[wplug] Re: IBM Thinkpad APM/ACPI: what to do next?

[Tobin Fricke]

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004, Brandon Kuczenski wrote:

> But, now in the bootup, APMD gives these messages:
> Sep  2 16:58:35 localhost kernel: apm: BIOS version 1.2 Flags 0x03 (Driver
> version 1.16ac)
> Sep  2 16:58:35 localhost kernel: apm: overridden by ACPI.

I had a similar problem on my Dell Inspiron.  IIRC, it turns out that ACPI
and APM are incompatible.  I think you have to disable (remove) ACPI
support in order for APM to work.  Or something to that effect.  You can
accomplish this by giving "acpi=off" as a kernel parameter, via Lilo (or
grub), or by removing it from the kernel.  The former is quick to try.

You might also want to Google for "software suspend linux".  This is,
AFAIK, completely separate from the power management functions, but
provides suspend-to-disk functionality within the Linux kernel.

> I've done some poking and found this discouraging thread from Redhat:
> https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/long_list.cgi?buglist=80404
>

> So, I have, as I see it, 4 options.  Which do you think is best?
> 1. Somehow shutdown ACPI (implied necessary by the startup message) -- do
> I need to uninstall the modules, or just not start the daemon?

You have to remove the module -- or you can give the "acpi=off" kernel
option.

> 2. Somehow upgrade my BIOS (surely there is community support for such a
> thing?)

If IBM provides BIOS updates, then you might as well update your BIOS.
Not sure if this will help your power management issue.

> 3. Somehow properly load or debug the apm.ko module (about which I
> currently understand nothing, but would like to learn)

Sounds difficult.  I don't think there's anything wrong with the APM
module anyway -- it's incompatible with ACPI "by design," I think.

> 4. Go back (wa-a-a-a-y back) to Redhat, where it did work.

Noooo!

> 5. Recompile the kernel with apm builtin rather than loadable.

Could try that.

> There are problems with all of these:
> problem with 1: I need ACPI for the battery monitor (AFAIK)

Possible.. but APM provides this function too.

--tobin