[SONY VAIO VPCEB13FX] Battery charging at zero rate - will never fully charge

[toddh]

:~$ acpi -abi
Battery 0: Charging, 9%, charging at zero rate - will never fully charge.
Battery 0: design capacity 42180 mWh, last full capacity 29050 mWh = 68%
Adapter 0: on-line

Similar to Question #210041, I could charge my battery with Windows 7, and cannot charge my battery with Linux. I wiped the Windows partition for more HD space, and hope posting this bug will lead to a simple strategy to charge my battery. What am I missing to charge it again? Information to help the process is listed below.

:~$ dmesg | grep Sony
DMI: Sony Corporation VPCEB13FX/VAIO, BIOS R0230Y8 01/26/2010

Also, would someone post the steps to update the BIOS from an .exe? (this may improve fan performance, while not solving the battery charging issue in linux)
http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/swu-download.pl?mdl=VPCEB13FX&upd_id=5961&os_group_id=6

:~$ lsb_release -a
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS
Release: 12.04
Codename: precise

:~$ uname -a
Linux toddh 3.9.0-030900rc6-generic #201304080035 SMP Mon Apr 8 04:36:25 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Trouble-shooting included using an upstream kernel from: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-rc6-raring/
Afterwards, /proc/acpi/ was different, and is reflected in an attached tarball (/proc/acpi/event/ directory busy during copy and not included).

:~$ upower --monitor-detail:
  battery
    present: yes
    rechargeable: yes
    state: charging
    energy: 2.9 Wh
    energy-empty: 0 Wh
    energy-full: 29.05 Wh
    energy-full-design: 42.18 Wh
    energy-rate: 0 W
    percentage: 9.98279%
    capacity: 68.8715%
    technology: lithium-ion
  History (charge):
    1366139198 9.983 charging
    1366139198 0.000 unknown
  History (rate):
    1366139198 0.000 unknown

After dpkg (via synaptic) to remove the mainline kernels, and sudo update-grub:
:~$ uname -a
Linux toddh 3.2.0-40-generic #64-Ubuntu SMP Mon Mar 25 21:22:10 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I'd expect the battery to start recharging again when the issue is resolved.

Finally, could any of these bugs be related?
Battery charging status is not recognized
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/acpi/+bug/1027798
acpi reports battery state incorrectly
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/acpi/+bug/971061
Wrong values for battery charge rate and design capacity
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/820295

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-40-generic 3.2.0-40.64
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-40.64-generic 3.2.40
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-40-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.1
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC269 Analog [ALC269 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: todd 2379 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf6000000 irq 44'
   Mixer name : 'Intel IbexPeak HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,104d4600,00100004 HDA:80862804,104d4600,00100000'
   Controls : 24
   Simple ctrls : 11
CurrentDmesg: [ 40.443109] wlan0: no IPv6 routers present
Date: Tue Apr 16 14:51:23 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=d901bc0d-a953-4557-8bc0-80915c834c5e
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
 Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
 Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0c45:6409 Microdia Webcam
MachineType: Sony Corporation VPCEB13FX
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-40-generic root=UUID=b354f427-b510-4fc8-9cbb-3cb36bb39c5b ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-40-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-40-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79.1
SourcePackage: linux
StagingDrivers: mei
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 01/26/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: R0230Y8
dmi.board.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.board.name: VAIO
dmi.board.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.board.version: N/A
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrR0230Y8:bd01/26/2010:svnSonyCorporation:pnVPCEB13FX:pvrC6044WQW:rvnSonyCorporation:rnVAIO:rvrN/A:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: VPCEB13FX
dmi.product.version: C6044WQW
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation

[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 v3.9 kernel[0]. You will need to install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

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/v3.9-rc7-raring/

[toddh (toddh)]

Thanks for your thoughts Joseph. Perhaps I was not clear when I mentioned: ":~$ uname -a
Linux toddh 3.9.0-030900rc6-generic #201304080035 SMP Mon Apr 8 04:36:25 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux" and added tags: quantal, and raring.

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-rc6-raring/ reproduced the charging at zero rate error. It also created a different /proc/acpi/ directory (referenced in original description).

The reason I used the above kernel is because it was the last kernel listed at http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/ which included the _amd64.deb suffix. I'll next create a bug at: bugzilla.kernel.org. However, I'm still interested in your help in solving this battery charging issue. What other information will prove useful to start charging the battery?

Thanks for your attention.

[toddh (toddh)]

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-1901977.html seemed promising to complete a BIOS update from http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=VPCEB13FX&template_id=1&region_id=1&tab=download#/downloadTab

The challenge is that Sony didn't release an .exe for DOS. So, even after getting to a prompt from a system repair disk I have for windows, my attempts to run either the XP or Windows7 version resulted: "Subsystem needed to support the image type is not present."

