8086:0be1 [HP Mini 110-4100] Backlight brightness control keys not working

[Joaquín Ignacio Aramendía]

Problem: Function keys don't control de backlight brightness and can't be controled by System Configuration either.

With stock Ubutnu distribution (both kernel and Xorg server) I get this:

No entries in /sys/class/backlight whit or withtout "acpi_backlight=vendor" grub line

Low level setpci command works
$ sudo setpci -s "00:02.0" F4.B="XX"
Where "XX" is anything between 00 and FF

On dmesg when pressing keyboard funciton keys:

Fn+F3 (Bright UP)
[17431.095998] atkbd serio0: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0xab on isa0060/serio0).
[17431.096022] atkbd serio0: Use 'setkeycodes e02b <keycode>' to make it known.
[17431.251467] atkbd serio0: Unknown key released (translated set 2, code 0xab on isa0060/serio0).
[17431.251484] atkbd serio0: Use 'setkeycodes e02b <keycode>' to make it known.

Fn+F3 (Bright DOWN)
[17464.391092] atkbd serio0: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0xab on isa0060/serio0).
[17464.391116] atkbd serio0: Use 'setkeycodes e02b <keycode>' to make it known.
[17464.487995] atkbd serio0: Unknown key released (translated set 2, code 0xab on isa0060/serio0).
[17464.488019] atkbd serio0: Use 'setkeycodes e02b <keycode>' to make it known.

With mainline kernel 3.3.6 and Xorg-Edgers PPA is the same

Anything I can do to help please let me know.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-24-generic-pae 3.2.0-24.38
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.38-generic-pae 3.2.16
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic-pae i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu7
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: pedro 1877 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0x84100000 irq 44'
   Mixer name : 'IDT 92HD87B2/4'
   Components : 'HDA:111d76d9,103c3393,00100107'
   Controls : 16
   Simple ctrls : 9
CurrentDmesg:
 [ 40.032679] vboxdrv: fAsync=0 offMin=0x530 offMax=0x1d38
 [ 40.032879] vboxdrv: TSC mode is 'synchronous', kernel timer mode is 'normal'.
 [ 40.032887] vboxdrv: Successfully loaded version 4.1.12_Ubuntu (interface 0x00190000).
 [ 40.272309] vboxpci: IOMMU not found (not registered)
Date: Sat May 19 17:46:22 2012
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=7c6064b0-bc59-41b9-8a56-814b665a33d5
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release i386 (20120423)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP Mini 110-4100
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=es_AR:es
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=es_AR.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 VESA VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-24-generic-pae root=UUID=5f405454-a690-40c8-857d-2778f47cb4e0 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-24-generic-pae N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-24-generic-pae N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 02/17/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: F.02
dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: 338D
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: 37.16
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvrF.02:bd02/17/2012:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPMini110-4100:pvr0797200000204600000300100:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn338D:rvr37.16:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: HP Mini 110-4100
dmi.product.version: 0797200000204600000300100
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard

[Joaquín Ignacio Aramendía (samsagax)]

I have to mention that Fedora 17 beta works out-of-the-box with Gnome-Shell enabled. But the bright controls doesn't work either.

[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 v3.4kernel[1] (Not a kernel in the daily directory). Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag(Only that one tag, please leave the other tags). This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text.

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.

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.4-precise/

[Joaquín Ignacio Aramendía (samsagax)]

$ uname -r
3.4.0-030400-generic-pae

Bug still exist. Both with and without "acpi_backlight=vendor" grub line; same result in dmsg and same result with "setpci" command.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

So this bug still exits with the mainline 3.4 kernel. Can you post what kernel version you were using with Fedora 17 beta? This may not be a kernel bug.

[Joaquín Ignacio Aramendía (samsagax)]

On Fedora 17 beta Live session. 3d acceleration works, performance is not that great, but i can use Gnome-shell from live. The brightness issue is still the same as described, the same message in dmesg about the keycodes and the same non-existent /sys/class/backlight/* entries. Can't use the system settings brightness control either. So the problem is still the same but the 3d acceleration works for the Intel GMA.

Just to complete the answer:
$ uname -r
3.3.0-1.fc17.i686

[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 at bugzilla.kernel.org [1]? That will allow the upstream Developers to examine the issue, and may provide a quicker resolution to the bug.

If you are comfortable with opening a bug upstream, It would be great if you can report back the upstream bug number in this bug report. That will allow us to link this bug to the upstream report.

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

[Joaquín Ignacio Aramendía (samsagax)]

Done reporting upstream. Hope is well done. Thanks

[Nir Soffer (nirsof)]

Confirmed on Asus x101ch (Atom N2600) with custom kernel (Ubuntu-lts-3.4.0-4.9 with GMA5/600 module and GMA3600 support) at 1024x600.

The brightness controls do show, but brightness is not changed. setpci command works.

[Ben Mull (bmull8)]

Confirmed on HP Mini 210-4125sa (N2800) with Bodhi 2.1.0-32 (Ubuntu 12.04 base),.
Setpci command works, but no response from keys whether configured in key-bindings or not.
Standard 3.5.0-11 kernel provides effective GMA support.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Joaquín Ignacio Aramendía, as per http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?os=4145&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&sw_lang=&product=5218362#N153 an update is available for your BIOS (F.08). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BiosUpdate , does it change anything?

If not, 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

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful.

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

Thank you for your understanding.

[Joaquín Ignacio Aramendía (samsagax)]

Sorry, this bug is no longer relevant. The keys work now, both BIOS and kernel where upgraded. Please close the bug and sorry for the inconvenience.