screen goes blank while typing problem

[Konstantin Svist]

Mail Lists wrote:
> Mail Lists wrote:
>>
>>  Starting sometime after recent updates (not 100% which/when) - i 
>> have a problem where the screen blanks off while i am typing. This is 
>> running KDE - on F8 fully updated.
>>
>>  Laptop is IBM T42 with ATI  R350 video card.
>>
>>   Onlyi way out - is to switch to virtual console and then back to 
>> vc7 -or vice  versa. This happens even in run level 3 and seems to be 
>> happening with the last 3 revs of kernel. In run level 3  - closing 
>> and opening lid brings the text console back to life - but within a 
>> few seconds it blanks - regardless of keyboard  activity.
>>
>>   I
>
>
>    Additional information - it sat all night and woke fine this 
> morning. However, after using it a few minutes the screen gooes dark.
>
>    I can see the windows behind very faintly (no backlight maybe?) and 
> they are responding to the keyboard - just the screen wont gte bright 
> - unless i toggle the VC's and then it shuts down rapidly after that 
> making it impossible to use. I can ssh to laptop and all appears to be 
> well - no log messages - other than the following which occur if i 
> manage to get it back bright:
>
> Apr 13 01:33:25 bongos acpid: client connected from 2659[0:0]
> Apr 13 01:33:26 bongos kernel: agpgart: Found an AGP 2.0 compliant 
> device at 0000:00:00.0.
> Apr 13 01:33:26 bongos kernel: agpgart: Putting AGP V2 device at 
> 0000:00:00.0 into 4x mode
> Apr 13 01:33:26 bongos kernel: agpgart: Putting AGP V2 device at 
> 0000:01:00.0 into 4x mode
> Apr 13 01:33:26 bongos kernel: [drm] Loading R300 Microcode
>
>  Thanks for any thoughts.

Recent updates enabled some backlight brightness code.. the option for 
it in KPowersave is now enabled for me (autodimm to NN% after MM min).
Enabling it doesn't work for me, though - the screen doesn't dim, but 
the OS becomes very unresponsive. Similar thing happens when I try to 
increase/decrease brightness manually - but that has an effect 
brightness and the freezing only lasts 1-2 sec.

Try killing KPowersave or haldaemon - that usually makes everything work 
for me



HTH