How to get Ubuntu to see my hardware correctly?

Matt73

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Hello Amazing Linux Community,

Bought a new laptop without a system recently. Installed Ubuntu Studio on it. However, the power button doesn't work properly. It puts the computer to sleep but it won't come out of sleep and shutting the lid doesn't put it to sleep either. I installed Windows, updated the BIOS and it all works fine so not a hardware issue. It a HP Laptop. Model is: 15s-eq1xxx

I have been on forums for 2 weeks trying to resolve this. And I have taken the laptop to 2 separate repair guys. They don't know how to make Ubuntu Studio work on this laptop. Very, very frustrating as I am now past the date of getting a refund.

Any help appreciated.

Best Wishes

Matt
 


Generally you go into the Power Manager and you can configure the power button and lid option from there since Ubuntu Studio uses the Xfce Desktop - Click Menu - Settings- Power Manager
 
It's the latest version of Ubuntu Studio stable LTS xfce version...The computer repair guy said it was something to do with API. I dunno. Maybe it's impossible at this stage to make it work right. I suppose I will just live with swtiching the computer off and not being able to suspend it because this is just doing my head in now;
 
It's probably something due to *ACPI*. Grab ksystemlog and look for errors. There are also a couple (?) of ACPI options that can be configured as boot parameters.
 
Thanks but I am not that advanced. I don't know how to grab a ksystem log and I don't know how to configure ACPI options as boot parameters. I think I'll just to try to find someone local who really knows linux but I appreciate you trying to help.
 
Code:
sudo apt install ksystemlog

Then open it up and check for error. Errors should be colored as such so that they stand out even more.

Boot parameters would be like adding 'acpi = off' or 'noapic' to the boot. Rather than type it all out, those two search terms should get you exact directions.
 
There's no hard and fast answer for this question, which is why my responses aren't all that detailed. Hardware is too diverse for there to be a single answer to this problem. This means you'll have to do some sleuthing and some trial-and-error testing.

Alternatively, if it doesn't work, you'll just have to kinda work around it. The only time I touch my power buttons are when I have to force a reboot or when I want to turn the device on.
 
Hello,

I kept getting a system program error message on Ubuntu Studio when I logged in so I just switched to regular Ubuntu and I don't get this message. I decided the Ubuntu Studio was perhaps a bit bloated with programs that I probably won't ever use anyway.

But the problem persists. Whether I briefly push the power button or choose suspend from the menu, I can't bring the computer out of it other than by holding down the power button to completely shut down and then restarting. After I get back in, the brightness is all the way down and I have to change it. If I just logout and log back in the brightness stays the same. But if I shut down and reboot, the brightness is all the way down. So it seems power management related but I've tried fiddling with the power settings to no avail. It's annoying because I'm OCD abut things working right but I guess I may have to live with it. I'll try to find a Linux expert in my city and if they can't help me then I guess I'll just have to shut the computer down if I go out for a couple of hours.

Anyway, thanks for the advice.

Best

Matt
 
Yeah, it's definitely an ACPI issue. A newer kernel may resolve it and a BIOS update may help resolve it.
 
I did a BIOS update and that hasn't changed anything. I don't know anything abut ACPI but I will look into it. I will also follow the 50 things to do after installing Ubuntu video. Maybe some proprietary drivers will help (doubt it). Anyway, if I find the solution. I will report it here.
 
Code:
sudo apt install ksystemlog

Then open it up and check for error. Errors should be colored as such so that they stand out even more.

Boot parameters would be like adding 'acpi = off' or 'noapic' to the boot. Rather than type it all out, those two search terms should get you exact directions.

Ok, so I ran this sytem log and there some errors...some related to 'power'. I tried to save the file so I could show it you but there was no option. How do in interpret these errors? Do you do paid skype consulting so I can understand this better?

Best

Matt
 
No, I don't do paid consulting or anything like that.

What you do is copy those errors and paste 'em into your favorite search engine.

As for copy/pasting multiple lines, click on a line, hold shift, and use the up/down arrow. Once you've highlighted them, you can right click and select copy.

You can try sharing the errors with us. We might know - but we'd probably be doing the same thing, highlighting them and using our favorite search engine. But, you can share the errors and see - someone here may know how to help you fix those errors.

If it's a lot of data, you can use https://paste.linux-tips.us and just paste lots of text there and provide the resulting link.
 
Hello,

Well when I run ksystem log, I get tons and tons and tons of errors. They may as well all be written in Arabic. Are you seriously suggesting that I google each one to fix each individual error? That would take a lifetime. And all the errors look different to how they looked yesterday. It's just too complicated for the average user. I'm sorry but I've been on Linux for almost 2 years now and it's just one headache after the next. You have to spend the entire weekend on a forum just to work out how to do something simple. How on earth can it have mass appeal this way?

Best

Matt
 
@Matt73
Hi Matt, linux is not windows and its not Mac, so any newcomer has to do a bit of work and accept a learning curve, in many ways you are coming to Linux at a good time , as there are plenty of help forums with members willing giving their free time for the new user, When I started using linux there was a different attitude to the newbie, and that was well you want to use it you had better learn how [that's why in the old days everyone though linux was for geeks only]
The main diffrences between Windows/ Mac and linux is that with the big 2 they own your machine and so you are limited in what you can do yourself, with linux You own your machine and its yours to configure anyway you feel fit

Bwiz
 
Yeah, I get it. I want to learn but it's frustrating sometimes. I am a musician/artist and I don't want to become a geek but I am having to become one just to achieve my recording goals. I got into Linux because I hate big tech and I like the spirit of people power and freedom and privacy that Linux is associated with. But I'm not naturally a geek and it drives me up the wall when I can't do things or make some headway at least.

At least tell me what that ksystem thing is all about. I mean it's normal for there to be loads of errors right? How do you start to learn to interpret that? I complain sometimes but tomorrow is a new day and I'll keep plugging away.

Best

Matt
 
If all your errors are power related that's not too bad some may need fixing others may be inconsequential and caused by the OS trying to find something that's not there [example sleep mode switch on a desktop, which doesn't have one but a laptop dose ]
get yourself a beer [if its your thing] pick up your favorite instrument settle down and just play n' relax, then come back to the computer later, run the keysystem log again, and copy and past the offending results following Kgill's instructions.. Its no different from learning a new complicated rif, it you cant get it you don't' stress you leave it, and when you come back it will all seem to click into place

[I was a semi-pro singer and venue manager in my younger days{before I got married]]
 
ksystemlog is just an easy way to see the systems logs that are present in your system without having to hunt for them - here is a screenshot of my kernel log from ksystemlog
as you can see according to the kernel log displayed here it is showing current responses from UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) showing Block through my WiFi
 

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