[toddh (toddh)]

Also posted at https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=56741, where one person asked for additional information listed below:
acpidump, dmesg and the output of "grep . /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/*"

These outputs will be attached.

[toddh (toddh)]

operation returned:
grep: /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/voltage_now: No such device

[toddh (toddh)]

A possible patch from bugzilla.kernel.org suggested to update the battery driver with code below. Would someone know where to find and update these files? Thanks.

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=56741#c6
Hi, the bios acpi table doesn't provide actual voltage_now int _BST method of
DSDT and give the value of 0xffffffff back. So battery driver return nodev
error. Please try the following patch. It assign design_voltage to voltage_now.

diff --git a/drivers/acpi/battery.c b/drivers/acpi/battery.c
index f223018..0a80522 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/battery.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/battery.c
@@ -521,6 +521,7 @@ static int acpi_battery_get_state(struct acpi_battery
*battery)
                battery->capacity_now = battery->capacity_now *
                    10000 / battery->design_voltage;
        }
+ battery->voltage_now = battery->design_voltage;
        return result;
 }

[toddh (toddh)]

Any ideas on where to update "static int acpi_battery_get_state"? Where is battery.c?

/usr/src/linux-headers-3.9.0-999/drivers/acpi/Makefile includes:
line 67: obj-$(CONFIG_ACPI_BATTERY) += battery.o

/lib/modules/3.9.0-999-generic/kernel/drivers/acpi/*
Binary file /lib/modules/3.9.0-999-generic/kernel/drivers/acpi/acpi_ipmi.ko matches
Binary file /lib/modules/3.9.0-999-generic/kernel/drivers/acpi/acpi_memhotplug.ko matches
Binary file /lib/modules/3.9.0-999-generic/kernel/drivers/acpi/acpi_pad.ko matches
Binary file /lib/modules/3.9.0-999-generic/kernel/drivers/acpi/ec_sys.ko matches
Binary file /lib/modules/3.9.0-999-generic/kernel/drivers/acpi/sbshc.ko matches
Binary file /lib/modules/3.9.0-999-generic/kernel/drivers/acpi/sbs.ko matches
Binary file /lib/modules/3.9.0-999-generic/kernel/drivers/acpi/video.ko matches

What's the process to compile patches to the kernel?

[toddh (toddh)]

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/Dev/KernelGitGuide will hopefully lead to the correct file of acpi_battery_get_state.

Minimally, it provides: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/Dev/KernelGitGuide#Patch_acceptance_criteria

[toddh (toddh)]

Found it!

sudo apt-get source linux-image-<version>
sudo apt-get build-dep linux-image-<version>
git clone git://kernel.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ubuntu-<release>.git
cd <working directory of linux_<version>.tar.gz>
tar -xzvf linux_<version>.tar.gz
<working directory of linux tarball>/ubuntu-<release>/drivers/acpi/battery.c

[toddh (toddh)]

Unfortunately, the first patch didn't solve it:
:~$ acpi -abi
Battery 0: Charging, 7%, charging at zero rate - will never fully charge.
Battery 0: design capacity 356 mAh, last full capacity 245 mAh = 68%
Adapter 0: on-line

Data files below are result of: "grep . /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/*"
:~$ diff -it grep20130417.dat grepBAT0_20130419.dat
2d1
< /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/capacity:8
6c5
< /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/energy_now:2610000
---
> /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/energy_now:2320000
18c17,18
< /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_VOLTAGE_MIN_DESIGN=118300000
---
> /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_VOLTAGE_MIN_DESIGN=118250000
> /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_VOLTAGE_NOW=118250000
22,23c22
< /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_ENERGY_NOW=2610000
< /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_CAPACITY=8
---
> /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_ENERGY_NOW=2320000
27c26,27
< /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/voltage_min_design:118300000
---
> /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/voltage_min_design:118250000
> /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/voltage_now:118250000

[penalvch (penalvch)]

toddh, as per http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=VPCEB13FX&template_id=1&region_id=1&tab=download#/downloadTab an update is available for your BIOS (R0300Y8). If you update to this, 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

Thank you for your understanding.

[Paul Parker (paulparker)]

Have same/similar problem

Differenct is shows BAT1

os: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS

 Manufacturer: Acer
 Product Name: Aspire E5-523G
 Version: V1.08
 Wake-up Type: Power Switch
 SKU Number: Aspire E5-523G_1099_1.08
 Family: SR

ViewResult: dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
V1.08
07/11/2016

ViewResult: dmesg | grep -i bat
[ 0.335998] libata version 3.00 loaded.
[ 0.419103] ACPI: battery: Slot [BAT1] (battery present)

ViewResult: acpi -abi
Battery 0: Charging, 0%, charging at zero rate - will never fully charge.
Battery 0: design capacity 6000 mAh, last full capacity 6157 mAh = 100%
Adapter 0: on-line