hi,
I am using a Toshiba satellite laptop. I installed Linux mint 9 64 bit on it. Linux mint is not detecting battery. i have installed a battery applet but its also saying no battery. In my power management program there is no option for battery mode. when i tried to get info regarding acpi i got the following output

dmesg | grep -i acpi
[ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 00000000776bf000 - 00000000777bf000 (ACPI NVS)
[ 0.000000] BIOS-e820: 00000000777bf000 - 00000000777ff000 (ACPI data)
[ 0.000000] modified: 00000000776bf000 - 00000000777bf000 (ACPI NVS)
[ 0.000000] modified: 00000000777bf000 - 00000000777ff000 (ACPI data)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: RSDP 00000000000fe020 00024 (v02 TOSQCI)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: XSDT 00000000777fe120 00074 (v01 TOSQCI TOSQCI00 00000001 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: FACP 00000000777fc000 000F4 (v04 TOSQCI TOSQCI00 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: DSDT 00000000777ec000 0C021 (v02 TOSQCI TOSQCI00 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: FACS 000000007776e000 00040
[ 0.000000] ACPI: ASF! 00000000777fd000 000A5 (v32 TOSQCI TOSQCI00 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: HPET 00000000777fb000 00038 (v01 TOSQCI TOSQCI00 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: APIC 00000000777fa000 0008C (v02 TOSQCI TOSQCI00 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: MCFG 00000000777f9000 0003C (v01 TOSQCI TOSQCI00 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: SLIC 00000000777eb000 00176 (v01 TOSQCI TOSQCI00 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: BOOT 00000000777e7000 00028 (v01 TOSQCI TOSQCI00 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: ASPT 00000000777e4000 00034 (v04 INTEL Calpella 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: WDAT 00000000777e3000 00224 (v01 INTEL Calpella 00000001 MSFT 01000013)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: SSDT 00000000777e2000 009F1 (v01 PmRef CpuPm 00003000 INTL 20051117)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: Local APIC address 0xfee00000
[ 0.000000] ACPI: PM-Timer IO Port: 0x408
[ 0.000000] ACPI: Local APIC address 0xfee00000
[ 0.000000] ACPI: LAPIC (acpi_id[0x01] lapic_id[0x00] enabled)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: LAPIC (acpi_id[0x02] lapic_id[0x01] enabled)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: LAPIC (acpi_id[0x03] lapic_id[0x04] enabled)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: LAPIC (acpi_id[0x04] lapic_id[0x05] enabled)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: LAPIC (acpi_id[0x05] lapic_id[0x00] disabled)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: LAPIC (acpi_id[0x06] lapic_id[0x00] disabled)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: LAPIC (acpi_id[0x07] lapic_id[0x00] disabled)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: LAPIC (acpi_id[0x08] lapic_id[0x00] disabled)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: IOAPIC (id[0x02] address[0xfec00000] gsi_base[0])
[ 0.000000] ACPI: INT_SRC_OVR (bus 0 bus_irq 0 global_irq 2 dfl dfl)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: INT_SRC_OVR (bus 0 bus_irq 9 global_irq 9 high level)
[ 0.000000] ACPI: IRQ0 used by override.
[ 0.000000] ACPI: IRQ2 used by override.
[ 0.000000] ACPI: IRQ9 used by override.
[ 0.000000] Using ACPI (MADT) for SMP configuration information
[ 0.000000] ACPI: HPET id: 0x8086a201 base: 0xfed00000
[ 0.003531] ACPI: Core revision 20090903
[ 0.814663] ACPI FADT declares the system doesn't support PCIe ASPM, so disable it
[ 0.814666] ACPI: bus type pci registered
[ 0.820695] ACPI: EC: Look up EC in DSDT
[ 0.822363] ACPI: Executed 1 blocks of module-level executable AML code
[ 0.827199] ACPI: BIOS _OSI(Linux) query ignored
[ 0.829100] ACPI: Interpreter enabled
[ 0.829105] ACPI: (supports S0 S3 S4 S5)
[ 0.829143] ACPI: Using IOAPIC for interrupt routing
[ 0.840010] ACPI: EC: GPE = 0x1e, I/O: command/status = 0x66, data = 0x62
[ 0.840842] ACPI: ACPI Dock Station Driver: 1 docks/bays found
[ 0.841843] ACPI: PCI Root Bridge [PCI0] (0000:00)
[ 0.844076] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Routing Table [\_SB_.PCI0._PRT]
[ 0.844324] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Routing Table [\_SB_.PCI0.P0P1._PRT]
[ 0.844540] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Routing Table [\_SB_.PCI0.RP01._PRT]
[ 0.844679] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Routing Table [\_SB_.PCI0.RP05._PRT]
[ 0.864846] ACPI: PCI Root Bridge [CPBG] (0000:ff)
[ 0.865314] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKA] (IRQs 1 3 4 5 6 7 *10 12 14 15)
[ 0.865476] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKB] (IRQs 1 3 4 5 6 7 *11 12 14 15)
[ 0.865633] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKC] (IRQs 1 3 4 5 6 7 10 12 14 15) *0, disabled.
[ 0.865792] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKD] (IRQs 1 3 4 5 6 7 11 12 14 15) *10
[ 0.865949] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKE] (IRQs 1 3 4 5 6 7 10 12 14 15) *0, disabled.
[ 0.866108] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKF] (IRQs 1 3 4 5 6 7 *11 12 14 15)
[ 0.866265] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKG] (IRQs 1 3 4 5 6 7 *10 12 14 15)
[ 0.866422] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKH] (IRQs 1 3 4 5 6 7 *11 12 14 15)
[ 0.867004] ACPI: WMI: Mapper loaded
[ 0.867006] PCI: Using ACPI for IRQ routing
[ 0.893864] pnp: PnP ACPI init
[ 0.893886] ACPI: bus type pnp registered
[ 0.897188] pnp: PnP ACPI: found 11 devices
[ 0.897191] ACPI: ACPI bus type pnp unregistered
[ 0.955474] ACPI: AC Adapter [ACAD] (on-line)
[ 0.955538] ACPI: Power Button [PWRB]
[ 0.955670] ACPI: Lid Switch [LID]
[ 0.955708] ACPI: Power Button [PWRF]
[ 0.957309] ACPI: SSDT 0000000077691918 00402 (v01 PmRef Cpu0Ist 00003000 INTL 20051117)
[ 0.958068] ACPI: SSDT 000000007768f018 00891 (v01 PmRef Cpu0Cst 00003001 INTL 20051117)
[ 0.959392] ACPI: SSDT 0000000077690a98 00303 (v01 PmRef ApIst 00003000 INTL 20051117)
[ 0.959986] ACPI: SSDT 000000007768ed98 00119 (v01 PmRef ApCst 00003000 INTL 20051117)
[ 0.976528] ACPI: Battery Slot [BAT1] (battery absent)
[ 1.873906] acpi device:01: registered as cooling_device4
[ 1.874742] ACPI: Video Device [GFX0] (multi-head: yes rom: no post: no)

