How to Get Linux to Suspend a Monitor

Power conservation is important for computers, especially if you are using a laptop. In general, you can get Linux to suspend a monitor in a way that is similar to the Windows stand-by mode. Here are a few different ways to suspend a monitor exhibited by the most popular versions of Linux.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Linux

Instructions

1. Boot up your Linux machine if you have not already done so. To suspend your monitor in the Debian version, remember that this version comes with suspend applications embedded in the operating system.

2. Open the setup panel from the menu on your desktop. Click on the "XScreenSaver" options and choose a period of time you would like your screensaver to kick in. Your monitor will enter the screensaver mode after a period of inactivity and will suspend shortly thereafter.

3. Suspend your monitor by locking your desktop. Click the "Lock Desktop" icon. The icon will usually look like a key or a lock. The Linux kernel will turn off the video feed from the graphics card after the amount of time you set up in the previous steps.

4. Suspend a monitor using Advanced Configuration and Power Interface for power management. This is a different type of Linux interface.

5. Type "cat /sys/power/state" in the command prompt to verify if the suspend feature is supported by your computer. If it is supported the response, "mem" will appear in the command prompt.

6. Type "echo -n mem > /sys/power/state" in the command prompt to suspend your monitor. This will make it so the only thing not running in a low power state is your RAM.

7. Suspend a monitor using the VESA suspend modes. This is another option for the Linx system that you can try if you follow the next two steps

8. Type "powersave on|vsync" into the command prompt to send the monitor into the VESA vsync mode. This begins the process of running in the lower power state.

9. Type "powersave hsync" into the command prompt to suspend the monitor in the VESA hsync mode. This ends the process and your computer monitor will run in the lower power state.

Tips & Warnings

• Finding local Linux user groups on the Internet can be helpful to get involved with and ask questions.

• If the cat command shows your computer does not support the suspend feature, enter "grep ACPI_SLEEP KERNEL_CONFIG" in the command prompt to see if it is contained in your Linux kernal. If it is, you will see "KERNEL_CONFIG" returned in the command prompt. Swap this with the real kernel configuration file by entering "/usr/src/linux-`uname -r`/.config or /boot/config-`uname -r`" in the command prompt.

• Linux commands are case sensitive and should be typed in carefully.

• The suspend feature still uses some power, although it is much more efficient than leaving it running in normal power.