Using battery power even when plugged in

[Vasya Pupkin]

I am using Ubuntu 15.04 on Asus Zenbook UX301L. The problem is that battery indicator always says "using battery power", even when laptop is on AC power. There is no such problem under Windows. I always thought it was a minor issue until my laptop got shutdown today because it thought battery power was critical (it was at 100% and on AC power of course, but system decided it wasn't). Worst of all is that I cannot disable this action in power options. Which makes this bug kinda critical.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.04
Package: compiz-core 1:0.9.12.1+15.04.20150410.1-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.19.0-16.16-generic 3.19.3
Uname: Linux 3.19.0-16-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.17.2-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
CompositorUnredirectDriverBlacklist: '(nouveau|Intel).*Mesa 8.0'
CompositorUnredirectFSW: true
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Sat May 16 00:04:09 2015
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: vivid
DistroVariant: ubuntu
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/compiz
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Device [8086:0a2e] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:13bd]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-05-06 (8 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 15.04 "Vivid Vervet" - Release amd64 (20150422)
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. UX301LAA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.19.0-16-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=b9c815db-e4fe-4e08-8d62-0c68991fa8be ro quiet splash rootfstype=ext4 pcie_aspm=force acpi_osi= vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: compiz
UdevLog: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/var/log/udev'
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/08/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: UX301LAA.209
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: UX301LAA
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrUX301LAA.209:bd05/08/2014:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnUX301LAA:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnUX301LAA:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: UX301LAA
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.12.1+15.04.20150410.1-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.60-2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 10.5.2-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 10.5.2-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.17.1-0ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.9.0-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.5.0-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917-1~exp1ubuntu2.1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.11-1ubuntu2build1
xserver.bootTime: Fri May 15 23:36:17 2015
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors:

xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.outputs:
 product id 5126
 vendor SHP
xserver.version: 2:1.17.1-0ubuntu3

[Vasya Pupkin (shadowlmd)]

There are other people experiencing the same issue: http://askubuntu.com/questions/587063/battery-indicator-always-says-using-battery-power-even-when-plugged-in-asus

[Christopher Townsend (townsend)]

Definitely not a Compiz issue. Most likely a bug in the BIOS that affects Linux, but Windows has a workaround in place for. I will put this in the Linux kernel category and if someone there wants to change, they will.

[Vasya Pupkin (shadowlmd)]

Unfortunately, ubuntu-bug doesn't allow to report a bug without specifying package or clicking a window. This makes it hard to report a bug like this one for an average user.

[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 v4.1 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/v4.1-rc3-vivid/

[Vasya Pupkin (shadowlmd)]

This bug is still present in 15.10 with kernel 4.2.

[Vasya Pupkin (shadowlmd)]

I tested with latest available mainline kernel (Linux version 4.3.0-040300-generic (kernel@gomeisa) (gcc version 5.2.1 20151010 (Ubuntu 5.2.1-22ubuntu2) ) #201511020949 SMP Mon Nov 2 14:50:44 UTC 2015). Nothing changed.

[Vasya Pupkin (shadowlmd)]

Same with kernel 4.4rc3.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

This issue appears to be an upstream bug, since you tested the latest upstream kernel. Would it be possible for you to open an upstream bug report[0]? That will allow the upstream Developers to examine the issue, and may provide a quicker resolution to the bug.

Please follow the instructions on the wiki page[0]. The first step is to email the appropriate mailing list. If no response is received, then a bug may be opened on bugzilla.kernel.org.

Once this bug is reported upstream, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-reported-upstream'.

[0] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream/kernel

[Vasya Pupkin (shadowlmd)]

Still an issue with Ubunru 16.04 and just released 4.10 kernel. I also guess this is what driving battery controller crazy which causes random shutdowns when running on battery.