Laptop Power Management

JayMan8081 · #1 07-13-2009, 12:37 PM

I've been trying to Google this issue for a while now without much success. I am running Ubuntu 9.04 on an IBM Thinkpad T21 using the ubuntu-minimal install. That means I'm not using X11, Gnome, etc. just a tty console. All I want to do for power management is have the LCD backlight turned off after a set amount of time and for it to turn back on when I press a key or move the mouse. I DON'T want the system to ever suspend or hibernate. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

hlrguy · #2 07-13-2009, 05:35 PM

I use KDE, it overrides the bios settings. The odd time I have booted to single user and left it there while running fsck, the screen has turned itself off, obviously a bios function at that point. Have you checked the bios for these settings?

hlrguy

JayMan8081 · #3 07-21-2009, 12:55 PM

Sorry for the delay in responding. I checked the BIOS and turned the setting "LCD Monitor Off" to be on a 10 minute delay. It does the same thing that it did before I turned that setting on. Basically the screen looks blank but the backlight for the LCD is still powered on. That was the only setting that I could see in the BIOS relating to the screen the rest controlled hibernation and suspension which I don't need. Any other suggestions are appreciated!

**JohnT** · #4 07-21-2009, 07:18 PM

Try this....xset +dpms
or vbetool

JayMan8081 · #5 07-22-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnT

Try this....xset +dpms
or vbetool

If I use vbetool to turn dpms off will the monitor turn back on if I press a key or will I have to blindly use vbetool to turn dpms back on?

**JohnT** · #6 07-22-2009, 06:19 PM

Wouldn't know...don't use it...only pointed it out as an option. I've always used the xset solution when needed. There may be others.

JayMan8081 · #7 07-29-2009, 12:42 PM

Ok I got a chance to try JohnT's suggestions. xset is out since it depends on having X11 installed and I don't have it installed and would rather avoid installing. vbetool dpms off worked to turn the backlight all the way off but then to turn it back on so I can use the system requires me to ssh in from another machine and run 'sudo vbetool dpms on' again. So I'm getting closer to a solution but not all the way there yet.

**JohnT** · #8 07-29-2009, 06:30 PM

Some directional hints...possibly
And....

hlrguy · #9 07-30-2009, 11:50 AM

I would set up a couple of aliases in my shell.

alias lightoff="sudo vbetools dpms off"
alias ligthon="sudo vbetools dpms on"

Then, when the backlight is off, simply enter
lighton
<sudo password>
to get the screen back.

You might be able to set a control sequence to do the same. CTRL-O or something reset to turn it back on again.