sonypi won't load

hondapowered · 01-17-2006, 02:00 PM

I just installed Slack 10.2 on my sony vaio pcg-fxa53 laptop. I am trying to get the "Fn" keys and the screen brightness to work. I am using the generic 2.6.13 kernel & modules from disk 2. according to the config for the generic kernel "CONFIG_SONYPI=m". I have added to my modprobe.conf file:

alias char-major-10-250 sonypi
options sonypi minor=250 fnkeyinit=1

and issued the commands:

#mknod /dev/sonypi c 10 250
#chmod 666 /dev/sonypi

the device gets created, then I issue:

#modprobe sonypi

in return I get:

FATAL: Error inserting sonypi (/lib/modules/2.6.13/kernel/drivers/char/sonypi.ko): No such device

Then the device is removed from /dev

I took a look in the dir specified by the error and I do have the module in there.

My questions are, Does this laptop support the sony programmable IO interface? If so, should it show up in device listings (eg. lspci or similar)? Is there a work around for this issue?

Thanx in advance.

chrisortiz · 01-18-2006, 12:00 AM

Quote:

FATAL: Error inserting sonypi (/lib/modules/2.6.13/kernel/drivers/char/sonypi.ko): No such device

Then the device is removed from /dev

the reason it dissapears is because of "udev"

Quote:

My questions are, Does this laptop support the sony programmable IO interface? If so, should it show up in device listings (eg. lspci or similar)? Is there a work around for this issue?

i'm guessing it does support it, and no it won't pop up on lspci.

as far as the original error, try typing "depmod -a".

I hope this helps

MannyNix · 01-18-2006, 12:41 AM

Works on my sonyvaio with latest kernel, not at home right now, i need to check it to try to help, but it does work for me, will check tomorrow

MannyNix · 01-18-2006, 10:57 PM

I have a PCG-GRT35F Sony Vaio laptop, running kernel 2.6.15
Here are parts of my config

Code:

# ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) Support
#
CONFIG_ACPI=y
CONFIG_ACPI_SLEEP=y
CONFIG_ACPI_SLEEP_PROC_FS=y
# CONFIG_ACPI_SLEEP_PROC_SLEEP is not set
CONFIG_ACPI_AC=m
CONFIG_ACPI_BATTERY=m
CONFIG_ACPI_BUTTON=m
CONFIG_ACPI_VIDEO=m
CONFIG_ACPI_HOTKEY=m
CONFIG_ACPI_FAN=m
CONFIG_ACPI_PROCESSOR=m
CONFIG_ACPI_THERMAL=m
CONFIG_ACPI_ASUS=m
CONFIG_ACPI_IBM=m
CONFIG_ACPI_TOSHIBA=m
CONFIG_ACPI_BLACKLIST_YEAR=0
# CONFIG_ACPI_DEBUG is not set
CONFIG_ACPI_EC=y
CONFIG_ACPI_POWER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_SYSTEM=y
CONFIG_X86_PM_TIMER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_CONTAINER=m

# APM (Advanced Power Management) BIOS Support
#
CONFIG_APM=m
# CONFIG_APM_IGNORE_USER_SUSPEND is not set
CONFIG_APM_DO_ENABLE=y
# CONFIG_APM_CPU_IDLE is not set
# CONFIG_APM_DISPLAY_BLANK is not set
# CONFIG_APM_RTC_IS_GMT is not set
# CONFIG_APM_ALLOW_INTS is not set
CONFIG_APM_REAL_MODE_POWER_OFF=y

And in my /etc/rc.d/rc.modules i have

Code:

/sbin/modprobe apm
/sbin/modprobe sonypi
/sbin/modprobe ac
/sbin/modprobe battery
/sbin/modprobe fan
/sbin/modprobe thermal

Of course, i downloaded and "make" "checkinstall" sonypid and spicctrl from http://popies.net/sonypi/ then i was able to use the battery and sony vaio laptop menus from kde control center.
To change brightness i type spicctrl -b (set lcd screen brightness 0-255)
And last, here's a post i found somewhere that helped me on this, good luck

Code:

The kernel modules are already compiled with the original kernel. They're just not loaded.

You have to
# modprobe ac
# modprobe battery

Put those commands in a simple script that sits in /etc/rc5.d (and any other run level you want) an
d it the battery applet starts up.

If you are already in KDE and you type those commands into a terminal, your battery applet won't st
art. KDE has to start after those modules are loaded. That's why in /etc/rc5.d, you want to name yo
ur script S30scriptname. The kde startup script is named S99kdm. Any script that you put in there (
don't forget to make it executable) that you want to run before KDE should be named with S<number l
ower than 99> like S30scriptname.

If you want to test it out, log out of kde and log in to a plain command line session. Type those m
odprobe commands and then log back into KDE (all with out rebooting). The battery applet will work.

One more thing. There are other acpi modules that you can load up in your script. The ones that I i
ncluded are
modprobe fan
modprobe processor
modprobe button
modprobe thermal

I'm don't know if this is all of the power control modules available or even what they do. I'm thin
king that they have to do with enabling your computer to fall into hibernate or standby or whatever
 when certain conditions are met (like your processor gets too hot or something).

hondapowered · 01-20-2006, 08:13 AM

chrisortiz:

Quote:

try typing "depmod -a".

I am assuming this is basically what happens a boot time when kernel modules are being updated. Anyway, I ran that command, then tried to modprobe and got the same error. Thanks for your help, gave me something else to try.

I went ahead and installed the default 2.4 kernel from the install disk, created the node:

Code:

# mknod /dev/sonypi c 10 250
# chmod 666 /dev/sonypi

the entry in my moodprobe.conf was unaltered, so "modprobe sonypi," the module loaded with out a hitch. So I am thinking it is a conflict with the driver and the 2.6 kernel. I am going to fire of an email the the author of sonypi and see what he says. I try to keep this post updated as I get more information.