ThinkPad: Mute button

Problem:

Mute button does not work properly on most ThinkPads and IdeaPads with a newer kernel. Two different scenarios occur:

Nothing works

The Button does not react at all: no led flash (some ThinkPads have an LED, indicating the Mute-State) and no effect on Speakers Volume. It only mutes, if you first press the mute button and afterwards the Vol-Down-Key.

External Audio still on

Pressing the button causes the speakers to mute (LED also works), but external audio is still on.

Solution:

Older IBM ThinkPads

First try this: "http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Mute_button"

Nothing works:

Edit your /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf and add the following line:

options thinkpad_acpi enabled=0 # enables Mute-Button on ThinkPads with IdeaPad-Firmware 

reboot, and go on:

External Audio still on:

Install tpb from the AUR and create an file "/root/.tpbrc":

#tpb-Settings: 

CALLBACK "/root/tp-key-handler" 

OSD off 

Now create the file "/root/tp-key-handler":

#!/bin/bash
echo $1 $2
if [ $1 = mute ]; then
	if [ $2 = on ]; then
		mset="off";
	else
		mset="on";
	fi
	sudo -u USERNAME amixer sset Master $mset; # I had to sudo to me, because I use PulseAudio
fi

you'll have too add execute-rights to /root/tp-key-handler:

chmod +x /root/tp-key-handler 

Since tpb needs root-privileges as well as X, you may start it by adding "sudo tpb" in the .xinitrc and editing your sudo-Settings (use visudo) or addin "gksudo tpb" in any X-Startscript (the last will ask for an password on startup).

That's it - if you have a better Idea, please do not hesitate to edit this page!