Install acpitools, and you may need to look at your kernel config. There's a whole deal of toshiba-specific options in there. The config is usually given as the file /boot/config-version

BTW, all it needs to know is if you're running on battery and how low. It doesn't play with the battery much. It's often not the distro at all. ACPI has events in /etc/acpi/events, linked to scripts in /etc/acpi(/actions). Start acpid with the -l option, and it will throw events into syslog. So on a terminal fiddle with things - the lid, and you'll see an event 'lidbtn' or whatever. Picking up the battery_critical is the big one, to give yourself a safe landing. I hibernate on that. The bios throws out the events usually - acpi picks them up.

hello,

i checked both config file and enabled some acpi settings. In /etc/apci
when a battery event or ac event occur it is calling power.sh script
#!/bin/sh

test -f /usr/share/acpi-support/key-constants || exit 0

. /usr/share/acpi-support/policy-funcs

if [ -z "$*" ] && ( [ `CheckPolicy` = 0 ] || CheckUPowerPolicy ); then
exit;
fi

pm-powersave $*



also i have a tosh-battery event contains,

event=hkey VAL[DZ] 00000001 0000013cene
action=/etc/acpi/batterybtn.sh


even now i dont have any battery indication and still my laptop is not distinguishing between ac power and battery file

OK. Let's tackle this head on.
modprobe battery
cat /proc/acpi/battery/BAT0/info
This varies - mine is /proc/acpi/battery/C1ED/info - it's got to do with whatever the things are called in the bios dsdt

Next poke around in /sys/
cd /sys
find -name 'battery'
I found one in /sys/bus/acpi or summat. Then there's a symlink or two which takes you to /sys/devices and under a power_supply directory I found C1ED/ again - my battery. In there was all sorts of info. Go to it and see what you have.

