[arch-general] text console no longer turns off (it blanks, but powered) after 4.12.5 or xf86-video-ati update
All, I have 2 Arch servers that boot to the default text console. It has always properly blanked (DPMS power off) after the default timeout (6-7 min?). After update to the 4.12.5 kernel, which occurred at the same time of the xf86-video-ati (1:7.9.0-1 -> 1:7.9.0-2) update, the monitor no longer powers off when the screen blanks. An hour later there is still the blanked-but-powered light from the monitor (I don't know if this is called backlight power for the text console rather than X). The problem continues after the 4.12.6 update. So there was either something in the 4.12.5 kernel update that is preventing the console power-off from working, or something in the xf86-video-ati update that did it. There is nothing in the journal about video or dpms. What else can I check to help figure out what broke? With X at least there is xset, but I'm not sure what to look at for the default terminal? -- David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.
On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:14:42 -0500, David C. Rankin wrote:
It has always properly blanked (DPMS power off) after the default timeout (6-7 min?).
Hi, I'm using X and an Intel graphics, so I only could try to interpret the manpage. $ man setterm | grep powerdown --powerdown [0-60] Sets the VESA powerdown interval in minutes. Without an argument, it defaults to 0 (disable powerdown). If the console is blanked or the monitor is in suspend mode, then the monitor will go into vsync suspend mode or powerdown mode respectively after this period of time has elapsed. --powersave powerdown Puts the monitor into VESA powerdown mode. IIUC it's turned off by default. It's turned on by default, when using X. $ man xorg.conf | grep OffTime -A4 Option "OffTime" "time" sets the inactivity timeout for the off phase of DPMS mode. time is in minutes, and the value can be changed at run-time with xset(1). Default: 10 minutes. This is only suitable for VESA DPMS compatible monitors, and may not be supported by all video drivers. It is only enabled for screens that have the "DPMS" option set (see the MONITOR section below). $ man xorg.conf | grep n\ \"DPMS -A2 Option "DPMS" "bool" This option controls whether the server should enable the DPMS extension for power management for this screen. The default is to enable the extension. Regards, Ralf
On Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:14:42 -0500, David C. Rankin wrote:
With X at least there is xset, but I'm not sure what to look at for the default terminal?
Since I'm using X I didn't know setterm, but the Arch Wiki mentions it: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Display_Power_Management_Signaling#DPMS...
PPS: A few days ago I tested a LCD monitor. Screen blanking already caused the monitor to completely power off (after hat it was needed to turn on the monitor by the monitor's power button). Perhaps you changed some Eco settings of your monitor? Maybe your monitor powered off triggered by screen blanking and now it doesn't do it anymore?
On 08/15/2017 11:32 PM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
PPS: A few days ago I tested a LCD monitor. Screen blanking already caused the monitor to completely power off (after hat it was needed to turn on the monitor by the monitor's power button). Perhaps you changed some Eco settings of your monitor? Maybe your monitor powered off triggered by screen blanking and now it doesn't do it anymore?
Ralf, Thank you for your suggestions. I'll go through the DPMS page again. I haven't change a single-thing on my system, so Eco setting, no monitor settings, no nothing. Past 7-8 years same config, monitor always powers down, as soon as the updates went in on 8/11, DPMS just quit working for the text console. Crossing-fingers the DPMS has a hidden nugget somewhere inside :) -- David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.
On 08/16/2017 03:49 AM, David C. Rankin wrote:
On 08/15/2017 11:32 PM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
PPS: A few days ago I tested a LCD monitor. Screen blanking already caused the monitor to completely power off (after hat it was needed to turn on the monitor by the monitor's power button). Perhaps you changed some Eco settings of your monitor? Maybe your monitor powered off triggered by screen blanking and now it doesn't do it anymore?
Ralf,
Thank you for your suggestions. I'll go through the DPMS page again. I haven't change a single-thing on my system, so Eco setting, no monitor settings, no nothing. Past 7-8 years same config, monitor always powers down, as soon as the updates went in on 8/11, DPMS just quit working for the text console. Crossing-fingers the DPMS has a hidden nugget somewhere inside :)
Ralf, all, I can use 'setterm --blank 3 --poweroff 4' to have the screen blank and poweroff just as it has always done since 2009 up to the 4.12.5 kernel and xf86-video-ati 1:7.9.0-2. Now for the first time I am having to manually set it. What changed? Why should I now have to manually use 'setterm' where before this was automatically set to a reasonable default? Does anybody know if this is an Arch change or an upstream change? /etc/issue has not changed in months, e.g. $ l /etc/issue -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 20 Mar 26 16:57 /etc/issue How do I set a default for the system so all of the text consoles VT1-6 automatically poweroff? I see the "Bash loop to set ttys 0-256" in the DPMS wiki: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Display_Power_Management_Signaling#DPMS... but having to put that in a profile seems like a cludge. /etc/issue apparently can be used for preventing blanking/poweroff, but is this the correct file for setting the poweroff systemwide? The http://webpages.charter.net/dperr/dpms.htm link doesn't address system config (just how it works) Thanks for any wisdom on this topic you can provide. -- David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.
participants (2)
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David C. Rankin
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Ralf Mardorf