I am having problems with ACPI being enabled in the kernel, and the backlight automatically turning off when I boot the computer. Problem is, with ACPI being disabled my wireless card will not work properly. Also I have tried using the keys, and compiling all the laptop keys support into the kernel, and that doesn't allow me to turn the brightness up. I have no idea where I can do that, first linux install on a laptop.

Different examples of what I can do.

inittab at runlevel 3 basically turns off the backlight when I get the login screen.

GDM turns off the backlight as soon as GDM comes up. (dropline install).

KDM will actually run, and then I can log into KDE, but once it gets up to "Initializing Devices" it turns off the backlight.

If I use KDM and change to fluxbox, it boots fine, and the backlight stays on.

I am a gnome guy, and would like to use it, but GDM won't even work properly. If I use KDM and log into gnome, goes off once right after the KDM screen goes away.

Sounds like you may have to enable/disable the 'lcd backlight' portion of your kernel and recompile.

Just did that. No fun though, cause it doesn't turn off when i shut the lid or anything. Maybe I'll try another kernel and see if that helps. Didn't happen till I updated to 2.6.16.20. Thanks!

ACPI can be a pain on a non fully compliant machine. Here is my battle with acpi on my notebook and what I did to get it to work. By the way the screen blacklight worked fine with APM.

Check out this post and see if any helps. http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...99#post1383299

See when acpi is enabled if you get a reponce from the command ' acpi_listen '. Post ouput.

Also there is something in the newer kernels called backlight but have not investigated it.

Brian1

Id use APM, except for some odd reason, my atheros AR5212 doesn't work whithout ACPI compiled into the kernel. I just disabled the screen functions, and it works. Oh well, I suppose I will live Worth it over windows.

Should work that way fine. More than one way to do it under Linux.

Brian1

Alright, hahaha. I think that when I enabled the ACPI support, it triggered some hardware problem. Live CDs now have the problem that didn't before. Installation of OSX86 has the problem, one it goes to GUI, backlight turns off. Even windows installation disc does it! Bizare, and no hardware reset on the laptop :/ So now I can only boot into Linux (only OS) with acpi=off, or compiling the kernel with backlight functions off (can't really do that with live cds). I'm thinking I may need to install windows, to get the brightness set back up to normal with the keyboard keys, and then maybe it will work. Maybe that setting is being saved somewhere, time to go find my XP cd.

So an update if anyone was interested (i doubt it, but i gotta vent somewhere). After installing multiple distributions, and even trying windows with the function keys for brightness not working... I got to starting with the basics. Pulled out a key, jiggled it in the latch component for the LCD screen.... Somehow the mechanical switch was stuck, so it always thought the LCD screen was closed. Came right on after that. Moral of the story --> keep it simple stupid.