Hi

When i tried cat /proc/acpi/battery/BAT1/info i got an out put saying
present: no

when i tried "find -name" i got an output like this

find -name 'battery'
./bus/acpi/drivers/battery
./module/battery


in ./modules/battery/ there is one file cache_time which contains only one parameter 1000

in ./bus/acpi/drivers/battery/PNP0COA:00 there is a file named path which contains \_SB_.BAT1

there is file named uevent which contains

DRIVER=battery
MODALIAS=acpi:PNP0C0A:

OK, so it is in there. What's in /sys, or lshal? Have you the battery module in initrd? Grep the logs for battery. We've got to see where it does & doesn't appear. We may even be able to do some clever pointing with modprobe.conf.d/battery.conf

hi
have searched syslog files and i found

ACPI: Battery Slot [BAT1] (battery absent)

this is repeated in many places

how do i search inird

OK, it's not finding the battery.
Next I would rebuild the kernel. You have a toshiba laptop. There is a generic .config (usually) in /boon/config-version.

There are several toshiba like options in the acpi; read up on them. No need to delete your old kernel - just give this one a different name (general setup) and stick it into grub as well as your old one. You also won't need half the modules, but be careful which half you remove!

i checked the config file these are the configuration which has reference to power management and acpi


#
# Power management and ACPI options
#
CONFIG_PM=y
CONFIG_PM_DEBUG=y
# CONFIG_PM_VERBOSE is not set
CONFIG_CAN_PM_TRACE=y
CONFIG_PM_TRACE=y
CONFIG_PM_TRACE_RTC=y
CONFIG_PM_SLEEP_SMP=y
CONFIG_PM_SLEEP=y
CONFIG_SUSPEND=y
CONFIG_PM_TEST_SUSPEND=y
CONFIG_SUSPEND_FREEZER=y
CONFIG_HIBERNATION_NVS=y
CONFIG_PM_DISABLE_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_HIBERNATION=y
CONFIG_PM_STD_PARTITION=""
CONFIG_PM_RUNTIME=y
CONFIG_ACPI=y
CONFIG_ACPI_SLEEP=y
CONFIG_ACPI_PROCFS=y
CONFIG_ACPI_PROCFS_POWER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_POWER_METER=m
CONFIG_ACPI_SYSFS_POWER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_PROC_EVENT=y
CONFIG_ACPI_AC=y
CONFIG_ACPI_BATTERY=y
CONFIG_ACPI_BUTTON=y
CONFIG_ACPI_VIDEO=m
CONFIG_ACPI_FAN=y
CONFIG_ACPI_DOCK=y
CONFIG_ACPI_PROCESSOR=y
CONFIG_ACPI_HOTPLUG_CPU=y
CONFIG_ACPI_PROCESSOR_AGGREGATOR=m
CONFIG_ACPI_THERMAL=y
CONFIG_ACPI_CUSTOM_DSDT_FILE=""
# CONFIG_ACPI_CUSTOM_DSDT is not set
CONFIG_ACPI_BLACKLIST_YEAR=2000
# CONFIG_ACPI_DEBUG is not set
CONFIG_ACPI_PCI_SLOT=y
CONFIG_X86_PM_TIMER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_CONTAINER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_SBS=y
CONFIG_SFI=y
CONFIG_X86_APM_BOOT=y
CONFIG_APM=m


