topic title: How to reduce screen brightness?
Posts: 16
Moby
Joined: 18 Jul 2015
#1
Hello everyone,
I have recently installed antix 15 FULL on a partition of my HP laptop.

Since the install, the key combination of [Fn] + [F1–12] that allow for certain hardware/software customization aren't working at all, one of them being screen brightness– it's too much, I want to reduce it. I'm also noticing today that the fans and processor are under pressure, I don't know if this is related to the kernel version.

I'm using the Space-fluxbox desktop and so far I've only installed the Nvidia drivers and Colemak keyboard layout from a 3rd party script.
Here's some information on my OS. Can you please help me to get those keys working again? The AntiX"bootloader How-to" mentions something about some HP computers needing a cheat in order to adjust screen brightness. I wouldn't know…can someone please help?

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$ inxi -Fxx
System:    Host: aliquis Kernel: 4.0.5-antix.1-486-smp i686 (32 bit gcc: 4.9.2)
           Desktop: Fluxbox 1.3.5 dm: slim
           Distro: antiX-15-V_386-full Killah P 30 June 2015
Machine:   System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP Pavilion dv6000 (GH881EA#ABZ) v: Rev 1
           Mobo: Quanta model: 30BC v: 66.37
           Bios: Hewlett-Packard v: F.16 date: 02/02/2007
           Chassis: Quanta type: 10
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core2 T5600 (-MCP-) cache: 2048 KB
           flags: (lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 7317
           clock speeds: min/max: 1000/1833 MHz 1: 1333 MHz 2: 1833 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G72M [GeForce Go 7400]
           bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:01d8
           Display Server: X.Org 1.16.4 driver: nvidia
           Resolution: 1280x800@59.98hz
           GLX Renderer: GeForce Go 7400/PCIe/SSE2
           GLX Version: 2.1.2 NVIDIA 304.125 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:27d8
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.0.5-antix.1-486-smp
Network:   Card-1: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection
           driver: iwl3945 v: in-tree:s bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:4222
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: 00:19:d2:99:db:cf
           Card-2: Intel 82573L Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: e1000e v: 2.3.2-k port: 4000
           bus-ID: 05:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:109a
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: 00:1b:24:13:3b:10
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 160.0GB (4.6% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST9160821AS size: 160.0GB serial: 5MA1KAX9
Partition: ID-1: / size: 18G used: 3.1G (19%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 4.19GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda6
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 51.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 115 Uptime: 29 min Memory: 382.9/2018.8MB
           Init: SysVinit v: 2.88 runlevel: 5 default: 5 Gcc sys: 4.9.2
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.301 running in roxterm) inxi: 2.2.25 
$
Posts: 4,164
rokytnji
Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#2
First, In terminal try maybe

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xbacklight -set 70
changing the number 70 to a lower number, like 60, should dim the screen even more.

For the HP thingy

post36095.html#p36095

You use that during the install process before booting up the live cd from what I gather from it.
Posts: 2,238
dolphin_oracle
Joined: 16 Dec 2007
#3
antix 13 required a cheat code on some HP laptops or the lcd backlight would set to zero upon boot. Many folks thought there machine was crashing when in fact the brightness just went to 0.

If you are using nvidia drivers, is there a nvidia control center of some kind that controls brightness?

xbacklight works for me on my hp, but my brightness keys work too. you might need to install xbacklight, but its available in the repos.
Posts: 1,445
skidoo
Joined: 09 Feb 2012
#4
FWIW, here mentions a backlight bootline parameter I've not seen previously:

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://forums.pointlinux.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=807"
linktext was:"http://forums.pointlinux.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=807"
====================================
Posts: 16
Moby
Joined: 18 Jul 2015
#5
Below are my /etc/default/grub and / etc/X11/xorg.conf files.
skidoo wrote:FWIW, here mentions a backlight bootline parameter I've not seen previously:

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://forums.pointlinux.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=807"
linktext was:"http://forums.pointlinux.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=807"
====================================
I saw that forum thread that skidoo linked me to – the OP changed the following lines:

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GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`Point Linux`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet acpi_osi=Linux acpi_backlight=vendor"

I'm not sure how I should modify my grub file. Should I put something else instead of"vendor"?"nvidia" perhaps? Please help me figure out this parameter.

