1 to a vt and it'll turn off the backlight after a while instead of just blanking.

oog · n00b Joined: 18 Oct 2003 Posts: 22

I do have console blanking enabled in the kernel, but what I see is the screen turn black, but the backlight still is on. Closing the screen doesn't seem to do anything.

geminye · n00b Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 5

I currently work on a laptop and am interested in extending its battery life by turning off the display (typing blindly). I was wondering (before I install gentoo again) if the xset or radeontools can be used in console without installing X.

This post is pretty old...has anybody come up with anything in the past year?

TIA