Power down problems

[bookie]

Hi to everyone at kubuntu. This is my first post on this forum. I have been testing all sorts of linux distros recently - choosing this one because I would like to try out linuxmce.
I installed kubuntu and proceeded to update everything - no problems, although, haven't quite figured out if there is an automatic update function on this distro.
I tried to power down my computer, but encountered a few problems. The hard drive powered down but not the main computer?
I have recently been given this computer because I think the person was going to upgrade to vista and needed a more powerful processor.
Anyway, he has had windows millennium - which powered down OK, so I find it strange that kubuntu can't?

I was uncertain if this was a hardware or software problem, so I apologize if I am in the wrong place.

Is there anyone who can help with this problem?

bookie

[penguin.ch]

Re: Power down problems

an automatic update function on this distro

To which "adept_notifier" is the key

I tried to power down my computer

Depending on the hardware, booting with "acpi=off apm=power-off" for additional options (and "apm" installed, of course) may or may not help ... In other words: reverting from ACPI to APM never failed me - but that's just me ...

[bookie]

Re: Power down problems

Hi UnicornRider, I am still learning Linux, so I am not up on everything that you geniuses come up with.

Can you be a little more explicit with your advice.

adept_notifier? Should I open a terminal and just write that? Acpi=off apm=Power off? Can you describe in a little more detail.

Sorry to be a little dense.
bookie

[penguin.ch]

Re: Power down problems

adept_notifier?

To check if it's "alive and kicking", feel free to do so ...

The small green bubble popping in result, however, is supposed to greet you any time you log in to your desktop - as well as to change into something else in case of updates available.

Acpi=off apm=Power off?

In short, both are interfaces to power management - and, depending on the hardware, one might fail where the other might success ... to change interfaces, you would have to install the second one first:

apt-get install apmd

Then backup (!) /boot/grub/menu.lst and edit it in "root mode" (e.g. via [Alt][F2] kdesu kate), as follows:

To the "kernel" line of the entry you are going to (re-)boot from, append the beforementioned code, resulting e.g. in:

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17-12-generic root=/dev/sda2 ro quiet splash acpi=off apm=power-off

If this worked, enjoy - if not, undo the changes and search the forums for a better idea

[bookie]

Re: Power down problems

Hi again, well, I am getting somewhere. The update notifier is working fine. Couldn't see what bit of the boot/grub/menu.list I should edit, so I have added it for you to look at.

menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 3

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=71a49bdc-b89d-4c2a-9cea-762226f242ef ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,0)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=UUID=71a49bdc-b89d-4c2a-9cea-762226f242ef ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic
quiet
savedefault

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=UUID=71a49bdc-b89d-4c2a-9cea-762226f242ef ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-15-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=71a49bdc-b89d-4c2a-9cea-762226f242ef ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic
quiet
savedefault

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-15-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=71a49bdc-b89d-4c2a-9cea-762226f242ef ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

I do apologize for giving you so much to go through.

bookie

[penguin.ch]

Re: Power down problems

To boot (on trial) kernel 2.6.20-15, the edition to be made would be ("UUID" skipped for posting only):

title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-15-generic
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=[...] ro quiet splash acpi=off apm=power-off
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic
quiet
savedefault

With this done, the next stept would be to reboot and select the according entry from the boot loader's menu ... to ease that up, I'd recommend changing another to lines of the "menu.lst" to (!) the following contents:

timeout 12
# hiddenmenu

(Further Reading)

[bookie]

Re: Power down problems

Did the first bit but couldn't see where to add the last two lines. Please don't bother replying. If kubuntu can't make the computer power down, then why should anyone bother using it.

You could say that I am a little pissed at the mo.

I do appreciate you trying though.

bookie

[penguin.ch]

Re: Power down problems

If kubuntu can't make the computer power down, then why should anyone bother using it.

Maybe you should return to "Redmond" where everything works out of the box, without problems, let alone: engagement on part of the user to be required ... :P

[bookie]

Re: Power down problems

Got over being pissed now. I usually have a lot of patience with Linux. Still it doesn't solve my power down problems.

Thought about updating the bios, but I have a matsonic ms8137c+ motherboard - and they are hard to get updates for.

Downloaded an update from driver guide, but when I unpacked it with stuffit it was corrupt!!

Got any ideas on that?

bookie

[SheeEttin]

Re: Power down problems

The BIOS is one of the few things in a computer that rarely needs to be updated. Unless there's some pressing issue, I wouldn't bother. It probably won't fix it.

What you can do is 1. search and 2. try "acpi=force".

[bookie]

Re: Power down problems

Thanks for your comments SheeEttin. Since I was online yesterday I have tested other distros on this computer - without problem.

So at least - I now know that it is a software problem which Ubuntu and other such distros have a problem with.

At least there is a little light at the end of the tunnel.

I will have to do a little more research.

bookie

[bookie]

Re: Power down problems

Hi to UnicornRider and SheeEttin. I have solved the problem of power down with your help.

I have tried 'acpi=force' instead of 'acpi=off apm=power off' and it worked.

I find it strange that a simple command can change the situation so easily. One wonders why it has been omitted in the development of Ubuntu/Kubuntu?

Anyway, I appreciate your help on this matter.


Look forward to working with you when the next problem rears its ugly head.

I suppose that I forgot for a mo that Linux is for those that like getting their feet wet at times - and for that reason I apologize to UnikornRider if I was a little grumpy.

Thanks again

bookie

PS This is what I did with the boot/grub menu.list

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-15-generic
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=71a49bdc-b89d-4c2a-9cea-762226f242ef ro quiet splash acpi=force
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic
quiet
savedefault