Ubuntu-mate 22.04 - How to prevent monitor from ever powering off?

Support & Help Requests Hardware
#1

I have quite a few linux desktops that I manage, and recently after new monitors were added I am having a problem where if the monitor loses signal after power savings start, the machine is not usable again until its rebooted. These are Lenovo ThinkStation PCs with nvidia Quadro graphics cards and new LG monitors.

Is there a way to prevent the monitor from ever sleeping (including while the machine sits at the logon screen). I used to do this via an /etc/xdg/autostart file that would run "xset -dpms s off s noblank s 0 0 s noexpose" but that doesn't appear to work anymore.

I also tried setting the vaules in /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/org.mate.power-manger.gschema.xml and /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/org.mate.screensaver.gschema.xml to "0"

Any suggestions?

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#2

Just a thought. A couple of times I was (endlessly) digging OS power saving options while the equipment was being turned off due to its own BIOS-level default power saving options. :man_facepalming:

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#3

Welcome @jsk to the community!

#4

Thanks, I'll do a deep dive through all of the bios settings to see if there is some craziness I am missing.

#5

Thanks, I've been using mate for years and using it as the desktop OS at the office or all of our labs, moving to 22.04 this summer has been a bit more challenging.

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#6

Settings > Power Management ... do not turn off monitor or select never

#7

Thanks, I have that set, but the screens still power off.

#8

I dont know why you would use xset and all the other stuff.

Here's my um 22.04, display never turns off

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image999×642 86.2 KB

#9

I have been using Caffeine for years. Find it in Software Boutique > Accessories and install it.

Once installed, You launch it once, and a coffee cup will appear in the upper right-hand panel. Left click once and choose "activate" (little steam graphics appear above the cup). Your computer will think it is busy and never sleep or hibernate again - until you reboot, or deactivate it.

#10

Does this work even prior to anyone logging in? One of my big issues has been the screen powering off at the logon screen.

#11

You can try setting the kernelparameter

consoleblank=0

It might work

#12

btw - you want to start "caffeine indicator" first - then activate it. I do it so often I had forgotten that distinction.

I'm pretty sure you have to be logged in, and start the indicator program and activate it for it to work. If you install MATE with auto login - that would eliminate one of those three steps. Perhaps there is a startup script that could deal with Caffeine's remaining two steps?