Xfce brightness control problem

[oatis10]

Hi!
I have an old classmate minipc with xfce on debian buster. I cannot change screen brightness with power managment application and FN+F7/ FN+F8 hotkeys. The hotkeys are work, but nothing change when I use them. I installed xbacklight, but doesn't work. I changed grub settings but cannot work. I added to /etc/default/grub/grub.conf
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet fastboot acpi_backlight=vendor"
and I updated grub with sudo update-grub but nothing changed
Anyone can help me?

[Head_on_a_Stick]

If you have an Intel graphics card then see http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?p=715613#p715613

Also, did you not bother searching before posting? It's a bit irritating having to post the same advice twice within a few hours.

[oatis10]

Sorry, I didn't see that topic before.
I created 20-intel.conf file some days ago, but nothing changed. My vga is intel. In the /sys/class/backlight folder i have two link: cmpc_bl and intel_backlight.
If I use brightness slider in the energy management, the value in the intel_backlight/actual _brightness file is changing, but backlight don't lightnening or grow dark.

Additionally if I modify manually the value of cmpc_bl/brightness file, than brightness is works.
I used this:

Code: Select all

 echo 3 | sudo tee /sys/class/backlight/cmpc_bl/brightness

Any idea?

[Head_on_a_Stick]

I created 20-intel.conf file some days ago

Does it have the Option line I suggested in the other post?

Do you have the xserver-xorg-video-intel package installed and is it being used? If so then bind some keys to the xbacklight command to change the brightness (if the Option line in 20-intel.conf doesn't work).

[oatis10]

Hi!
The xserver-xorg-video-intel package is the newest version(2:2.99.917+git20180925-2).
My grub.conf file:

Code: Select all

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT=3
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet fastboot acpi_backlight=vendor"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

and 20-intel.conf file looks like:

Code: Select all

Section "Device"
   Identifier "Intel Graphics"
   Driver "intel"
   Option "intel_backlight"
EndSection

[Head_on_a_Stick]

Have you tried removing the acpi_backlight=vendor kernel parameter?

The xserver-xorg-video-intel package is the newest version(2:2.99.917+git20180925-2).

Yes but is it being used or is the modesetting driver loaded instead? Check the X.Org log.

Once the Intel DDX driver is being used then the xbacklight command should work for you.

[oatis10]

Have you tried removing the acpi_backlight=vendor kernel parameter?

When I installed system this parameter wasn't part of grub.conf. I wrote it there. The brightness control didn't work after clean install.

I will check xorg log file tomorrow. What should I search in log file exactly? Thanks.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

When I installed system this parameter wasn't part of grub.conf. I wrote it there. The brightness control didn't work after clean install.

Well it's still not working so remove it. Use this to check the applied kernel parameters in the running system:

Code: Select all

cat /proc/cmdline

I will check xorg log file tomorrow. What should I search in log file exactly?

Just make sure it doesn't have "[modesetting]" in it for the graphics bits. It shouldn't now you have the 20-intel.conf file in place.

And I should have asked earlier but:

I installed xbacklight, but doesn't work

Have you tried it again since creating /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf? What happens when you run the command? Please post the exact output.

[stevepusser]

If you don't feel like grepping a big log file, installing inxi and running "inxi -G" will show you if you're using modesetting or intel in a compact and short output.

If the machine is really really old, Debian defaults to using the "intel" driver anyway, but you haven't provided any real information about it.

Some XFCE users on MX Linux with the same sort of issue have successfully used a Python application called brightness-controller, though I sort of recall that Buster had removed some gnome2 python packages that it needed, and we had to forwardport them for MX.

[oatis10]

Hi, I made some searches.

Just make sure it doesn't have "[modesetting]" in it for the graphics bits. It shouldn't now you have the 20-intel.conf file in place.

I can't find [modesetting] parameter in xorg.0.log file

Have you tried it again since creating /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf? What happens when you run the command? Please post the exact output.

