I own a Medion laptop with a Skylake/Optimus chipset. I think that it is a CLEVO in disguise because when I do a lspci -v, I see the name CLEVO/KAPOK come up in just about every entry.
The only OpenSuse version that works on it is TUMBLEWEED. Sort of…
The brightness of the screen cannot be changed. When I do: ls /sys/class/backlight there is a [FONT=arial]acpi_video0 entry. Echoing a value into /sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0/brightness does change the value in that entry, the value actually changes, but the brightness does not.
Only when using kernel 4.10.13-1-default + nvidia-bumblebee (375.39) does the intel_backlight directoy appear in /sys/class/backlight, and brightness can be changed by echoing a value into that, and also using the function keys.
Using the latest Tumbleweed kernel update with the newest nvidia-bumblebee (381.22) drivers works, but intel_backlight is missing, and the brightness cannot be changed again.
[/FONT]Does anyone know how to get the screen brightness working (ie get the intel_backlight entry in /sys/class/backlight) without using the nvidia drivers? I really don’t want the nvidia drivers on my laptop anymore, because Tumbleweed updates tend to brake them or cause them to misbehave. I have no need for nvidia in Linux on this laptop, but without the ability to change the screen brightness, the laptop is basically unusable.
I’ve forgotten the exact name of these functions in the kernel (I last researched this maybe 8 years ago), but the bottom line is that for these functions which are often associated with a row of special buttons running above the top keyboard buttons, the manufacturer has to submit (and update as necessary) a list of supported functions to the mainline kernel. I doubt any third party reviews and validates what is submitted, it’s entirely the responsibility of the manufacturer to keep these functions up to date.
So,
You actually need to contact the hardware manufacturer for this type of issue.
I have been struggling with this laptop for 6 months now. I have exhausted every acpi_osi=…, acpi_backlight=…, video.use_native_backlight=… option combination I could find on the internet. None ever succeeded in having intel_backlight show up in /sys/class/backlight.
With some options the /sys/class/backlight stays empty. With some, the /sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0 show up. But that one does not work when echoing a value into the brightness link on this laptop.
Only when using kernel 4.10.13-1, suddenly everything worked as it should. But now with the newer 4.11 kernels (I have tried the 4.11.2 from factory too), the laptop has shut me out from changing the brightness again. It is set at max during boot and just stays there. Also the setpci method, suggested by some, has zero effect.
Either it worked in the previous kernel due to a lucky bug in that kernel, or there is a bug in the 4.11 kernel and the improvement is not working anymore. In any case, it is very much a hit and miss on this laptop.
I will be very wary of ever buying anything from Medion, or anything that is advertising CLEVO/KAPOK hardware in the future.
For others who are interesting in the type of laptop: Medion Erazor X6601, Intel Skylake 6700HQ + NVIDIA GTX960M, 256MD SSD + 1.5Gb harddisk. I have paid more than 1000 Euro for this laptop. I have been using various Linux versions since 2003, mostly OpenSuse, but also Fedora and Ubuntu and Debian. I have never had any hardware that I could not run Linux on. But this machine has been a six month headache.
After looking at your laptop specs it seems that we have probably the same Clevo model P651RE. But mine is not from Medion but from Tuxedo Computers. If you’re able to understand some German have also a look here:
I understand German. The suggestions on did not work in getting the proper backlight entry in /sys/class.
I wish I could understand what makes kernel 4.10.13-1 stand out. Is there a way to lock Tumbleweed from updating just the kernel related packages, and allow updating all the other packages?
I’ve never tried it before, but when you add the exactly kernel version in this line, the kernel should remain installed even if a new kernel is rolled out. When booting the Laptop you should be able to switch the kernels in GRUB. But no guarantee from my side
Please make a bug report with openSUSE’s Bugzilla for the kernel 4.11x.
If your Clevo was working with kernel 4.10 it should be passed on to kernel 4.11x.
I have managed to lock the kernel updates with the command: zypper al. Funny how after using SuSe for so many years, I still learn something new every day. At least that takes care of keeping my working kernel in place. But now the fear rises that I can never re-install Tumbleweed into my system if the harddisk ever happens to crash because kernel 4.10.13 is not in the repository anymore.
Is there a repository that holds all the previous kernels?
Same here. I also learn new tricks almost everyday :).
Don’t know. I was also looking for a repository which contains the old kernels when I was running Leap 42.2 several month ago. But couldn’t find it. Therefore I downloaded the whole kernel repository on my HDD with the (for me and my Skylake CPU) best working kernels. Because when I was using Leap 42.2 ever second kernel release (including the default Leap one) produces more problems as it solved. But since I switched to Tumbleweed I had never problems again.
I’m giving up on this laptop. I am getting more sure every day that this laptop will not be reliable for me in the future. This thing has only given me frustration during the last six months. I have just discovered that this Medion laptop is actually a re-branded Clevo N155RD. During my search for a solution during the last six months, I discovered that most people having problems with backlight are Clevo and Lenovo owners or owners of Clevo derivatives.
So if anyone ever wants buy a laptop for running linux on:
Don’t buy Medion. It is likely to be a Clevo in disguise.
Especially don’t buy a Medion Akoya x6601! The specs look great, but it will give you nothing but trouble running Linux.
Lots of internet shops sell Clevo laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed, most with Kernel 4.10. and that is the only kernel that these laptops have ever run on decently. For example pre-4.10 kernels (4.9) tended to cripple my harddisk) and backlight did not work. With post 4.10 kernels, the backlight is broken again, and occasionally the system just hangs during boot. Also a black screen during wakeup from suspend with 4.11 kernel.
For comparison: A few weeks ago I bought a HP laptop for my wife, also with Optimus hardware. This laptop has even newer specs (Kaby Lake, nvidia gtx1050). After installing Tumbleweed it just worked. Also with the newer 4.11 kernel upgrades. No problem. This is how it should be. I don’t know what Clevo has done with their hardware to cripple Linux, but they sure managed to champion it.
I will now order a second HP laptop and give the Clevo **** away to someone who wants to play windows games on it.
I understand your frustration absolutely. When I bought my Tuxedo Laptop I had more or less the same problems with Leap 42.2 like you now with Tumbleweed. But as far as I can tell is that the most Clevo models (which are also sold by System76) are very good working with Linux. Maybe your model is in some way “special”.
Since I am using Tumbleweed everything goes well so far and I am very happy to have this Laptop. The only thing what bothers me as well is that sometimes the Nvidia/Optimus drivers brake when a new kernel version arrives.
Have you also tried to remove the nvidia drivers and the nouveau drivers and blacklist them. Also is the package
I have tried that as well. No result on the brightness issue. I am typing this from my new HP laptop. It came in the mail this morning. Ironically, the lcd screen on the HP is not as bright as the Clevo, but all other specs are better. And, at least everything works out of the box.
