[Toshiba Satellite P70-A] Brightness Hotkey Doesn't Work

[Daniel Centore]

I followed the steps at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Hotkeys/Troubleshooting and found that the brightness keys are only detected with acpi_listen, which apparently means "this is a bug in the kernel (ubuntu-bug linux) for not translating the ACPI event to an input event"

Brightness down and up create the following output with acpi_listen, respectively:

button/battery BAT 00000080 00000000 K
button/sleep SBTN 00000080 00000000 K

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-24-generic 3.13.0-24.46 [modified: boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic]
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-24.46-generic 3.13.9
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-24-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: drdanielfc 1816 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: drdanielfc 1816 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Tue Jun 3 18:34:43 2014
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=5749c544-7f19-4560-85cf-afb651d8e76f
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-06-03 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140417)
MachineType: TOSHIBA Satellite P70-A
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=b07e9797-ecf0-4bfd-a13c-1f1c53c509f1 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
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
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 04/18/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: Insyde Corp.
dmi.bios.version: 1.50
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.:bvr1.50:bd04/18/2014:svnTOSHIBA:pnSatelliteP70-A:pvrPSPLPU-0JS050:rvnType2-BoardVendorName1:rnType2-BoardProductName1:rvrType2-BoardVersion:cvnOEMChassisManufacturer:ct10:cvrOEMChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: Satellite P70-A
dmi.product.version: PSPLPU-0JS050
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 v3.15 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-rc8-utopic/

[Daniel Centore (dcentore)]

Problem still exists with the kernel you requested.

I also confirmed that I am using the correct version:
$ uname -r
3.15.0-031500rc8-generic

[Daniel Centore (dcentore)]

The sticker just says P70-A, but it was a customized version of the P70-ABT3G22 ( http://www.toshiba.com/us/computers/laptops/satellite/P70/P70-ABT3G22 )

[Daniel Centore (dcentore)]

Serial No: 5E235499C

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Daniel Centore, did this problem not occur in a release prior to Trusty?

[Daniel Centore (dcentore)]

This is a brand new laptop - I have never had an older release on this machine.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Daniel Centore, the issue you are reporting is an upstream one. Could you please report this problem through the appropriate channel by following the instructions _verbatim_ at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream/kernel ?

Please provide a direct URL to your e-mail to the mailing list once you have made it so that it may be tracked.

Thank you for your understanding.

[WinEunuchs2Unix (ricklee518)]

Under Kernel 3.13 and 3.15.0-031500-generic the Toshiba hotkeys Fn+F6 and Fn+F7 to control screen brightness (Satellite L300) only work after manually suspending through the system tray drop down menu and then resuming. Note the Suspend Hotkey Fn+F3 only works after manually suspending and resuming at least once. Hotkeys are lost on the next reboot or cold boot.

As a workaround I usually manually suspend and resume immediately after each boot.

In /usr/rc.local you can echo 3 or 4 to the graphics driver so your eyeballs don't fry from solar bright screen on boot ups. That workaround is documented in many Ubuntu forum threads.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

WinEunuchs2Unix, thank you for your comment. So your hardware and problem may be tracked, could you please file a new report with Ubuntu by executing the following in a terminal while booted into the default Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline one) via:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please read the official Ubuntu documentation:
Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue
Ubuntu Kernel Team: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/KernelTeamBugPolicies#Filing_Kernel_Bug_reports
Ubuntu Community: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful bug reporting tips:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs

[WinEunuchs2Unix (ricklee518)]

Christopher,

Sorry for the long delay I had put the "no hotkeys on cold boot, on suspend/resume only" problem on the back-burner while I solved higher priority problems. I tried to file the apport bug report but my Kernel versions (after house cleaning 8 older versions) are only 3.15.7 and 3.15.8 which are unacceptable to apport.

What kernel version would you recommend installing? I have downloaded the latest Unbuntu 14.04.1 to DVD but have not installed it out of apprehension it might regress my current Kernel bug fixes which I really enjoy.

TIA.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

WinEunuchs2Unix, as you are not the original reporter of this bug report, you would want to file a new bug report (live environment is fine, default Ubuntu kernel) via a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux