X201 Power management problem (brightness won't change)

Message

rajm · #1 Post by **rajm** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:27 am

I have my power settings set so that when I am unplugged the screen brightness goes to the lowest settings. However, sometimes I need to temporarily increase brightness and am usually able to this with no problem by using Fn + Home. Sometimes, though, I press these keys and nothing changes in the brightness. The only way to fix this is to restart the computer. I've had 5 Thinkpads before this and have never had a problem like this.

GrandMasterKhan · #2 Post by **GrandMasterKhan** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 12:28 pm

Braddah, it appears to be a driver issue IMO. BTW, maybe check with someone who went to or goes to Cal if too complicated for you.

#3 Post by **JaneL** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 12:36 pm

GrandMasterKhan wrote:BTW, maybe check with someone who went to or goes to Cal if too complicated for you.

What part of "no personal attacks" is unclear to you?

rajm · #4 Post by **rajm** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:09 pm

JaneL wrote: What part of "no personal attacks" is unclear to you?

It's OK Cal people have had inferiority complexes since Stanford opened in 1891.

Has anyone else had this problem with brightness?

ari.pad · #5 Post by **ari.pad** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 11:38 pm

rajm wrote:
JaneL wrote: What part of "no personal attacks" is unclear to you?
It's OK Cal people have had inferiority complexes since Stanford opened in 1891.

Has anyone else had this problem with brightness?

I'm having this problem now. X201, fully updated, Win7 32 bits. I've had the machine for a few months but the problem just appeared. I supposed a windows or lenovo update caused it. When the machine wakes up from hibernation, while booting up I can change the brightness but as soon as I log in, the brightness can no longer be changed.

Did you find a workaround? Sometimes I can get this to work again by closing the lid, waiting for the machine to enter Sleep, then wake up. Then Fn-Home / Fn-End start working.

Also - this is not a hotkey driver problem - while Fn-Home etc stops working, Win+X (the windows mobility center) also stops showing the Brightness control. There was a fairly recent Intel graphics driver upgrade - I'm thinking that that one caused the damage.

billp117 · #6 Post by **billp117** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 2:32 am

Open Power Manager 3...click Power Source Optimized, then click on Restore Default Settings.

ari.pad · #7 Post by **ari.pad** » Mon Feb 07, 2011 2:17 pm

billp117 wrote:Open Power Manager 3...click Power Source Optimized, then click on Restore Default Settings.

No joy.

However - after updating the Intel HD driver with version .2279 directly from Intel's support site - the issue seems fixed, the only problem is that now the "on screen display" that used to pop up when increasing or lowering the brightness is not longer showing up when I press Fn+Home / Fn+End. However, the brightness does change AOK. Also Windows mobility center (WIN+X) seems to work fine.

larango · #8 Post by **larango** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 4:01 pm

Same problem here. I started to notice it just today. I am sure it was working two days ago. Last thing I installed was the ThinkPad Hotkey Features integration package setup version 3.30. It is happening after turning on the laptop from sleep state.

So far I don't have more info (due to lack of time) to replicate the problem and try to understand this behavior.

regards

kaede · #9 Post by **kaede** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 4:20 pm

ari.pad wrote:
billp117 wrote:Open Power Manager 3...click Power Source Optimized, then click on Restore Default Settings.
No joy.

However - after updating the Intel HD driver with version .2279 directly from Intel's support site - the issue seems fixed, the only problem is that now the "on screen display" that used to pop up when increasing or lowering the brightness is not longer showing up when I press Fn+Home / Fn+End. However, the brightness does change AOK. Also Windows mobility center (WIN+X) seems to work fine.

the osd only works with thinkpad driver.

larango · #10 Post by **larango** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 4:27 pm

I just installed via ThinkVantage System Update the Intel HD Graphics Driver for W7 (64bit) version 8.15.10.2253 and problem seem to be solved. I will keep posting if behavior occurs again.

rajm · #11 Post by **rajm** » Sun Apr 10, 2011 12:24 pm

larango wrote:I just installed via ThinkVantage System Update the Intel HD Graphics Driver for W7 (64bit) version 8.15.10.2253 and problem seem to be solved. I will keep posting if behavior occurs again.

Update on my end. I have installed all the updates in the ThinkVantage System Update and still have the problem with brightness.

penartur · #12 Post by **penartur** » Sun Apr 10, 2011 1:37 pm

rajm wrote:The only way to fix this is to restart the computer.

So neither closing/opening the lid nor reattaching the power cord does help?