Can this computer relic be configured to properly "suspend"?

Help & Support
1

Hello, I have attempted various things to the point of confusion, and have given up at this point. :frowning:

Hopefully, someone can tell me whether I physically can configure my Motherboard/BIOS/HardDrive (tower, not a notebook) to use a dedicated SWAP partition for

  • hybrid-sleep (preferrably; suspend-then-hibernate)

or

  • simple suspend (power-down sleep until keypress).

Details reported by dmidecode - t bios:

# dmidecode -t bios

# dmidecode 3.3
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 2.5 present.

Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 24 bytes
BIOS Information
	Vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
	Version: 2603   
	Release Date: 04/13/2011
	Address: 0xF0000
	Runtime Size: 64 kB
	ROM Size: 1 MB
	Characteristics:
		ISA is supported
		PCI is supported
		PNP is supported
		APM is supported
		BIOS is upgradeable
		BIOS shadowing is allowed
		ESCD support is available
		Boot from CD is supported
		Selectable boot is supported
		BIOS ROM is socketed
		EDD is supported
		5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
		3.5"/720 kB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
		3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
		Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
		8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
		Serial services are supported (int 14h)
		Printer services are supported (int 17h)
		CGA/mono video services are supported (int 10h)
		ACPI is supported
		USB legacy is supported
		LS-120 boot is supported
		ATAPI Zip drive boot is supported
		BIOS boot specification is supported
		Targeted content distribution is supported
	BIOS Revision: 8.15

Handle 0x0036, DMI type 13, 22 bytes
BIOS Language Information
	Language Description Format: Long
	Installable Languages: 1
		en|US|iso8859-1
	Currently Installed Language: en|US|iso8859-1

#

Details reported by dmidecode -t baseboard:

`# dmidecode -t baseboard

# dmidecode 3.3
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 2.5 present.

Handle 0x0002, DMI type 2, 15 bytes
Base Board Information
	Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
	Product Name: M4A78-E
	Version: Rev 1.xx
	Serial Number: 101048580000313
	Asset Tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
	Features:
		Board is a hosting board
		Board is replaceable
	Location In Chassis: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
	Chassis Handle: 0x0003
	Type: Motherboard
	Contained Object Handles: 0

Handle 0x0034, DMI type 10, 6 bytes
On Board Device Information
	Type: Video
	Status: Enabled
	Description:   To Be Filled By O.E.M.

#

Details of report from biosdecode:

# biosdecode

# biosdecode 3.3
BIOS32 Service Directory present.
	Revision: 0
	Calling Interface Address: 0x000F0010
PCI Interrupt Routing 1.0 present.
	Router Device: 00:14.3
	Exclusive IRQs: None
	Compatible Router: 1002:439d
	Device: 01:05, on-board
	Device: 00:02, on-board
	Device: 00:03, on-board
	Device: 00:04, on-board
	Device: 00:05, on-board
	Device: 00:06, on-board
	Device: 00:07, on-board
	Device: 00:09, on-board
	Device: 00:0a, on-board
	Device: 00:0b, on-board
	Device: 00:0c, on-board
	Device: 00:14, on-board
	Device: 00:12, on-board
	Device: 00:13, on-board
	Device: 00:11, on-board
	Device: 03:05, slot 13
	Device: 03:06, slot 14
	Device: 02:00, on-board
PNP BIOS 1.0 present.
	Event Notification: Not Supported
	Real Mode 16-bit Code Address: F000:6862
	Real Mode 16-bit Data Address: F000:0000
	16-bit Protected Mode Code Address: 0x000F688A
	16-bit Protected Mode Data Address: 0x000F0000
ACPI 2.0 present.
	OEM Identifier: ACPIAM
	RSD Table 32-bit Address: 0xCFF90000
	XSD Table 64-bit Address: 0x00000000CFF90100
SMBIOS 2.5 present.
	Structure Table Length: 2476 bytes
	Structure Table Address: 0x0009F400
	Number Of Structures: 69
	Maximum Structure Size: 185 bytes
Intel Multiprocessor present.
	Specification Revision: 1.4
	Configuration Table Address: 0x000F06E0
	Mode: Virtual Wire

#
2 Likes
Bootable USB Key - Partition Table Format?
2

Probably started life as a Win 7 computer in 2011:
Windows 7 - Release Date: October 22, 2009

Windows 7 supports suspend (Sleep) and also Hibernate. Sleep saves the session to RAM for quick wake; Hibernate saves to disk for power-off resume. You can put the PC to Sleep via Start menu power options, closing the lid (laptops), or using power plan settings.

I would say yes, but have no idea how.

5 Likes
3

I appreciate your response, Jymm, but the computer never saw Windows. It was a home-built from custom parts by my brother who had Debian Linux installed at the outset.

I was hoping someone might recognize some state properties offered in the above-mentionned reports, which would indicate as “proof-positive” before I beat my head against the wall trying to make it work once I install the 26.04 Ubuntu. None of the previously installed Ubuntu versions would work from default Distro, so wondering if there is something I have to change in the BIOS before the install and let the install “wizards” do their thing to configure it properly to make it work. :slight_smile:

2 Likes
4

Hi @ericmarceau

@Jymm has a point though, about the energy saving capability of the hardware.

I downloaded the manual of your motherboard and according to this manual, it is compliant with ACPI 2.0

ACPI 2.0 includes sleep and hibernate so the hardware should be definitely up to it.

About the powersettings in the BIOS I found this:

3.7.1

  • Suspend Mode [Auto]
    Allows you to select the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) state to be used for system suspend.
  • [S1 (POS) only]
    Sets the APCI suspend mode to S1/POS (Power On Suspend).
  • [S3 only]
    Sets the APCI suspend mode to S3/STR (Suspend To RAM).
  • [Auto] The system automatically configures the ACPI suspend mode.

The strange thing is that the manual doesn’t mention S4 state, which is ‘Hibernation or Suspend to Disk’, but the ACPI 2.0 dictates that it should be there. I guess it does so put the Suspend Mode on [Auto]

( information about sleep states can be found here )

Best thing you can do is just have a single swap partition about 1 GB bigger than your RAM and see if it works.

If you can get that working then hybrid sleep may be possible, even if you have to script it a bit.

EDIT: If windows can hibernate on this motherboard, so should Linux.

4 Likes
5

Hi, Eric!
You see, more often than not I’ve faced with a situation when trying something is easier and more reliable than finding out in documentation, etc. :man_shrugging:

2 Likes