The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    thinkpad 500: FN + F7 doesn't work after ubuntu recent update

    Discussion in 'Linux Compatibility and Software' started by Bashar, Feb 22, 2009.

  1. Bashar

    Bashar Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    33
    Messages:
    640
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Hello,
    for some reason the FN + F7 key does not work anymore when i press it, it used to work just fine but after yesterday or day before update for ubuntu it stopped working

    any idea what might be the problem or how to manually press it? because my DisplayPort is not enabled by default even when mirroring the screens it doesn't work, only the VGA port when mirroring screens works

    Please advise.

    Thank you
     
  2. archer7

    archer7 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    289
    Messages:
    647
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    What is fn + F7?
     
  3. proxima_centauri

    proxima_centauri Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    59
    Messages:
    196
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Fn+F7 is the hotkey which switches display input/output. Like laptop only, laptop/external display, external display only.
     
  4. Bashar

    Bashar Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    33
    Messages:
    640
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    31
    if thats the hot key, whats the not-hotkey for it ?
     
  5. proxima_centauri

    proxima_centauri Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    59
    Messages:
    196
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Screen Resolution tool in Preferences, maybe nvidia-settings if you have a nvidia card
     
  6. Bashar

    Bashar Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    33
    Messages:
    640
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    31
    i have ATI card, but screen resolution does not detect the card as another monitor i need to clone my screen to work on VGA port but the DisplayPort it doesn't detect it...

    any other workaround?
     
  7. proxima_centauri

    proxima_centauri Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    59
    Messages:
    196
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Only other way I can think of is to manually edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
    And no I don't know what you should append in there.

    Try google or perhaps some Linux guru will give you the answer.
     
  8. Pitabred

    Pitabred Linux geek con rat flail!

    Reputations:
    3,300
    Messages:
    7,115
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Bashar: I have an Intel GPU in my T61, but it also uses the Fn+F7 display hotkey. The behavior of the key is controlled by the file:
    Code:
    /etc/acpi/ibm-videobtn.sh
    Edit that file, and you can configure what the key actually does. I don't know how the ATI driver deals with it, but xrandr is the new X modification applications, changes how multiple screens and such are treated. I personally have Xdialog installed so I can pop up a dialog when I hit Fn+F7 and select how I want my screen changed. I've attached my ibm-videobtn.sh script if you want to use it or take a look at it. It should work with very little modification for you.
     

    Attached Files: