CentOS - Sep 2005 - Repost ----DPMS or hardware

List,

	Did not get any response from the first attempt, so thought I'd ask again.

    I've been bugged by the fact that the dpms function will not work on
this machine, and perhaps now I have some clue as to why.  Looking at
the Xorg.0.log, I see where "Open APM failed (/dev/apm_bios) (No such
file or directory)" which tells me perhaps this is the reason why it
won't turn off the monitor.  Also, this line prior to the other.
`fonts.dir' not found (or not valid) in
"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local/".  That part I can maybe fix, but I
have no clue what should be in the /dev/apm.  The only thing that will
happen is the monitor will go into screeensaver mode, or if no saver
selected, it will do nothing, not even blank.

    What should the /dev/apm contain?  Where does it pick up the info as
to what should be in there, from a probe of the hardware?  That said,
does the fact that I'm using a custom video driver from ATI make any
difference?

Thanks for any help.....

-- 
Snowman

On Sat, 2005-09-24 at 18:05 -0400, Sam Drinkard wrote:
> List,
> 
> 	Did not get any response from the first attempt, so thought I'd ask
again.
> 
>     I've been bugged by the fact that the dpms function will not work
on
> this machine, and perhaps now I have some clue as to why.  Looking at
> the Xorg.0.log, I see where "Open APM failed (/dev/apm_bios) (No such
> file or directory)" which tells me perhaps this is the reason why it
> won't turn off the monitor.  Also, this line prior to the other.
> `fonts.dir' not found (or not valid) in
> "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local/".  That part I can maybe fix,
but I
> have no clue what should be in the /dev/apm.  The only thing that will
> happen is the monitor will go into screeensaver mode, or if no saver
> selected, it will do nothing, not even blank.
> 
>     What should the /dev/apm contain?  Where does it pick up the info as
> to what should be in there, from a probe of the hardware?  That said,
> does the fact that I'm using a custom video driver from ATI make any
> difference?
> 
> Thanks for any help.....
Sam-

On my laptop, which is using ACPI (default with the newer
distros/kernels), I see see the same message in my Xorg.0.log

(WW) Open APM failed (/dev/apm_bios) (No such file or directory)

However, I do see the following from DPMS

(II) Loading extension DPMS
(**) Option "dpms"
(**) RADEON(0): DPMS enabled

Do you have

        Option      "dpms"

in your monitor line of xorg.conf?

Alternatively, if your computer has apm bios, you can add

acpi=off 

to the kernel entry in /etc/grub.conf and reboot. Some server class
hardware (machines with ServerWorks chipsets) don't have an apm bios.


Also, Are you running the screensaver? If you are running Gnome, go to
Preferences > Screensaver and in the Advanced tab, make sure that Power
Management Enabled is selected.

Hope this helps.
-- 
Sean