[Solved] Missing Brightness menu in Power Management

[memint]

Hi.

After a clean install of LM Cinnamon 18.2 brightness menu in Power Settings is missing.
I can use brightness slider in Power Manager applet but Fn key combination is not working.

I don't know if it is a hardware or software issue or something related with things I'm trying to solve.
1. When battery charge around 20% (on battery) or 42% (plugged) my display "blinks". It seems more about brightness switching low/high constantly, more intense when lower battery charge. viewtopic.php?f=59&t=246999&p=1333736#p1333736
2. Battery indicator never fully charged

Code: Select all

System:  Kernel: 4.8.0-58-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.4.4 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.2 Sonya
Machine:   System: ASUSTeK (portable) product: X555LB v: 1.0
           Mobo: ASUSTeK model: X555LB v: 1.0
           Bios: American Megatrends v: X555LB.603 date: 05/06/2016
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i7-5500U (-HT-MCP-) cache: 4096 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 9586
           clock speeds: max: 3000 MHz 1: 2524 MHz 2: 2420 MHz 3: 2439 MHz
           4: 2474 MHz
Graphics:  Card-1: Intel Broadwell-U Integrated Graphics bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Card-2: NVIDIA GM108M [GeForce 940M] bus-ID: 04:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) FAILED: nouveau
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.01hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 5500 (Broadwell GT2)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 12.0.6 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel Wildcat Point-LP High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Card-2 Intel Broadwell-U Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:03.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.8.0-58-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 4000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: down mac: 1c:b7:2c:04:9c:12
           Card-2: Broadcom BCM43142 802.11b/g/n driver: wl bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: d0:53:49:c3:29:04
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1240.3GB (39.1% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: SanDisk_SDSSDA24 size: 240.1GB
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: HGST_HTS541010A9 size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 33G used: 12G (38%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda6
           ID-2: /home size: 58G used: 29G (52%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda7
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 8.19GB used: 0.05GB (1%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 44.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 2800
Info:      Processes: 306 Uptime: 5:32 Memory: 5472.9/7853.8MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

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[JerryF]

Just a long shot. Try checking Startup Applications. Is there anything pertaining to a brightness control? I was thinking that maybe if there were, it's taking over and so a brightness tab is not available in Power Management.

[memint]

Hi Jerry,

I don't think that is my problem. I even tried to disable Redshift. It didn't work.

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[songhuijohn]

I do not have an answer to your question but am interested in the reason the brightness tab is missing from Power Management.
I have three computers running Linux Mint 8.2 Cinnamon.
Computer 1:
- desktop - I built it from parts
- updated from Linux Mint 8.1 Cinnamon
- brightness tab is missing from Power Management
- no keyboard key to adjust brightness
Computer 2:
- desktop - HP Omni 100-5155 - all in one
- installed Linux Mint 8.2 Cinnamon from USB flash drive
- brightness tab is missing from Power Management
- has key on right side of monitor that can adjust brightness
Compute 3:
- laptop - Fujitsu Lifebook A1110
- updated from Linux Mint 8.1 Cinnamon
- Power Management has brightness tab
- keyboard keys can adjust brightness

All three computers can adjust brightness via the Power Management applet in the panel.

Since Linux Mint 8.2 Cinnamon can adjust the brightness, I do not understand why the brightness tab is missing from Power Management in two of these computers.

[memint]

After a system reinstall of LM Cinnamon 18.2 (keeping /home partition) Brightness menu was back.
But after nvidia-375.66 driver installation this menu disappear again. Maybe it is something about driver compatibility with graphic board model GeForce 940M.

[kruno3]

There was always a problem with NVidia cards and brightness: viewtopic.php?t=168150
I have an Laptop with Nvidia Optimus. Does not respond to Fn+brightnes keys out of the box.

[memint]

Ok, I got it!

Reverting this recommendation at "Release Notes of LM Cinnamon 18.2" (see link and text below) I got Brightness menu back again.
I reinstalled xserver-xorg-video-intel. Enable nvidia-375. Brightness menu and Fn shortcuts working now!
My Intel GPU is newer than 2007 so i followed this recommendation. I don't know if it is really necessary as it says it "should also work better with Cinnamon and produce better performance" when removed.

Link: https://www.linuxmint.com/rel_sonya_cinnamon.php

Cinnamon freezes when changing resolution (Intel GPU)
If your Intel GPU is recent enough (2007 or newer) it is recommended to remove the legacy Intel driver "xserver-xorg-video-intel" and to use the built-in modesetting driver instead:
apt remove xserver-xorg-video-intel
sudo reboot
Not only will the modesetting fix the freeze issue when changing resolutions, it should also work better with Cinnamon and produce better performance.
The legacy driver is no longer maintained and only useful for the old i800x and i900x family of chipsets.
If you are using one of these old chipsets or if you do not want to use the modesetting driver, an alternative is to continue to use the "xserver-xorg-video-intel" driver, but to disable VSync:
echo CLUTTER_VBLANK=none >> ~/.profile
Log out for this change to take effect, and please be aware that disabling Vsync might result in video screen tearing.