Brightness keys are not recognized on Toshiba Satellite U840W

[Jonathan Ernst]

Brightness keys (and less importantly wifi mouse disable and keyboard backlight) fn keys are not recognized under Ubuntu.

Volume and multimedia keys do work howerver.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: linux-image-3.8.0-29-generic 3.8.0-29.42
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-29.42-generic 3.8.13.5
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-29-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.3
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: dcarlucci 1581 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Tue Aug 27 17:54:43 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=48597b83-eb4e-4078-bec5-5456fc82dc6e
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-08-27 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424)
MachineType: TOSHIBA SATELLITE U840W
MarkForUpload: True
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.8.0-29-generic root=UUID=b779d7e3-7930-4d46-b418-9780f553da3a ro quiet splash acpi_backlight=vendor vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-29-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-29-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.106
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 10/11/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Insyde Corp.
dmi.bios.version: 6.40
dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: Type2 - Board Product Name1
dmi.board.vendor: Type2 - Board Vendor Name1
dmi.board.version: Type2 - Board Version
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: OEM Chassis Manufacturer
dmi.chassis.version: OEM Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnInsydeCorp.:bvr6.40:bd10/11/2012:svnTOSHIBA:pnSATELLITEU840W:pvrPSU5XE-008013S4:rvnType2-BoardVendorName1:rnType2-BoardProductName1:rvrType2-BoardVersion:cvnOEMChassisManufacturer:ct10:cvrOEMChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: SATELLITE U840W
dmi.product.version: PSU5XE-008013S4
dmi.sys.vendor: TOSHIBA

[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 v3.11 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/v3.11-rc7-saucy/

[Jonathan Ernst (jonathan.ernst)]

Thanks for your reply.

With v3.11-rc7-saucy, the keys still don't work but the brightness down key makes the "power statistics dialog" come up and the brightness up key makes the computer to go to sleep (both keys don't do anything with the raring kernel).

[Jonathan Ernst (jonathan.ernst)]

As more keys are registered with the latest upstream kernel, here is a reference of wrongly mapped fn keys :

What I see on the keyboard -> What the system sees

Brightness down -> Battery
Brightness up -> Sleep
External/Internal screen -> Suspend
Trackpad on/off -> External/Internal screen
Volume - -> Volume +
Volume + -> Volume -
Mute -> 0xF8 ?
Wifi toggle -> 0XF8 ?

The rest is ok.

Also note that the Fn behaviour is inverted (i.e. on this keyboard your are supposed to use the Fn key to access f1...f12 and not use the fn key to use special functions)

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Hello Jonathan,

can you please follow /usr/share/doc/udev/README.keymap.txt and use the "keymap -i" tool to find out the scan codes of the broken keys, together with their intended meaning? Your vendor/model names are already in the apport information, so I just need the 8 scan codes for the keys you mentioned in comment 5.

> Also note that the Fn behaviour is inverted

I am fairly sure that you should be able to configure that in the BIOS. My Dell Mini 10 has this (mis)feature, but in the BIOS setup you can choose which way around these keys work. Either way, it's not something we can influence in the udev keymaps, I'm afraid.

Thanks!

[penalvch (penalvch)]

As per upstream https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=60806#c1 bug is in udev -> udev (Ubuntu) .