GRUB file

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# For full documentation of the options in this file, see:
#   info -f grub -n 'Simple configuration'

GRUB_DEFAULT=6
GRUB_TIMEOUT=5
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet nomodeset nouveau.modeset=0"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass"root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false
GRUB_BACKGROUND=/usr/share/wallpaper/back.jpg
xorg.conf file

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# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 340.46  (buildd@binet)  Tue Oct  7 08:03:22 UTC 2014

Section"ServerLayout"
    Identifier    "Layout0"
    Screen      0 "Screen0"
    InputDevice   "Keyboard0""CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice   "Mouse0""CorePointer"
EndSection

Section"Files"
EndSection

Section"InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier    "Mouse0"
    Driver        "mouse"
    Option        "Protocol""auto"
    Option        "Device""/dev/psaux"
    Option        "Emulate3Buttons""no"
    Option        "ZAxisMapping""4 5"
EndSection

Section"InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier    "Keyboard0"
    Driver        "kbd"
EndSection

Section"Monitor"
    Identifier    "Monitor0"
    VendorName    "Unknown"
    ModelName     "Unknown"
    HorizSync       28.0 - 33.0
    VertRefresh     43.0 - 72.0
    Option        "DPMS"
EndSection

Section"Device"
    Identifier    "Device0"
    Driver        "nvidia"
    VendorName    "NVIDIA Corporation"
EndSection

Section"Screen"
    Identifier    "Screen0"
    Device        "Device0"
    Monitor       "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection    "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection
dolphin_oracle wrote:If you are using nvidia drivers, is there a nvidia control center of some kind that controls brightness?
Would that be the nvidia-settings-legacy-304xx package that I have yet to install? How do you customize it after installing it? I tried installing xbacklight but it doesn't work, on startup the screen's back to maximum brightness...
Posts: 1,445
skidoo
Joined: 09 Feb 2012
#6
I tried installing xbacklight but it doesn't work, on startup the screen's back to maximum brightness...
suggest you search google:
xbacklight session autostart

then visit the"Session" tab within antix controlCenter and utilize the"Global Desktop-Session" and/or"User Desktop-Session" utils
Posts: 88
kmathern
Joined: 25 Aug 2012
#7
Moby wrote:...I tried installing xbacklight but it doesn't work, on startup the screen's back to maximum brightness...
Run the command `xbacklight -get`

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$ xbacklight -get
No outputs have backlight property
If it returns the "No outputs have backlight property" message like what I get, then xbacklight probably won't work for your system.

You could try using xrandr to change the gamma settings like I posted here: post41110.html#p41110

I think there's also a section in nvidia-settings (the nvidia-settings-legacy-304xx package that you mentioned) that allows you to change the gamma settings.
Posts: 16
Moby
Joined: 18 Jul 2015
#8
Hello again,
kmathern wrote:If it returns the"No outputs have backlight property" message like what I get, then xbacklight probably won't work for your system.
No, I don't get the that message, instead I get back the usual command line prompt:

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$ xbacklight -get
:~
skidoo wrote:suggest you search google:
xbacklight session autostart
I've done that, the first result I got is
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://www.upubuntu.com/2012/12/how-to-force-set-display-brightness-on.html"
linktext was:"this"
====================================
. I read the instructions, opened AntiX's Control Center > Session > Global Session > startup file. This is how it looks after adding the last line.

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#!/bin/bash
volumeicon & 

fbxkb &

search-bar-icon &

xbacklight -set 60


Do you think I edited it correctly? If not, what should I have written?
Please see my desktop-session.conf file, in attachment. Do I have to edit/uncomment any lines?