So I finally stopped procrastinating and installed Slackware 14.1 64 bit. I'm using xfce as the Window manager.

Problem: it won't sleep. In the Log out dialog, "Restart" "Shutdown" "Suspend" and "Hibernate" are all disabled. Only "log out" is available. Also, closing the lid fails to force the computer to sleep.

I cannot figure this one out. That's a new one I've never had in any other distro.

Note: Googling has not helped.
Note: I was running Debian just a few days ago: this problem did not happen. Also in the past have run Mint and slack 11 (or 12? it was a while ago) and gentoo.

p.s. Unsure if this is related or not but at random moments, I get a notification (little pupop window in the upper right of the screen, not in the Notification area of the toolbar) in xfce that says "Power Manager not authorized""

Did you create a simple (e. g. non-root) user?

Yes, because I have read that it is not a good idea to run xorg as root.

you most probably haven't added your user to the additional groups needed to use a full-functional desktop, see

http://docs.slackware.com/slackbook:...ers_and_groups

you can change it also later: run as root

then logout from youruser and login again.

Or simply:

Cheers,

Niki

Thank you for the replies.

I logged in as root. Ran xorg. The suspend. etc. buttons were active. Unexpected. Tried suspend. The computer slept. Fascinating.

Added my user to the mentioned groups that he was not already a member of. Logged out and then logged in as my user. Xorg is unchanged: still no buttons and still no sleep when when I close the lid.

Rebooted. Tried again. Same as before.

The fact that it works for root gives me the feeling that I am overlooking something.

Just on a hunch. Add another user (name him testuser), add the user to all the groups (read what adduser tells you). Then login to Xfce with that user and then see how that goes.

Cheers,

Niki

Ok. added a new users. Used the up arrow to get the extra groups added (which is what I had originally done with my "real" user originally). He can sleep! That is unexpected. I am more confused.

Can you verify what groups your normal user is included in with the groups command?

I think I stumbled onto the cause, and the solution, to my problem. Corrupt or oddly-set configuration files. To make a long story short, I logged my user out, reset things by removing most "." files (as root) then rebooted then logged in. After basic setting up (xfce) panels and stuff again, I clicked on that menu and ... sleep (suspend) and reboot and stuff are back.

Have rebooted at least twice since then and nothing has broken, so it looks like the problem has been solved. A few more days of regular activities within my desktop will make sure.

p.s.: