Brightness Settings Reset After Reboot

[Klaw117]

Everytime I start Linux Mint 12, the screen brightness setting is at the maximum value, so I decrease it to something like 60%. However, when I restart the system, the brightness goes back to the maximum value. I've tried going into System Settings -> Screen or just using my Fn keys. They both adjust the brightness, but when I reboot, the brightness goes back to the maximum value. I also got dconf Editor to try to see if there was a setting to fix the brightness, but I didn't see one. How can I get my brightness setting to save so that I don't have to keep decreasing the brightness?

[Klaw117]

Bump.

Does anyone have a solution for this problem?

[esteban1uy]

There's a workaround.

Open your "Startup Applications Preferences" and click the "Add" button
At the promt, put "Brightness" as name, and the following code at "Command":

Code: Select all

gdbus call --session --dest org.gnome.SettingsDaemon --object-path /org/gnome/SettingsDaemon/Power --method org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen.SetPercentage 50

Click "Save" and restart session.
That will reduce to 50% your screen brightness.
You can change the last number to anything suitable for you.

[tek_heretik]

You didn't specify what make of video chip/adapter/card you are using, if it's nVidia, there is the settings utility (granted the proprietary driver is in use). What I do, if the video driver is 'sending' the normal brightness value to the monitor, I turn the brightness down on the monitor itself (extreme bright monitor's menu setting will reduce the life of your monitor anyway)...that being said, I prefer the video adapter/driver's default values and adjust the monitor's settings to suit it. Hope that helped.

[Klaw117]

There's a workaround.

Open your "Startup Applications Preferences" and click the "Add" button
At the promt, put "Brightness" as name, and the following code at "Command":

Code: Select all

gdbus call --session --dest org.gnome.SettingsDaemon --object-path /org/gnome/SettingsDaemon/Power --method org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Power.Screen.SetPercentage 50

Click "Save" and restart session.
That will reduce to 50% your screen brightness.
You can change the last number to anything suitable for you.

Thanks, I'll try that out later.

You didn't specify what make of video chip/adapter/card you are using, if it's nVidia, there is the settings utility (granted the proprietary driver is in use). What I do, if the video driver is 'sending' the normal brightness value to the monitor, I turn the brightness down on the monitor itself (extreme bright monitor's menu setting will reduce the life of your monitor anyway)...that being said, I prefer the video adapter/driver's default values and adjust the monitor's settings to suit it. Hope that helped.

I use a laptop with an integrated Intel graphics card and an AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics card. The AMD card doesn't have a working driver for Linux Mint, and since I'm using a laptop, I can't really adjust the brightness of the monitor itself. I have to use the Fn keys or go into the brightness settings in the Control Panel (Windows) or the System Settings (Linux Mint).

[tek_heretik]

I can't really adjust the brightness of the monitor itself. I have to use the Fn keys or go into the brightness settings in the Control Panel (Windows) or the System Settings (Linux Mint).

That's really strange, never heard of that, post the model of the laptop? This may sound old school but the last time I set a laptop's screen brightness, it was in the BIOS.

Edit: So it was too bright in Windows too?

[esteban1uy]

Well... the problem can be easily solved if you can adjust brightness via your graphics card proprietary driver.

But many of us don't have the need to use a proprietary driver, or there is no proprietary driver we can use.

Even so there's a workaround we can apply that works inmediately after startup, resuming from hibernation or suspension:

If your system has a folder named /sys/class/backlight open it. Look for a file named max_brightness (it can be located inside some sub-folder).
Open that file and take note of the only value contained, that number represents your 100% of brightness (p.e. mine says 976).

Now let's say you want to lower your brightness to 50%.
Open a terminal, type gedit ~/.lowerbrightness.sh and paste the following code:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh

#change brightness setting to 50 percent on startup or resume

pkexec /usr/lib/gnome-settings-daemon/gsd-backlight-helper --set-brightness 488



Save it and make it executable (chmod +x ~/.lowerbrightness.sh).

Now at terminal paste this code (replace esteban with your own name):

Code: Select all

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.peripherals.input-devices hotplug-command "/home/esteban/.lowerbrightness.sh"

Log off, log in and voilà... no more burning screens.

[Klaw117]

@tek_heretik: My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 14R (N4110). And no, the brightness is fine in Windows. My Fn keys actually work there (well, they work in Linux Mint also, but the settings don't save, unlike in Windows).

@esteban1uy: Thank you, your solution worked. However, I just have one last question. In the event that AMD finally makes a working driver for my graphics card, how do I reverse this command?

Code: Select all

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.peripherals.input-devices hotplug-command "/home/klaw117/.lowerbrightness.sh"

I know that I could just delete the file that you told me to create, but I feel like it would be a good idea to also know the method to reverse the above command in the terminal.

[esteban1uy]

@esteban1uy: Thank you, your solution worked. However, I just have one last question. In the event that AMD finally makes a working driver for my graphics card, how do I reverse this command?

Code: Select all

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.peripherals.input-devices hotplug-command "/home/klaw117/.lowerbrightness.sh"

I know that I could just delete the file that you told me to create, but I feel like it would be a good idea to also know the method to reverse the above command in the terminal.

That's really easy. Just type this at your terminal:

Code: Select all

gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.peripherals.input-devices hotplug-command ""

Then you can safely delete that script file (/home/klaw117/.lowerbrightness.sh).

Other way: if you have "Configuration Editor" (aka dconf Editor, from package dconf-tools, kinda regedit but for Gnome) already installed in your system, just open it and navigate to this key: org->gnome->settings-daemon->peripherals->input-devices, select the key named "hotplug-command" and click the "Set to Default" button located at the bottom of the window.
Then go to your personal folder and delete the script file.

[tek_heretik]

@tek_heretik: My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 14R (N4110). And no, the brightness is fine in Windows. My Fn keys actually work there (well, they work in Linux Mint also, but the settings don't save, unlike in Windows).

Yep, just had a look at your manual, the other posters are right, you will have to do the code thing for a reoccurring driver brightness adjustment once you reach the desktop. Arrrrrrg, no offense, but I hate proprietary computers, blech. Just briefly reading that manual tied my stomach in knots, lol.

[Klaw117]

@esteban1uy: Awesome, thank you!

@tek_heretik: Haha, I didn't originally intend to install Linux (this is why I don't have a Linux-friendly laptop), but when I noticed that all of my friends majoring in computer engineering and/or computer science had Linux on, I figured that it would be a good idea for me to install it since I'm majoring in those as well.

[chiefjim]

Will any of the above adjust the brightness during the boot issue itself? A friend of mine with macular issues had tremendous discomfort beginning with the first screens.

[esteban1uy]

Will any of the above adjust the brightness during the boot issue itself? A friend of mine with macular issues had tremendous discomfort beginning with the first screens.

Nope.
I'm sorry, but this workaround adjusts brightness AFTER the first login after booting.
But he can always use hibernate (disabling autentication) instead of simply powering its laptop off, so everytime he resumes it the brightness will keep the appropriate value, even at the login screen.
Other way could be setting the session autologin, so he can pass those first screens and at the regular session the screen will automatically dim.
Give it a try.

[vxltbe]

@esteban1uy

Thank you very much for the help!