#
# CPUFreq processor drivers
#
CONFIG_X86_ACPI_CPUFREQ=y
CONFIG_X86_POWERNOW_K6=y
CONFIG_X86_POWERNOW_K7=y
CONFIG_X86_POWERNOW_K7_ACPI=y
CONFIG_X86_POWERNOW_K8=y
CONFIG_X86_GX_SUSPMOD=y
CONFIG_X86_SPEEDSTEP_CENTRINO=y
CONFIG_X86_SPEEDSTEP_CENTRINO_TABLE=y
CONFIG_X86_SPEEDSTEP_ICH=y
CONFIG_X86_SPEEDSTEP_SMI=y
CONFIG_X86_P4_CLOCKMOD=m
CONFIG_X86_CPUFREQ_NFORCE2=y
CONFIG_X86_LONGRUN=y
CONFIG_X86_LONGHAUL=y
CONFIG_X86_E_POWERSAVER=m

#
# ACPI drivers
#
CONFIG_I2C_SCMI=m

#
# ACPI drivers
#
CONFIG_SENSORS_ATK0110=m
CONFIG_SENSORS_LIS3LV02D=m
CONFIG_THERMAL=y
CONFIG_THERMAL_HWMON=y
CONFIG_WATCHDOG=y
# CONFIG_WATCHDOG_NOWAYOUT is not set


ONFIG_PANASONIC_LAPTOP=m
CONFIG_COMPAL_LAPTOP=m
CONFIG_SONY_LAPTOP=m
CONFIG_SONYPI_COMPAT=y
CONFIG_THINKPAD_ACPI=m
CONFIG_THINKPAD_ACPI_ALSA_SUPPORT=y
CONFIG_THINKPAD_ACPI_DEBUGFACILITIES=y
# CONFIG_THINKPAD_ACPI_DEBUG is not set
# CONFIG_THINKPAD_ACPI_UNSAFE_LEDS is not set
CONFIG_THINKPAD_ACPI_VIDEO=y
CONFIG_THINKPAD_ACPI_HOTKEY_POLL=y
CONFIG_INTEL_MENLOW=m
CONFIG_EEEPC_LAPTOP=m
CONFIG_ACPI_WMI=y
# CONFIG_ACPI_ASUS is not set
CONFIG_TOPSTAR_LAPTOP=m
CONFIG_ACPI_TOSHIBA=m



I also tried the live cd's of ubuntu and fedora. Both of them failed to detect battery
also i need some help in rebuilding kernel.

I'm not sure where you got those from. Be aware that if you deselect something (e.g· video4linux) all the v4l options disappear from the config. Use make menuconfig and read the kernel README, or any of the many guides.

I would get onto the linux mint support. also run sensors-detect, which may throw up some module that's not being loaded.

I actually just had this problem myself. I have an Acer Aspire 6930 with Linux Mint 9 and an Acer Aspire One netbook with Peppermint Linux. (Which is based on Ubuntu and Mint 9).
Same symptoms, dmesg says (battery absent) and Power Manager doesn't have Battery tab.
On my netbook I was able to fix it by updating the BIOS. The BIOS updates from Acer are in .exe form but I dualboot my netbook so it was easy to update. My Aspire 6930 only has Linux on it so having a little trouble updating the BIOS.
I think this has to do with new software in Linux. Maybe newer kernel or an acpi package. I only noticed this problem after Mint 7.
Hope that helps.

Not to get us too far off topic but a FreeDOS CD is what you want for flashing your BIOS, find it here--

http://www.freedos.org/

And a guide for flashing BIOS using Ubuntu here--

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=318789


My manufacturer's site gives an .exe as the flashing tool but I believe most of these flashing tools are just DOS.

i have tried everything including BIOS update but still i have this problem. Its not only with Linux mint but also with fedora core 13,and Ubuntu 10.04. The problem is its not detecting battery.It says Battery is absent in SLOT 1.

Is the battery detected in BIOS?
If it is detected in BIOS are you able to boot the pc up without external power supply? If that too works and all you want is a gui indicator then you may have to look into the menu and find the option for battery.
BTW, I would not care for a battery indicator if everything is working fine.

Its not about Gui indicator .Now there is no way i can find the battery backup. I am also not able to manage my power in battery mode. It is creating problem while traveling.My laptop can boot with out AC power but it is not bale to detect battery from my system.I am using latest BIOS now