Yes I tried, but do nothing. I Use:
xbacklight -inc 10
The command runs without error but backlight doesn't change.

Code: Select all

ordogattila@mini-pc:~$ sudo xbacklight -inc 10
ordogattila@mini-pc:~$ xbacklight -inc 10
ordogattila@mini-pc:~$ xbacklight -inc 10

Well it's still not working so remove it. Use this to check the applied kernel parameters in the running system:

Ok, I removed acpi_backlight=vendor grub parameter.

Code: Select all

sudo cat /proc/xbacklight
cat: /proc/xbacklight: no such file or directory 

If you don't feel like grepping a big log file, installing inxi and running "inxi -G"

Code: Select all

Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Atom Processor D4xx/D5xx/N4xx/N5xx Integrated Graphics 
  driver: i915 v: kernel 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: intel resolution: 1024x600~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Pineview M x86/MMX/SSE2 
  v: 1.4 Mesa 18.3.6 

[Head_on_a_Stick]

Do you have any vendor modules that might be responsible for the /sys/class/backlight/cmpc_bl directory?

Code: Select all

lsmod | grep cmpc

If you find any try blacklisting them.

If that doesn't work there are some other kernel parameters you can try: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ba ... ne_options

[oatis10]

Hi!

lsmod | grep cmpc

I don't find nothing.

acpi_backlight=video
acpi_backlight=vendor
acpi_backlight=native

I added one by one to my grub.conf and updated grub but not works.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

So try the other kernel parameters and if they don't work then try a live version of Debian's GNOME desktop, that seems to work for me when nothing else will.

[oatis10]

From ArchWiki

Udev rule

If the ACPI interface is available, the backlight level can be set at boot using a udev rule:

/etc/udev/rules.d/81-backlight.rules

I haven't got 81-blaclight.rules file, but I have /etc/udev/rules.d/ folder. The rules.d folder is empty. It is normal?

live version of Debian's GNOME desktop

What kind of live version of Debian's GNOME desktop? How can I install it? Can you send link?

[Head_on_a_Stick]

The rules.d folder is empty. It is normal?

Yes, they are for user-created rules.

Can you send link?

https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unof ... so-hybrid/

[oatis10]

Hi!

https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unof ... so-hybrid/

I downloaded and run live debian, but backlight control doesn't work.

Some XFCE users on MX Linux with the same sort of issue have successfully used a Python application called brightness-controller

Finally I installed brightness-controller, it works. How can I autostart the program minimized ? Adding -silent or -StartMinimized to command doesn't work.
Thanks.

[oatis10]

Hi!
I run sudo update-initramfs -u command to other reason and I get some interesting warning message to the i915 driver and network.
I want to set up hibernate and suspend, because they don't work. When I start from hibernate, the system sarts and reset onself.

Code: Select all

 sudo update-initramfs -u
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.19.0-8-686-pae
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8107e-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8107e-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168h-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168h-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168g-3.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168g-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8106e-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8106e-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8411-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8411-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8402-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168f-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168f-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8105e-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168e-3.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168e-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168e-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168d-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168d-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/bxt_dmc_ver1_07.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/skl_dmc_ver1_27.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/kbl_dmc_ver1_04.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/cnl_dmc_ver1_07.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/glk_dmc_ver1_04.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/kbl_guc_ver9_39.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/bxt_guc_ver9_29.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/skl_guc_ver9_33.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/kbl_huc_ver02_00_1810.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/bxt_huc_ver01_07_1398.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/skl_huc_ver01_07_1398.bin for module i915

Maybe i915 driver still wrong.

[Dai_trying]

I think what you are wanting is the Debian Unofficial non-free images including firmware packages

[Head_on_a_Stick]

^ All the OP needs is the firmware-misc-nonfree package, they don't have to reinstall.

[Dai_trying]

Yes, but I thought the OP wanted to run a Live session

I downloaded and run live debian, but backlight control doesn't work.

and that would need to be re-installed after each boot (unless OP is using persistence of course) but after installation I agree that your solution would be easier.