ThinkPad Brightness

[Till]

While booting up, a message pops up: "thinkpad unsupported brightness interface"

Adjusting brightness works, but is 'choppy' as only four levels of brightness seem to be supported.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-32-generic 3.13.0-32.57 [modified: boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-32-generic]
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-32.57-generic 3.13.11.4
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-32-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.6
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: dagmar 1525 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: dagmar 1525 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Tue Jan 27 11:08:36 2015
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=4bda8c46-bb96-497b-9e02-26febd77b783
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-01-26 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140722.2)
MachineType: LENOVO 20C600LJGE
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-32-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=94d57f89-9362-4b77-a5e4-a73e2f799edc ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-32-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-32-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.11
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 08/29/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: J9ET93WW (2.13 )
dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.board.name: 20C600LJGE
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: SDK0E50512 STD
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvrJ9ET93WW(2.13):bd08/29/2014:svnLENOVO:pn20C600LJGE:pvrThinkPadEdgeE540:rvnLENOVO:rn20C600LJGE:rvrSDK0E50512STD:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 20C600LJGE
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad Edge E540
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Till (n-ubunnu-c)]

My issue seems to be indentical to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1320659

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Till, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better. As per http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-edge-laptops/thinkpad-edge-e540 an update to your computer's buggy and outdated BIOS is available (2.17). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BIOSUpdate does it change anything? If it doesn't, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful. As well, you don't have to create a new bug report.

Once the BIOS is updated, and the information above is provided, then please mark this report Status Confirmed.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Till (n-ubunnu-c)]

Christopher,

Thanks for your reply. I tried flashing the BIOS, but this resulted in more error messages, a messed up UEFI, and a reinstall. I am building this box for a friend and decided to just leave this issue unresolved.

Cheers,

Till

[Tommy Trussell (tommy-trussell)]

I have noticed the brightness issue on my E540 using the latest BIOS version 2.17 (I was able to flash mine successfully). I noticed that the brightness control works better on Ubuntu 14.10, HOWEVER I had several other more serious problems with it so I downgraded to Ubuntu 14.04.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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