Cannot install acer-predator-turbo-and-rgb-keyboard-linux-modulen for Predator keyboard lightning

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1

I did a fresh Manjaro install on my new Predator Neo 16. Unfortunately, Acer made keyboard ligthning worse. On the previous models, I had blue keyboard lightning, that could not be configured. But that was fine for me. On the 2024 Neo 16, the lights are nervously blinking. So I tried this solution:

Running the installer script, I get the following output:

~/git/acer-predator-turbo-and-rgb-keyboard-linux-module    main  sudo ./install.sh                                                                                         ✔ 
make -C /lib/modules/6.10.14-1-MANJARO/build M=/home/arne/git/acer-predator-turbo-and-rgb-keyboard-linux-module modules
make[1]: Entering directory '/usr/lib/modules/6.10.14-1-MANJARO/build'
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/lib/modules/6.10.14-1-MANJARO/build'
if [ -f "/var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.priv" ] && [ -f "/var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.der" ]; then \
        sudo kmodsign sha512 /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.priv /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.der src/facer.ko; \
fi
rmmod: ERROR: Module acer_wmi is not currently loaded
insmod: ERROR: could not insert module src/facer.ko: File exists
[   65.745907] block nvme0n1: No UUID available providing old NGUID
[   66.506627] Bluetooth: RFCOMM TTY layer initialized
[   66.506634] Bluetooth: RFCOMM socket layer initialized
[   66.506639] Bluetooth: RFCOMM ver 1.11
[   68.961959] warning: `kdeconnectd' uses wireless extensions which will stop working for Wi-Fi 7 hardware; use nl80211
[  144.157289] Bluetooth: hci0: Invalid exception type 03
[  307.997292] acer_wmi: Acer Laptop WMI Extras unloaded
[  719.121607] facer: Acer Laptop ACPI-WMI Extras
[  719.121642] facer: Function bitmap for Communication Button: 0x801
[  719.155233] input: Acer WMI hotkeys as /devices/virtual/input/input38
[*] Done

Any ideas how to fix this?

2

According to manual you can decrease keyboard backlight with Fn+F11 If that not work you probably need add acer_wmi.predator_v4=1 parameter to your kernel.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Laptop/Acer#Mode_key_and_fan_speed_monitoring_are_not_working_for_some_gaming_laptops

1 Like
3

Load acer_wmi Kernel module - ArchWiki

1 Like
4

Thanks for helping me with this, I am new to kernel modules

acer_wmi seems to be loaded

lsmod | grep acer_wmi                                                                                     

acer_wmi               45056  0
platform_profile       12288  1 acer_wmi
i8042                  57344  1 acer_wmi
sparse_keymap          12288  1 acer_wmi
rfkill                 40960  10 acer_wmi,iwlmvm,bluetooth,cfg80211
video                  81920  5 nvidia_wmi_ec_backlight,acer_wmi,xe,i915,nvidia_modeset
wmi                    32768  4 video,nvidia_wmi_ec_backlight,acer_wmi,wmi_bmof

FN+F11 works, but predator_v4 is set to "N"

systool -v -m acer_wmi | grep pred
    predator_v4         = "N"

Should I set that parameter anyways?

As the module seems to be loaded, should I assume an issue with the build script, claiming that it is not?

5

Fetched the latest version and the installer runs fine.
@Tomek @Lolix thanks for your help, I learned something

EDIT: the reason was, that the install script contains a line
rmmod acer_wmi
But the script failed a few steps later the first time I tried it. When I tried again, acer_wmi has already been unloaded, so that line failed. But I rebooted in between, so acer_wmi had been loaded again and the script ran fine.

6

Nearly a year later, I wanted to give this another try, as this never worked for me.
Though the acer_wmi problem is solved, acer_wmi is loaded after boot, I now get rmmod: ERROR: Module facer is not currently loaded
The complete output is

make -C /lib/modules/6.15.8-1-MANJARO/build M=/home/arne/git/acer-predator-turbo-and-rgb-keyboard-linux-module modules
make[1]: Entering directory '/usr/lib/modules/6.15.8-1-MANJARO/build'
make[2]: Entering directory '/home/arne/git/acer-predator-turbo-and-rgb-keyboard-linux-module'
make[2]: Leaving directory '/home/arne/git/acer-predator-turbo-and-rgb-keyboard-linux-module'
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/lib/modules/6.15.8-1-MANJARO/build'
if [ -f "/var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.priv" ] && [ -f "/var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.der" ]; then \
        sudo kmodsign sha512 /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.priv /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.der src/facer.ko; \
fi
rmmod: ERROR: Module facer is not currently loaded
[   14.913651] nvme nvme0: using unchecked data buffer
[   14.992653] block nvme0n1: No UUID available providing old NGUID
[   15.548621] Bluetooth: RFCOMM TTY layer initialized
[   15.548627] Bluetooth: RFCOMM socket layer initialized
[   15.548629] Bluetooth: RFCOMM ver 1.11
[   18.257598] warning: `kdeconnectd' uses wireless extensions which will stop working for Wi-Fi 7 hardware; use nl80211
[  420.405086] acer_wmi: Acer Laptop WMI Extras unloaded
[  420.465860] facer: Acer Laptop ACPI-WMI Extras
[  420.465917] facer: Function bitmap for Communication Button: 0x801
[  420.502310] input: Acer WMI hotkeys as /devices/virtual/input/input37
[*] Done

Any ideas?