Thanks for all the help. Puppy won't run with battery power

[jd7654]

I did install lubuntu and daphile, same problem.

Thanks for trying that, That is what I suspected would happen. So the problem is really "Linux won't run with battery power in Dell Latitude D620" not necessarily Puppy itself.

So I point that out not as a cop-out or to give up on Puppy, but rather look into Ubuntu support or search message boards for a fix or solution, because they have much larger user base than Puppy and may have someone with this laptop and similar issue. I've seen some reports or similar issues of Linux on laptops.

What I was getting at earlier with the suspend inquiries, is that AC power loss *can* trigger suspend, or lid switch or other messages.

Your laptop was designed with Windows XP in mind, never intended for Linux. So the theory is that Windows XP is handling the AC power loss message sent to OS properly, while Linux is not handling it properly, going into suspend or some other mode. Might be a kernel issue, or could be a power management config, or possibly just not resolved for Linux on your hardware.

Is this your laptop:
http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/ ... 20/manuals

Probably not related, but I have seen Linux falsely detect a laptop is docked when it isn't. If so this manual item may have bearing:
"If a computer loses AC power while docked to the Dell D/Dock or Dell D/Port, the computer immediately goes into low-performance mode."

But that is just a thought. I have no other solution to offer.

[peterw]

Hi jd7654

Linux should run on the Dell. Below is a review by a guy who was happy with it.

http://blog.geeksinaction.org/2010/11/0 ... tude-d620/

Of course he would have been using an earlier kernel. On some occasions, I have used Fedora because it tends to have the latest drivers that are needed if you have new devices. Perhaps give Fedora a go.

[greengeek]

Hi number77 - try pulling out the ac cord from the laptop then immediately opening a terminal and typing the following:

dmesg

do you get any power related messages?

[peterw]

Hi number77

I have reread all the post quite a few times now and after you have done the stripping and cleaning, etc, if you still have the problem there is still a few things you can do. I have realised that we are not certain whether the laptop is working and just the screen is switched off. Maybe if you used the vga connection to an external display to see if that is the case.

[number77]

Hi Peterw
I have tried the external monitor but there is nothing. It does seem to have hung as nothing has any effect. Cap lock doesnt put on its light. No way to get back control.

[number77]

I did install lubuntu and daphile, same problem.

Is this your laptop:
http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/ ... 20/manuals

Probably not related, but I have seen Linux falsely detect a laptop is docked when it isn't. If so this manual item may have bearing:
"If a computer loses AC power while docked to the Dell D/Dock or Dell D/Port, the computer immediately goes into low-performance mode."

But that is just a thought. I have no other solution to offer.

Yes thats the one.

[number77]

Hi number77 - try pulling out the ac cord from the laptop then immediately opening a terminal and typing the following:

dmesg

do you get any power related messages?

I havent got time to read it before it hangs.

[peterw]

Hi number77

Another trick that I have successfully used to fix motherboards and other surface mount boards on quite a number of occasions is to re-flow the solder on the board. I have been reluctant to suggest this because it is not for the feint hearted. Some people strip their boards down and put them in a hot oven for 5 mins. I strip the board down, grip the board in a vice and gently go over the board with a paint stripping hot air gun both sides in the same area gradually moving around to do all the board. It takes a bit of practice and good judgement to get this right and better first done on a dead board where you have nothing to loose or on an old board. You can see that the solder has got very hot and looks as if is soft and then move on. After, it is important to not move the board until it is cool and the solder has rehardened. Surface tension keeps the components in place. Hopefully, breaking and making all the connections, reseating cpu, etc, will cure your issue and you will not have to do this. I have given a youtube website where this process is referred to because of display issues on a D620.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1GQWwqPR3U

[cthisbear]

Link fixed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1GQWwqPR3U

Chris.

[peterw]

Thanks Chris
For some reason the ability to make it active has disappeared for me?

[theru]

Run this in a terminal before switching to battery:

Code: Select all

tail -f /var/log/messages

Hopefully it will give any clues to what happens right before it hangs

You can also try to do the same with /tmp/xerrs.log

[number77]

tail -f /var/log/messages gives application/x-zerosize.
/tmp/xerrs.log gives access denied

[theru]

Did you try these commands on Puppy?

