Monitor Background Light Always On

[tps]

Dear All

I use an old IBM Labtop, p600, as my home server.

After I updated the kernel the minitor background light is always on.

What does it take for the monitor background light to go off - kernel parameter or bios or what?

I am on kernel 2.6.30-gentoo-r8

Here is part of my kernel config:

#
# Power management and ACPI options
#
CONFIG_PM=y
# CONFIG_PM_DEBUG is not set
# CONFIG_SUSPEND is not set
# CONFIG_HIBERNATION is not set
CONFIG_ACPI=y
# CONFIG_ACPI_PROCFS is not set
CONFIG_ACPI_PROCFS_POWER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_SYSFS_POWER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_PROC_EVENT=y
CONFIG_ACPI_AC=y
CONFIG_ACPI_BATTERY=y
# CONFIG_ACPI_BUTTON is not set
CONFIG_ACPI_VIDEO=y
CONFIG_ACPI_FAN=y
CONFIG_ACPI_DOCK=y
CONFIG_ACPI_PROCESSOR=y
CONFIG_ACPI_THERMAL=y
# CONFIG_ACPI_CUSTOM_DSDT is not set
CONFIG_ACPI_BLACKLIST_YEAR=0
# CONFIG_ACPI_DEBUG is not set
# CONFIG_ACPI_PCI_SLOT is not set
CONFIG_X86_PM_TIMER=y
# CONFIG_ACPI_CONTAINER is not set
# CONFIG_ACPI_SBS is not set

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Thomas S

[Randy Andy]

Hi tps,

long time unanswering this post, as i noticed now.
Is it solved in the meantime?

If not, try this:

Rebuild your kernel with one of the general settings like this: console blanking = yes (as far as i remember, can't look into kernel config optione right now.
But i'm sure that not only the acpi /apm options are responsible for it - so look out for more general options nerby the general or char_devices section.

Andy.
_________________
If you want to see a Distro done right, compile it yourself!

[joe_piskor]

try installing sys-apps/vbetool; I run a 1-line script I call "off":
sudo /usr/sbin/vbetool dpms off

or, conversely, a script called "on":
sudo /usr/sbin/vbetool dpms on

Works for me...
_________________
Pure Gentoo Goodness
ASUS P5WD2 - 3.6GHz Pentium D (O/C) - 4Gb RAM
XFX nVIDIA 8600GTS 256Mb; Technisat SkyStar2 DVB
AverMedia AverTV
-----------------------------------------------------------
Acer 6930G Laptop

[tps]

Hi Randy and joe_piskor

Thanks a lot!

I tried “vbetool dpms off” and it works fine. Only problem is how do I get the screen back on when using the server console? The screen seems dead. As I see it I have to use an ssh from another host and do “vbetool dpms on” to reactivate the screen on the server console.

console blanking = yes. I can’t find that option when I do “make menuconfig” I can’t find any APM options at all. All power options seem to be ACPI options. If this option could turn of the screen automatically it seems to be the best solution.

Thanks

Thomas S

[Randy Andy]

Hi tps,

i've checked my working kernel config settings on my Laptop and will post it below.

I'm not fully sure which one of these settings are the resonsible one for activating the tty screensaver, but til i use these settings it works for me.
I guess you can use it withour the risk to come to a non working graphics config, cause i leave out the settings for your dri and graphic card you should leave as it is on your config. The rest you can switch to my settings and try if it works...
parts of my kernel config, only from the Device drivers section as listed below:

[joe_piskor]

Hi again, tps -

You're right about the inconvenience - I also do the ssh trick to activate the screen on the subject machine, although I also just log in at the dark console reliably as it's not running X; I run a vnc server on it and *very* seldom need to get on the console itself, so this solution works well for me.

I spent quite a while trying to make this all happen via the kernel, but although I could get the screen to blank, I never succeeded in getting to to fully turn off. (It's a Dell D600 laptop w/ an ATI graphics chipset.

Good luck,
Joe
_________________
Pure Gentoo Goodness
ASUS P5WD2 - 3.6GHz Pentium D (O/C) - 4Gb RAM
XFX nVIDIA 8600GTS 256Mb; Technisat SkyStar2 DVB
AverMedia AverTV
-----------------------------------------------------------
Acer 6930G Laptop