Toshiba Qosmio X75-A7298 - Can't Adjust Brightness

[Lonnie Lee Best]

The Toshiba Qosmio X75-A7298 is running Ubuntu 14.04 blazingly fast.

The only issue I've noticed, is that the OS doesn't seem to have a proper mapping to this laptop's function keys.

Specifically, I'm unable to adjust the screen's brightness. Looking a the keyboard layout, I should be able to dim the screen by holding down the FN key and then press F2. Alternatively, to make the screen brighter you'd key FN-F3.

This is a fantasic laptop, I'd like to help (if I can) to get it fully functional for Ubuntu 14.04.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-18-generic 3.13.0-18.38 [modified: boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-18-generic]
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-18.38-generic 3.13.6
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-18-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.13.3-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: steve 2503 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: steve 2503 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA:
 country TW:
  (2402 - 2472 @ 40), (3, 27)
  (5270 - 5330 @ 40), (3, 17), DFS
  (5735 - 5815 @ 40), (3, 30)
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Thu Mar 20 08:43:44 2014
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=c040a1e4-2261-47d3-85df-a01363cf3fca
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-03-19 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Alpha amd64 (20140319)
MachineType: TOSHIBA Qosmio X75-A
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-18-generic root=UUID=82c4632b-cc2b-48f4-b42f-61690dbc80b7 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-18-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-18-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.126
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 09/18/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Insyde Corp.
dmi.bios.version: 1.30
dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: Type2 - Board Product Name1
dmi.board.vendor: Type2 - Board Vendor Name1
dmi.board.version: Type2 - Board Version
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: OEM Chassis Manufacturer
dmi.chassis.version: OEM Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnInsydeCorp.:bvr1.30:bd09/18/2013:svnTOSHIBA:pnQosmioX75-A:pvrPSPLTU-017016:rvnType2-BoardVendorName1:rnType2-BoardProductName1:rvrType2-BoardVersion:cvnOEMChassisManufacturer:ct10:cvrOEMChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: Qosmio X75-A
dmi.product.version: PSPLTU-017016
dmi.sys.vendor: TOSHIBA

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.14 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.14-rc7-trusty/

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

I've just got through testing this with 3.14.0-031400rc7-generic.

The issue remains.

FN-F2, which is supposed to dim the screen, does nothing.

FN-F3, which is suppose to brighten the screen, puts the laptop into hibernation. When I come out of hibernation, I'm unable to type my password (typing doesn't work) and have to restart the computer.

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

Aaron Lu asked for these things:

Please list what backlight control interfaces do you have:
# ls /sys/class/backlight
acpi_video0 intel_backlight

And test if manually echo a value works:
# cd /sys/class/backlight/i915_xxx
# cat max_brightness

user@Qosmio-X75-A:~$ cd /sys/class/backlight/i915_xxx
bash: cd: /sys/class/backlight/i915_xxx: No such file or directory
user@Qosmio-X75-A:~$ cd /sys
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys$ ls
block class devices fs kernel power
bus dev firmware hypervisor module
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys$ cd class/backlight/
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight$ ls
acpi_video0 intel_backlight
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight$ cd intel_backlight
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight$ ls
actual_brightness brightness max_brightness subsystem uevent
bl_power device power type
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight$ cat max_brightness
5273
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight$ cd ..
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight$ ls
acpi_video0 intel_backlight
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight$ cd acpi_video0
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0$ ls
actual_brightness brightness max_brightness subsystem uevent
bl_power device power type
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0$ cat max_brightness
100
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0$ echo 400 > brightness
bash: brightness: Permission denied
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0$ sudo echo 400 > brightness
bash: brightness: Permission denied
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0$ cd ..
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight$ ls
acpi_video0 intel_backlight
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight$ cd intel_backlight
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight$ ls
actual_brightness brightness max_brightness subsystem uevent
bl_power device power type
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight$ cat brightness
5100
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight$ sudo echo 400 > brightness
bash: brightness: Permission denied
user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight$ sudo echo 600 > brightness
bash: brightness: Permission denied

(see attachment of acpidump.txt)

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

In this post I'm attaching an image of the keyboard layout.

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

The echo's Aaron Lu suggested did indeed adjust the brightness after trying them with root shell:

user@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight$ sudo -s
[sudo] password for user:
root@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card0/card0-eDP-1/intel_backlight# ls
actual_brightness brightness max_brightness subsystem uevent
bl_power device power type
root@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card0/card0-eDP-1/intel_backlight# cat max_brightness
5273
root@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card0/card0-eDP-1/intel_backlight# echo 400 > brightness
root@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card0/card0-eDP-1/intel_backlight# echo 4000 > brightness
root@Qosmio-X75-A:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card0/card0-eDP-1/intel_backlight#

You'll also notice that I've attached photos of the keyboard (in post#6), as I couldn't imagine how you'd implement the proper mappings without seeing the symbols shown on the keys themselves.

[K (linuxlinux)]

Looking forward to getting this fixed. Confirm this as well. Thank you!

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

I've made additional comments about this bug here:
https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=72551

[Robbie Lancaster (robbielancaster811)]

Lonnie, I have this same laptop. When booting the 3.14 or higher kernels, you don't get a screen freeze at boot unless running "nomodeset" or the proprietary Nvidia drivers? I boot with the kernel mode nomodeset, but then I don't have any way to control brightness.