Other distros may have those files under different names or you may need to use sudo

[jd7654]

Hi jd7654

Linux should run on the Dell. Below is a review by a guy who was happy with it.

http://blog.geeksinaction.org/2010/11/0 ... tude-d620/

Of course he would have been using an earlier kernel. On some occasions, I have used Fedora because it tends to have the latest drivers that are needed if you have new devices. Perhaps give Fedora a go.

peterw,

(fyi, to post a link use the URL tag)

We know the laptop runs Linux...on AC. Just an issue when removing AC and run on battery. Also, the laptop runs fine on battery under Windows XP, so a recommendation to reflow the solder is a bit of a leap at this point, no?

[greengeek]

We know the laptop runs Linux...on AC. Just an issue when removing AC and run on battery. Also, the laptop runs fine on battery under Windows XP,

Either the removal of AC generates some form of switch signal or keystroke (thats what it does on my Toshiba as revealed in the dmesg) or the hardware expects the operating system to do something specific to keep it running after receiving that signal. The question is - what signal is being generated and how is puppy responding to it?

[peterw]

Hi jd7654

Yes, solder re-flow is a big step.
I would only suggest this after the strip down, clean and reassemble which hopefully will clear the problem has, maybe, not worked. The laptop has years of work and will need a service so that this is, in my opinion, is a good idea in any event.
Thinking about the problem:
1. We know that Linux OS have run on these D620 machines in the past without issues.
2. Linux OS's other than Puppy have the problem on this machine.
3. number77 has tried many suggestions and we are getting to the end of actions he can take before a more radical action has to be taken.
4. Looking at internet post there seems to be an issue with the display chip and dry joints.
5. Old machines such as these can develop dry joints that throw up weird faults.
6. Another potential problem could be the domed electrolytic capacitor problem, but I am not certain that this motherboard has any.
7. The ability of this D620 to run XP and the bios without issues is the bit that puzzles me but there may be difference in the way they run video to the way Linux runs it?
8. In my experience when I get to the end of trying all the obvious, I try whats left and for me solder re-flow is easy and has cured boards in the past. And hence, my suggestion.

[number77]

As xp works fine on battery I am reluctant to reflow or even strip it down as I am fallible.
In xp under system, device manager it shows under battery :
microsoft AC adapter
microsoft ACPI-compliant control method battery
microsoft ACPI-compliant control method battery. Not sure why twice.

ACPI brings the power management under the control of the operating system, as opposed to the previous BIOS-centric system that relied on platform-specific firmware to determine power management and configuration policies. Im not exactly sure what this means but could it have a bearing.

[jd7654]

...
6. Another potential problem could be the domed electrolytic capacitor problem, but I am not certain that this motherboard has any.

Yeah, I've had many machines go bad in the Capacitor Plague era. But that is a general failure, affecting AC powered, BIOS, basic booting, everything. Similar to the general video failure that the motherboard solder fix is for. Not a specific OS problem on battery like in this case.

Unfortunately, this is not a "Beginner" issue, so maybe not getting the eyes it needs. We haven't really even scratched the surface on the power management options.

[jd7654]

As xp works fine on battery I am reluctant to reflow or even strip it down as I am fallible.

That may be wise unless you have experience with it. It would be very easy to break or fry something and cause a real hardware problem. Still. it could be a combination of software and hardware problem, Linux power management, non-OEM or counterfeit components, aging hardware that XP tolerates but Linux does not.

Here's one example you can find searching Ubuntu board, of the same situation happening, albeit different laptop:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/569119/l ... ac-adapter

That was reported fixed with system (kernel) upgrade. Saw another one referring to a power management tweek but couldn't find it again.

[peterw]

Hi number77

I understand your reluctance to strip the machine. When on these forums one is never sure of the skills of the other members. There is another avenue you could try and that is to try an old Puppy. Upup was a really good Puppy.
http://www.smokey01.com/pemasu/UpupRaring/
[/url]