Can't adjust screen brightness on ubuntu 16.04.1

Support & Help Requests
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Hello, I just recently installed ubuntu 16.04 on my Dell inspiron laptop and I can’t adjust the screen brightness using my function keys or the screen brightness applet in my panel. As I am new to this forum, I’m not sure what I need to include in my topic so please be gentle with me:slight_smile:. Just for information purposes, when I first switched over to ubuntu (from linux mint 18) I downloaded the 16.10 version first and my screen brightness could be adjusted using my function keys but I wanted a version that had long term support which caused me to do a clean install of 16.04. I have so far really enjoyed this system but can’t get a handle on this issue. Thanks to everyone who can assist me on this. I’ve included my system info below for information. Thanks to all again for any assistance.

System:    Host: larry-Inspiron-N7010 Kernel: 4.4.0-45-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: MATE 1.14.1 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.1)
           Distro: Ubuntu 16.04 xenial
Machine:   System: Dell (portable) product: Inspiron N7010 v: A11
           Mobo: Dell model: 08VFX1 v: A11 Bios: Dell v: A11 date: 03/31/2011
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i3 M 370 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 9575
           clock speeds: max: 2399 MHz 1: 933 MHz 2: 1066 MHz 3: 1599 MHz
           4: 1199 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: [email protected]
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ironlake Mobile
           GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-45-generic
Network:   Card-1: Broadcom BCM4313 802.11bgn Wireless Network Adapter
           driver: wl bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR8152 v1.1 Fast Ethernet
           driver: atl1c v: 1.0.1.1-NAPI port: 2000 bus-ID: 04:00.0
           IF: enp4s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 531.4GB (2.6% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD5000BEVT size: 500.1GB
           ID-2: USB /dev/sdb model: Cruzer_Fit size: 31.3GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 453G used: 6.5G (2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 6.23GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   None detected - is lm-sensors installed and configured?
Info:      Processes: 218 Uptime: 5:14 Memory: 969.2/5764.5MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.461) inxi: 2.2.35
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This might apply to Dell Inspirons I’m not certain but I had a similar problem with my Dell Studio.
Check out this solution on Ubuntu Forums

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pfeiffep, thanks for the reply. I opened up the link you sent and performed the steps as outlined. Unfortunately after rebooting my machine, I still have the same issue with not being able to adjust my screen brightness with the function keys. When I depress either key, the scale shows that it’s either increasing or decreasing but there is actually no change in brightness. As I stated in my original post, when I installed 16.10, my function keys worked and I was able to change my brightness levels simply by increasing or decreasing the levels using the keys. Just as a piece of information, I ran linux mint for approximately a year prior to coming over to Ubuntu and I couldn’t get the function keys to work with any of those distros. I may just be doomed with this laptop…Thanks to you once again for your reply. Have a super day…

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Hi @Larryy83, welcome to the Ubuntu MATE forum.

Since you discovered function keys work as expected with 16.10, it may simply be a case of installing the latest kernel (currently 4.8.6) in 16.04.1?

Here’s a How-to for 64-bit systems

  • Open Additional Drivers (accessed via Preferences, or Control Centre), disable previously selected propriety drivers (you may find you can skip this step, I found it helps prevent kernel compile errors while jumping from kernel 4.4… to 4.8…)

  • Open Terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), copy ‘n’ paste the following (pressing Enter after each)

wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.8.6/linux-headers-4.8.6-040806_4.8.6-040806.201610310831_all.deb
wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.8.6/linux-headers-4.8.6-040806-generic_4.8.6-040806.201610310831_amd64.deb
wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.8.6/linux-image-4.8.6-040806-generic_4.8.6-040806.201610310831_amd64.deb

(Once 3 kernel files are downloaded, install using)

 sudo dpkg -i linux*4.8.6*.deb

  • Reboot system

  • Open Additional Drivers re-enable previously disabled proprietary drivers.

That’s it! If all went well, you should now be using kernel 4.8.6, and the 3 downloaded kernel files in your Home folder can be deleted. :slight_smile:

Tip:
If you have any issues with kernel 4.8.6, you can simply reboot and select kernel 4.4… from GRUB advanced options. 4.8.6 can then be removed.

Above steps are easier than appears.

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Hello DaveB

I’ve went through your instructions and rebooted the machine and am now running 4.8.6 kernel but my problem is still present meaning I can’t change screen brightness with the function keys. I was really hoping that this would cure my problems but unfortunately they still exist. Thank you for your gallant efforts in trying to get me fixed, I really appreciate you. I will keep plugging away until I accept defeat or I fix this thing. Thanks again, Larryy83

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You’re welcome.

Since this didn’t fix the issue, might be best to return to latest 4.4… kernel, and remove 4.8.6.
Reason for suggesting this, once a newer custom kernel is manually installed, it won’t auto update via Software Updater and will require manual installation whenever a newer kernel is released.

Remove 4.8.6 kernel, How-to:

  • Reboot system and from GRUB (advanced options) choose most recent 4.4… kernel
  • Once system is booted, open Terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), copy ‘n’ paste the following
sudo apt-get remove 4.8.6-040806

(pay close attention to the Terminal output, making sure just three 4.8.6 kernel files are selected. If so, agree to their removal. Several lines of information will fly past and GRUB boot options will automatically update)

All done!

1 Like
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Will do. Thanks for the tip.