I edited  << /etc/default/acpi-support >> and then used  system>preferences>power management to enable suspend with the result that the laptop suspended and unsuspended quite happily. It was a bit slow and I received a black screen with varoius messages, but it did work.
 I am including  <  /var/log/acpid >> in the event taht these messages and black screen should not have happened.


[Tue Apr  4 08:30:11 2006] received event "button/sleep SLPB 00000080 00000001"
[Tue Apr  4 08:30:11 2006] notifying client 4069[119:119]
[Tue Apr  4 08:30:11 2006] executing action "/etc/acpi/sleep.sh"
[Tue Apr  4 08:30:11 2006] BEGIN HANDLER MESSAGES
+ . /etc/default/acpi-support
++ ACPI_SLEEP=true
++ ACPI_HIBERNATE=true
++ ACPI_SLEEP_MODE=mem
++ MODULES=
++ MODULES_WHITELIST=
++ SAVE_VBE_STATE=true
++ VBESTATE=/var/lib/acpi-support/vbestate
++ POST_VIDEO=true
++ USE_DPMS=true
++ HIBERNATE_MODE=shutdown
++ LOCK_SCREEN=true
++ STOP_SERVICES='mysql '
++ RESTART_IRDA=false
++ ENABLE_LAPTOP_MODE=true
+ . /usr/share/acpi-support/power-funcs
++ umask 022
++ PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/bin/X11
++ POWERSTATE=/var/lib/acpi-support/powerstate
++ LAPTOP_MODE=/usr/sbin/laptop_mode
++ HDPARM='/sbin/hdparm -q'
++ LIDSTATE=/var/lib/acpi-support/lidstate
+ . /usr/share/acpi-support/device-funcs
+ . /usr/share/acpi-support/policy-funcs
+ DeviceConfig
++ cat /var/lib/acpi-support/system-manufacturer
+ manufacturer='ASUSTeK Computer Inc.'
++ cat /var/lib/acpi-support/system-product-name
+ model=A5E
++ cat /var/lib/acpi-support/system-version
+ version=1.0
+ '[' -f '/usr/share/acpi-support/ASUSTeK Computer Inc..config' ']'
+ . '/usr/share/acpi-support/ASUSTeK Computer Inc..config'
++ case "$model" in
+ '[' xtrue '!=' xtrue ']'
++ CheckPolicy
+++ pidof gnome-power-manager
+++ pidof kpowersave
+++ '[' -x /usr/bin/dcop ']'
++ '[' 5349 -o '' -o x '!=' x ']'
++ echo 0
+ '[' 0 = 0 ']'
+ '[' x '!=' xforce ']'
+ '[' x '!=' xsleep ']'
+ exit
[Tue Apr  4 08:30:11 2006] END HANDLER MESSAGES
[Tue Apr  4 08:30:11 2006] action exited with status 0
[Tue Apr  4 08:30:11 2006] completed event "button/sleep SLPB 00000080 00000001"
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:40 2006] received event "button/power PWRF 00000080 00000001"
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:40 2006] notifying client 4069[119:119]
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:40 2006] executing action "/etc/acpi/powerbtn.sh"
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:40 2006] BEGIN HANDLER MESSAGES
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:41 2006] END HANDLER MESSAGES
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:41 2006] action exited with status 0
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:41 2006] completed event "button/power PWRF 00000080 00000001"
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:56 2006] received event "processor CPU1 00000081 00000000"
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:56 2006] notifying client 4069[119:119]
[Tue Apr  4 08:45:56 2006] completed event "processor CPU1 00000081 00000000"

When the power management is used to anable hibernate the result is that the machine powers up with a fault, reboots itself and does not restore the desktop as it was. The log entry for this follows. (If this has happened because I have done something wrong, my apologies.) please advise any other information you may want/need.


[Tue Apr  4 08:13:59 2006] received event "button/sleep SLPB 00000080 00000001"
[Tue Apr  4 08:13:59 2006] notifying client 4045[119:119]
[Tue Apr  4 08:13:59 2006] executing action "/etc/acpi/sleep.sh"
[Tue Apr  4 08:13:59 2006] BEGIN HANDLER MESSAGES
+ . /etc/default/acpi-support
++ ACPI_SLEEP=true
++ ACPI_HIBERNATE=true
++ ACPI_SLEEP_MODE=mem
++ MODULES=
++ MODULES_WHITELIST=
++ SAVE_VBE_STATE=true
++ VBESTATE=/var/lib/acpi-support/vbestate
++ POST_VIDEO=true
++ USE_DPMS=true
++ HIBERNATE_MODE=shutdown
++ LOCK_SCREEN=true
++ STOP_SERVICES='mysql '
++ RESTART_IRDA=false
++ ENABLE_LAPTOP_MODE=true
+ . /usr/share/acpi-support/power-funcs
++ umask 022
++ PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/bin/X11
++ POWERSTATE=/var/lib/acpi-support/powerstate
++ LAPTOP_MODE=/usr/sbin/laptop_mode
++ HDPARM='/sbin/hdparm -q'
++ LIDSTATE=/var/lib/acpi-support/lidstate
+ . /usr/share/acpi-support/device-funcs
+ . /usr/share/acpi-support/policy-funcs
+ DeviceConfig
++ cat /var/lib/acpi-support/system-manufacturer
+ manufacturer='ASUSTeK Computer Inc.'
++ cat /var/lib/acpi-support/system-product-name
+ model=A5E
++ cat /var/lib/acpi-support/system-version
+ version=1.0
+ '[' -f '/usr/share/acpi-support/ASUSTeK Computer Inc..config' ']'
+ . '/usr/share/acpi-support/ASUSTeK Computer Inc..config'
++ case "$model" in
+ '[' xtrue '!=' xtrue ']'
++ CheckPolicy
+++ pidof gnome-power-manager
+++ pidof kpowersave
+++ '[' -x /usr/bin/dcop ']'
++ '[' 5316 -o '' -o x '!=' x ']'
++ echo 0
+ '[' 0 = 0 ']'
+ '[' x '!=' xforce ']'
+ '[' x '!=' xsleep ']'
+ exit
[Tue Apr  4 08:13:59 2006] END HANDLER MESSAGES
[Tue Apr  4 08:13:59 2006] action exited with status 0
[Tue Apr  4 08:13:59 2006] completed event "button/sleep SLPB 00000080 00000001"
[Tue Apr  4 08:18:26 2006] starting up
[Tue Apr  4 08:18:26 2006] 53 rules loaded
[Tue Apr  4 08:18:27 2006] client connected from 4069[119:119]
[Tue Apr  4 08:18:27 2006] 1 client rule loaded