[MacBookPro10,1] brightness setting has no effect

[Levi Bard]

After upgrade from 13.04 to 13.10, setting the screen brightness has no effect (either via the hotkeys, "Brightness & Lock" settings, or via /sys/devices/pnp0/00:07/backlight/gmux_backlight/brightness ).

I'm using nvidia driver 319.32-0ubuntu7.
I've tried Option "RegistryDwords" "EnableBrightnessControl=1" in xorg.conf as well as the kernel argument acpi_backlight=vendor .

I have the following in /sys:
$ find /sys -name brightness
/sys/devices/pnp0/00:07/backlight/gmux_backlight/brightness
/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.0/0000:03:00.1/leds/mmc0::/brightness
/sys/devices/platform/applesmc.768/leds/smc::kbd_backlight/brightness

WORKAROUND: setpci -v -H1 -s 00:01.00 BRIDGE_CONTROL=0

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
Package: linux-image-3.11.0-12-generic 3.11.0-12.19
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-12.19-generic 3.11.3
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-12-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: levi 2136 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: levi 2136 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: levi 2136 F...m pulseaudio
Date: Wed Oct 23 21:25:29 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=0c3f021e-1d6f-4ed4-a9e4-00ff145e91ef
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-08-24 (425 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Alpha amd64+mac (20120724.2)
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBookPro10,1
MarkForUpload: True
ProcFB: 0 EFI VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.11.0-12-generic root=UUID=2888919c-46a6-41be-874a-f3af7333ec15 ro quiet splash nomodeset nomodeset acpi_backlight=vendor vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.11.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.11.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.116
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to saucy on 2013-10-17 (5 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 08/08/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MBP101.88Z.00EE.B02.1208081132
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-C3EC7CD22292981F
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: MacBookPro10,1
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-C3EC7CD22292981F
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMBP101.88Z.00EE.B02.1208081132:bd08/08/2012:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBookPro10,1:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-C3EC7CD22292981F:rvrMacBookPro10,1:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-C3EC7CD22292981F:
dmi.product.name: MacBookPro10,1
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[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 v3.12 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/v3.12-rc6-saucy/

[Levi Bard (taktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktak)]

The nvidia driver wrapper doesn't build with that kernel (make.log attached).

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Levi Bard, could you please comment to which nvidia driver package you were using specifically in Raring when this problem did not occur?

As well, does nouveau provide a WORKAROUND to this?

[Levi Bard (taktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktak)]

I was using 310 in 13.04 (and possibly 304 before that; can't remember) - in that case, the brightness control worked intermittently for each suspend/resume cycle. The behavior has become consistent in 13.10; unfortunately, it's consistently the "not responding" case.

I can't even get X to start (even in failsafe mode) when I switch to noveau on this machine - had to boot into rescue mode and reinstall nvidia-319.

[Andy Spencer (andy753421)]

Can you see if this fixes the nvidia backlight control issues?

    setpci -v -H1 -s 00:01.00 BRIDGE_CONTROL=0

[Levi Bard (taktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktak)]

Re: #7

Yes!
Is this something that's safe to put into a startup script for now, or should I just run it when I need to?

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Levi Bard, could you please confirm this issue exists with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ . If the issue remains, could you please just make a comment to this.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Levi Bard (taktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktak)]

Missed comment #9. :-|
The workaround is still required in 14.04, using nvidia-337 from ppa:xorg-edgers.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Thank you for taking the time to file a bug report on this issue.

However, given the number of bugs that the Kernel Team receives during any development cycle it is impossible for us to review them all. Therefore, we occasionally resort to using automated bots to request further testing. This is such a request.

  With the recent release of this Ubuntu release, would like to confirm if this bug is still present. Please test again with the newer kernel and indicate in the bug if this issue still exists or not.

You can update to the latest development kernel by simply running the following commands in a terminal window:

    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If the bug still exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Confirmed. If the bug no longer exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Fix Released.

If you want this bot to quit automatically requesting kernel tests, add a tag named: bot-stop-nagging.

 Thank you for your help, we really do appreciate it.

[Levi Bard (taktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktaktak)]

The bug still occurs (and the posted workaround still applies) with kernel 3.13.0-24.47.