Another KDE Power Management problem

[wavelike]

There is a thread marked [SOLVED] with the same problem listed below (can't post the link to it as this is my first post). Since the offered solution didn't work for me, I am starting a new one, hopefully it's not against the rules (I couldn't find anything on that).

It is a desktop machine running Kubuntu 14.04 since April, and problems appeared (I assume) after an apt update/upgrade back in very late July or early August. I shut down, went on a longish vacation and when I got back this was waiting for me. Before that update (or my vacation) everything was working fine. Don't go on vacation!

So, upon logging in, I get this notification

KDE Power Management System could not be initialized. The backend reported the following error: No valid Power Management backend plugins are available. A new installation might solve this problem. Please check your system configuration

Anyway, here is what else is happening.

1. I have no network connection - all adapters appear to be disabled and I don't seem to be able to do much about it. My PC is connected using an on-board wi-fi, which is definitely working fine because I am running a dual boot with Win8 and I have no problems there.

2. Upon clicking the Leave button, the only option I get is Logout - no Restart, no Suspend, no Shutdown - and once I do logout, on the login screen all these options are greyed out. If I try to shut down from the terminal the PC hangs (I have waited for about an hour before I performed the hard reset). In System Settings - Session Management, "Offer shutdown options" is checked, as it was before the problem appeared.

When I go to System Settings - Power Management, everything is greyed out and there is the message

Power Management configuration module could not be loaded. The Power Management Service appears not to be running. This can be solved by starting it inside "Startup and Shutdown"

Regardless of what I do with the Power Management in Service Manager - set it as a startup service (the way it was when I first noticed the problem, and it was "running" then) or not - it's always the same. If I stop the service and then restart it, I get the first message.

Any help?
Thanks.

[vinnywright]

it sounds like an unfinished upgrade,,,,,,,,you can try a

sudo dpkg --configure --pending

if you just get the prompt back try a

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

errors yes/no

VINNY

[wavelike]

Thanks for the suggestion and that is the first thing I would have tried had I had internet connection (edit: talking about update/upgrade). Anything network related was broken.

Finally, pulled the machine out and took it closer to the modem so I could use the cable instead of wi-fi. Managed to sort things out and get internet, after which things got much easier. Many broken packages and unmet dependencies but that is sorted out now. The original problem still persists as I am still having problems when I switch to the on-board wi-fi (power management breaks/doesn't load/goes bonkers) but at least I have internet now which makes tackling the problem much easier.

[wavelike]

Problem solved, all I had to do in the end (once back to wi-fi) is start the power management service which was disabled.

Thanks to Vinny.

[vinnywright]

glad you got it sorted out

VINNY

[Guest]

Me, too. Thank you, Vinny.

[GTRONICK]

Not working here

Hi everybody, i have a similar problem here, the automatic suspend does not work on my laptop. Manual suspend works by pressing Fn+F1, or closing the laptop lid.
This is the current configuration of my powermanagementprofilesrc file:

[AC]
icon=battery-charging

[AC][BrightnessControl]
value=100

[AC][DPMSControl]
idleTime=600

[AC][DimDisplay]
idleTime=300000

[AC][HandleButtonEvents]
lidAction=64
powerButtonAction=16

[Activities][bdb028ec-695a-43c8-b6b4-1683d95f1d61]
mode=None

[Battery]
icon=battery-060

[Battery][BrightnessControl]
value=30

[Battery][DPMSControl]
idleTime=360

[Battery][DimDisplay]
idleTime=120000

[Battery][HandleButtonEvents]
lidAction=1
powerButtonAction=16

[Battery][SuspendSession]
idleTime=480000
suspendType=1

[LowBattery]
icon=battery-low

[LowBattery][BrightnessControl]
value=0

[LowBattery][DPMSControl]
idleTime=120

[LowBattery][DimDisplay]
idleTime=60000

[LowBattery][HandleButtonEvents]
lidAction=1
powerButtonAction=16

[LowBattery][SuspendSession]
idleTime=300000
suspendType=1

These values matches with the system settings GUI for power management, passing the numbers in milliseconds to minutes. I do not know why this is happening an less how to fix it.

Laptop specs:
DELL Latitude E5420
6 Gb RAM
320 Gb HDD
Intel core i5 2nd gen, processor.


Thanks for your help.

[GTRONICK]

At last, it worked. I have upgrade to Kernel 3.18.3-031803-generic. Also, the brightness indicator works!!. Thanks for all!.