1002:68e0 [Asus K52Je] Backlight not working after boot

[Michał Kozub]

There is no backlight on my Asus X52Je notebook after boot. It works fine at the grub stage and splash sreen but afterwards it just goes black (though you can barely see something - that's why i could turn on the monitor clone option and use a secondary display). Function keys work and there is an entrance in /sys/class/backlight/ - it just doesn't do anything. I've had this problem since 12.04 - i think it started after one of the software updates. It did work for quite some time before. I'm now at 14.04 and all the versions up to this point had the same problem (12.10, 13.04, 13.10).

Also tried some common workarounds, like:
acpi_backlight=vendor
acpi_osi=Linux
acpi=off
video.use_bios_initial_backlight=0
video.use_native_backlight=1

The attachements have the required diagnostic files.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-24-generic 3.13.0-24.46
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-24.46-generic 3.13.9
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-24-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: drink 2012 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: drink 2012 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: drink 2012 F...m pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Sat May 3 17:37:38 2014
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=517b6655-6f63-483f-80c0-087e4799c881
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. K52Je
ProcFB:

ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic root=UUID=da0531fa-9dbd-4f69-9179-0dd5b2740f22 ro video.use_native_backlight=1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-24-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-24-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.1
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-04-24 (9 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 01/26/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: K52Je.212
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: K52Je
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrK52Je.212:bd01/26/2011:svnASUSTeKComputerInc.:pnK52Je:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:rnK52Je:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: K52Je
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

[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 v3.15 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/v3.15-rc4-utopic/

[Michał Kozub (lachim-buzok)]

Added the tag 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'. Tested with 3.15.0-rc3 and 3.15.0-rc4.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Michał Kozub, could you please test the latest mainline kernel via http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.15-rc5-utopic/ and advise to the results?

If reproducible, could you please comment to using any of the following kernel parameters individually (not in combination):
video.use_bios_initial_backlight=0
video.use_native_backlight=1

[Michał Kozub (lachim-buzok)]

Dear Christopher,
I did as instructed. First trying out only the kernel v. 3.15.0-rc5. Then adding the parameter video.use_bios_initial_backlight=0 (with the new kernel) and afterwards switching it to video.use_native_backlight=1, however the boot process always stayed the same: backlight was on at grub, also on at boot splash messages and then turns off before log-in screen.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Michał Kozub, the next step is to fully commit bisect from 12.04.0 to 14.04 in order to identify the offending commit. Could you please do this following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/KernelBisection ?

[Michał Kozub (lachim-buzok)]

Unfortunately I have do drop this bug report at this moment. I tried a lot of kernels starting from 2.6.x, going thru 3.0.0, 3.2.x, 3.5.x, 3.8.x - none of them really worked - most of them not even going past the boot stage. Some early ones got the backlight after boot but no log-in screen. Many of the later ones' got no backlight and freeze soon after log-in. I'm not sure I can pinpoint any working kernel version for bisection at this time. And time is something I don't have - I need a working environment so I'll be doing a clean install of Ubuntu 14.04 hoping it solves the problem. Sorry for wasting your time.
Best regards,
Michał Kozub

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Michał Kozub, if the bisect would be too prohibitive, could you please test the latest mainline kernel via http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.15-rc5-utopic/ and advise to the results?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]