Dark display

[torreydale]

In the past week, both of my computers running LL 3.6 64bit have gotten darker displays.  I checked with a friend running the same version, and he noticed the same thing.  We have Intel based integrated graphics cards. 


Again, it's a recent thing I noticed since about the middle of last week.  It could be updates related.  I wondered if anyone else noticed the same thing.

[m654321]

Re-edited post 26.09.2017
Kernel on setup1 (in sig) is 4.4.0-97-generic #120-Ubuntu SMP (Asus G750): no dark screen problem (Intel card = Intel Iris)
Kernel on setup4 is 4.4.0-96-generic #119-Ubuntu SMP (Dell Latitude D630): no dark screen problem (Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller)

Using Systemback, I saved a system image for the Dell setup above (just in case ...), before attempting to update the kernel to version #120, so I could test if the 'dark screen' problem occurred with the Dell. However, #120 doesn't seem to be available now from the Ubuntu repository: #119 seems to be the latest that the command-line  sudo apt-install linux-generic will install.

So therefore, has #120 now been withdrawn, in view of the "dark-screen-bug" that some of you have experienced?

[torreydale]

It's not super dark or non-usable.  But I can definitely tell when I'm looking at a photo.  Blacks and dark colors are definitely darker.  The dark border of this forum is darker than before....for sure.  I think there was a kernel update last week.  Perhaps it's due to that.  Hopefully someone upstream will notice.

[bayoubooger]

mine also, I thought the old screen was giving up the ghost? Mine's AMD based...

[Ottawagrant]

Same problem. It happened on my Acer netbook, which is an Intel Atom processor. Nothing in BIOS, or settings to fix the problem. I just put it aside while working on other things. Will be interested to hear how this turns out.

[trinidad]

It may just be 64bit. I'll switch machines and look into it right now. This 32bit HP all Intel has no issues.

Intel Pentium4 3Ghz CPU
Mesa DRI Intel  945G

Okay. Both my 64bit Dells are on the new kernel 4.4.0-97 #120-Ubuntu SMP. Display seems clearer not darker, especially faces in photos. Neither has Intel video though both are Intel CPU. I checked the logs for video but found nothing new. One OS is in qemu the other native. I'm going to check my Ubuntu Dell now.

TC

[torreydale]

I went to a restore point from last month and things were fine.  I think it's definitely update (possibly kernel) related.  Either way, we're not alone.  See screenshot:




 

[Valtam]

Is there any mention of this on the Ubuntu Bug Tracker?

[m654321]

re-edited reply#1 in view of responses to torreydale

[trinidad]

There is no formal bug, though there are several related possibilities. Given the LL distro and the fact that the issue is somewhat hardware specific I would say that it is a recurring systemd write issue with backlight on some hardware systems. There is probably no wide range solution. Those of you that have this issue will have to work within hardware specifics. I tried to find a comprehensive issue related page to reference from. I expect some experimentation will be necessary to solve the issue, but as I related it is definitely hardware specific, and you will probably need to boot to bash. I can't be of much service to test because all 4 of my desktops (Dells and HPs) and my two laptops (Dell and Toshiba) do not have this problem.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/backlight

TC