What is different when you run it as a user and at startup? In both  
cases the nvidia drivers aren't loaded yet? You are certain that you  
use the same binary in both cases?

Perhaps it failed to report bios info when running from a startup  
script. Could you check if the output of 'nvclock -i' shows bios info  
in both situations?

Thanks,
Roderick

Quoting Bem Jones-Bey <email address hidden>:

> On 02/18/2009 10:38 AM, Thunderbird wrote:
>> Could some people try the latest nvclock cvs? Some time ago I added
>> proper smartdimmer detection but I still don't know if it works for
>> everyone.
>
> Sorry it took me so long, I've been rather busy lately. I did get to
> compile the latest CVS, and while it works fine if I run it as myself
> from the commandline, hald fails to run it (for my brightness keys) with
> the following error:
>
> [28671]: 14:45:47.158 [D] addon-acpi.c:195: event is 'video C160
> 00000086 00000000
> '
> 14:45:47.159 [I] hald_dbus.c:5127: OK for method 'GetBrightness' with
> signature '' on interface 'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel' for
> UDI '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight' and execpath
> 'hal-system-lcd-get-brightness'
> 14:45:47.159 [I] hald_dbus.c:4018: no need to enqueue
> 14:45:47.550 [I] hald_dbus.c:4042: No more methods in queue
> 14:45:47.550 [I] hald_dbus.c:4105: failed with 'Error!' 'Smartdimmer is
> only supported on certain (HP/SamsungSony/Zepto) laptops using a Geforce
> 6200/7x00Go/8x00Go. If you want support on your laptop contact the author.'
> 14:45:47.551 [I] hald_dbus.c:5127: OK for method 'SetBrightness' with
> signature 'i' on interface 'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.LaptopPanel' for
> UDI '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_backlight' and execpath
> 'hal-system-lcd-set-brightness'
> 14:45:47.551 [I] hald_dbus.c:4018: no need to enqueue
> 14:45:47.916 [I] hald_dbus.c:4042: No more methods in queue
> 14:45:47.917 [I] hald_dbus.c:4105: failed with 'Error!' 'Smartdimmer is
> only supported on certain (HP/SamsungSony/Zepto) laptops using a Geforce
> 6200/7x00Go/8x00Go. If you want support on your laptop contact the author.'
>
> While hald does claim to be running as root, I don't know what
> privileges it runs the scripts with.
>
> If I put the old smartdimmer 0.8b4 (without the detection logic), my
> brightness keys work fine.
>
> --
> Bem Jones-Bey (<email address hidden>)
>
> --
> No Screen Backlight Control; Notebooks (Vaio, Macbook, HP/Compaq,   
> Samsung, Zepto et al.)  with Nvidia Geforce8/Geforce9/Quadro series   
> graphics
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/95444
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL): Invalid
> Status in “hal” source package in Ubuntu: Invalid
> Status in “hotkey-setup” source package in Ubuntu: Invalid
> Status in “linux” source package in Ubuntu: New
> Status in “nvclock” source package in Ubuntu: New
> Status in “nvidia-graphics-drivers-180” source package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> Using Ubuntu on laptops with Nvidia Geforce8/Geforce9/Quadro vga card:
>
> On various laptops from Sony, HP, Samsung and others there is no way  
>  to control backlight brightness. In case of Sony e.g. on Vaios with  
>  8-series adapters, e.g.
> nVidia Corporation GeForce 8400M GS
> nVidia Corporation GeForce 8600M GT (rev a1)
>
> The registers have been found (kudos to mikes!) and incorporated into
> nvclock, which you can check out by anonymous cvs and install:
>
> ]$ sudo apt-get install cvs
> ]$ cvs   
> -d:pserver:<email address hidden>:/cvsroot/nvclock   
> login
> ]$ cvs -z3   
> -d:pserver:<email address hidden>:/cvsroot/nvclock co  
>  -P nvclock
> ]$ cd nvclock
> ]$ ./autogen.sh
> ]$ ./configure
> ]$ make
> ]$ sudo make install
>
> To test, make sure you are using nVidia's proprietary driver, then:
> ]$ sudo nvclock -S 100
> ]$ sudo nvclock -S 15
> ]$ sudo nvclock -S +10
>
> So far mikes' registers have been found to work on:
>
> Apple laptops
> {
> Macbook 5,1 Aluminum 13.3"  (Geforce 9400M)
> }
>
> HP/Compaq laptops
> {
> 8510W (Quadro FX 570M, MXM)
> 8710P (Quadro NVS 320M, MXM)
> }
>
> Samsung laptops:
> {
> Q210 (Geforce 9200M)
> Q310 (Geforce 9200M)
> R510 (Geforce 9200M)
> }
>
> Sony laptops:
> {
> 8400M GS:
> VGN SZ650N, SZ61MN/B, SZ730E, SZ750N, SZ71MN/B, SZ71E SZ95S
>
> 8400M GT:
> VGN FZ38M, FZ31M, FZ11Z, NR31, AR41E, FZ11S, FZ290, FZ250AE, FZ21E,   
> FZ21M, FZ21S, FZ470E, FZ340E, FZ190N, FZ18M, FZ31E, FZ18E, FZ260E   
> NR21Z, NR38S, NR21S,FZ280E
>
> 8600M GS:
> VGN FZ31Z, FZ21Z, FZ31S
>
> 8600M GT:
> VGN AR51SU, AR71S
> }
>
> Zepto laptops
> {
> Geforce 9600GT based laptops using MXM cards
> }
>
> Add your model to the list by clicking on the "Update description /   
> tags" link, NOT by asking in a bug comment for someone else to do it.
>
> To get hotkeys to work, follow the instructions in this comment:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/hotkey-setup/+bug/95444/comments/75
> or install the package at :
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/hotkey-setup/+bug/95444/comments/111
>
> Dual-adapter models (SZ6 among others) can get backlight control   
> with the Intel adapter using xbacklight, and can get hotkey   
> functionality as per bug #173652.
>