FN+F3/F4 does not modify keyboard backlight brightness.

Bug #1806343 reported by David
16
This bug affects 3 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
linux (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

acpi_listen does not output anything to terminal when pressing key combination.

Keyboard backlight has worked on older versions (I believe 18.04 or earlier.)

I can manually toggle with:

echo 0 | sudo tee --append /sys/class/leds/asus\:\:kbd_backlight_1/brightness
echo 1 | sudo tee --append /sys/class/leds/asus\:\:kbd_backlight_1/brightness
echo 2 | sudo tee --append /sys/class/leds/asus\:\:kbd_backlight_1/brightness
echo 3 | sudo tee --append /sys/class/leds/asus\:\:kbd_backlight_1/brightness

for varying degrees of brightness.
---
ProblemType: Bug
ApportVersion: 2.20.10-0ubuntu14
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.04
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-11-28 (4 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 19.04 "Disco Dingo" - Alpha amd64 (20181128)
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
Tags: disco
Uname: Linux 4.19.6-041906-generic x86_64
UnreportableReason: The running kernel is not an Ubuntu kernel
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom debian-tor dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
_MarkForUpload: True
---
ProblemType: Bug
ApportVersion: 2.20.10-0ubuntu14
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: duck 3632 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.04
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-11-28 (22 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 19.04 "Disco Dingo" - Alpha amd64 (20181128)
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. GL502VMK
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_drm nvidia_modeset nvidia
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 EFI VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-4.18.0-11-generic root=/dev/mapper/vg0-root ro quiet splash acpi_osi= acpi_backlight=native vt.handoff=1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.18.0-11.12-generic 4.18.12
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.18.0-11-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.18.0-11-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.176
Tags: disco
Uname: Linux 4.18.0-11-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom debian-tor dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 07/03/2017
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: GL502VMK.305
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: GL502VMK
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrGL502VMK.305:bd07/03/2017:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnGL502VMK:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnGL502VMK:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.family: GL
dmi.product.name: GL502VMK
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :
Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot) wrote : Missing required logs.

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1806343

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : ProcCpuinfoMinimal.txt

apport information

tags: added: apport-collected
description: updated
David (duckduckd3uc3)
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

Finally figured out to load module: asus_nb_wmi

Keyboard and screen back light all respond now.

Revision history for this message
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) wrote :

So asus_nb_wmi isn't automatically loaded on the system?

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

Correct.

I was looking through asus modules and decided to load this one and the keyboard/screen backlight fn hotkeys began to work afterwards.

Previously I was manually echoing keyboard brightness and using xbacklight -inc/-dec to change my screen brightness.

This laptop model is: ASUS ROG-GL502VMK.

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

I also recently upgraded to kernel: 4.20.0-042000rc6-generic to test out as 4.19 was having issues corrupting ext4 partitions.

Revision history for this message
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) wrote :

Can you boot to default Ubuntu kernel without any workaround, then run "apport-collect 1806343"?

Seems like ASUS_NB_WMI_EVENT_GUID is missing but ASUS_WMI_MGMT_GUID is present.

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : AlsaInfo.txt

apport information

description: updated
Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : CRDA.txt

apport information

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David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : CurrentDmesg.txt

apport information

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David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : IwConfig.txt

apport information

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David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : Lspci.txt

apport information

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David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : Lsusb.txt

apport information

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : ProcCpuinfo.txt

apport information

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : ProcCpuinfoMinimal.txt

apport information

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David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : ProcInterrupts.txt

apport information

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : ProcModules.txt

apport information

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David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : PulseList.txt

apport information

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David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : RfKill.txt

apport information

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David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : UdevDb.txt

apport information

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David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote : WifiSyslog.txt

apport information

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

I commented out asus_nb_wmi that I had in /etc/modules before I posted that.

Booted back into 4.20 with it still commented out and and the FN keys are working.

Does it remember me utilizing asus_nb_wmi and saving elsewhere?

Revision history for this message
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) wrote :

Not sure why "acpi_osi=" is uses in your kernel parameter, but please remove it and see if it starts working.

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

Whoops, forgot about that, I was attempting to use that to fix some things (trying things from internet searches,) didn't work before that.

I could load up a Live CD and give the defaults from that, doesn't work on those.

Revision history for this message
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) wrote :

Please boot without any workaround, then attach "acpidump" here, thanks!

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

How do I get "acpidump"? Does this refer to "apport-collect 1806343"?

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

Found out it's part of the acpica-tools package.

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

Steps:

Download daily Disco ISO: 2019-01-01 07:50
Write to USB
Boot
Connect to WiFi
Enable repositories
Open terminal
sudo apt install acpica-tools -y
sudo acpidump > acpidump.log

Revision history for this message
Pander (pander) wrote :

Same problem with Lubuntu 18.10 on ASUS Zenbook UX31A. It loads asus kernel modules:
- asus_nb_wmi
- asus_wmi
- asus_wireless

Used to work with all versions in the last five years prior to 18.10. The manual echo commands listed at the the top do work.

Revision history for this message
Pander (pander) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Pander (pander) wrote :
Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

I don't think it works on the 4.18 kernel.

I updated to: 4.20.3-042003-generic

I changed this line in /etc/defaults/grub to: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi_backlight=native"

Keyboard backlight and screen now respond to FN commands.

Revision history for this message
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) wrote :

Please update your system, I recall new upower has a fix for this issue.

Revision history for this message
David (duckduckd3uc3) wrote :

Disco
5.0.2-050002-lowlatency
update / upgrade daily

(Been working since my last post)

I haven't done a re-install, but it seems like one might be coming up for me in the near future, so I can report back if it works without the solution I utilize.

Revision history for this message
Jerome Mutgeert (jerome-mutgeert) wrote :

Hi, for me all fn combs work except keyboard backlight, I'm on an Asus ROG.

For me there are both 'kbd_backlight' and 'kbd_backlight_1' in sys/class/leds/asus::<...>.

I can also manually adjust 'sys/class/leds/asus::kbd_backlight_1/brightness' which effectively toggles the light.

The Fn combinations do show a successful animation and appear to succesfully toggle the value in 'sys/class/leds/asus::kbd_backlight/brightness'.

It seems like the '_1' addition is not uniformly anticipated.

Brad Figg (brad-figg)
tags: added: cscc
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