Suspend/Resume

One of the most often cited shortcomings for FreeBSD is for suspend and resume to actually work. Although most people want this feature on portable gear, there is some demand for it on the desktop as well.

This has several aspects:

video drivers must successfully wake up and display video
other drivers must successfully restart (notably networking and USB)

Unfortunately, commercial hardware is all over the map, and people tend to try suspend/resume once and then not investigate further if it fails. But perhaps we can make some headway on identifying common failure modes, using data instead of anecdotes.

Note: A far more complete list of laptops once could be found at The FreeBSD Laptop Compatibility List (FLCL). Unfortunately this list is not maintained any longer and is available only on web.archive.org.
Note: The status of suspend/resume support is shortly described in the list of laptops running FreeBSD.

How to test

We don't yet have the necessary infrastructure in place to make suspend to disk work on amd64 or i386. The data collated here is focused on testing suspend to RAM (S3) on amd64.

To limit the number of variables involved when debugging problems, it is advised you test text mode suspend/resume before attempting it from a running X session.

suspend to RAM from text mode

Boot into multiuser mode
Ensure that no virtual terminals are running an X login manager and that X itself is not running
Switch to vty 2 (ALT+F2)
Login as root
Run "acpiconf -s 3"
Wait at least 30 seconds.
- If it succeeds, the screen should go black, the HDD wind down, the machine will turn off and the power LED should start slowly blinking on/off.
- If it fails
  - The machine may:
    - Do nothing and remain functional
    - Turn the screen off but remain functional i.e. typing "find /" will grind the hard drive and the kernel still responds to network traffic
    - Get into an unrecoverable tight loop after screen turns off but before machine powers down (normally the fans will crank all the way up if this happens)
    - Hard reset
  - You should try a bit of debugging:
    - Try "sysctl debug.acpi.suspend_bounce=1" followed by "acpiconf -s 3". This tests SUSPEND/RESUME methods of all loaded device drivers. If it breaks, please file a PR about it. (Note: Verbose "dmesg", "devinfo -rv" and "pciconf -clv" output may be very helpful for the maintainers to resolve these issues. Once you are done, don't forget to turn it off, i. e., "sysctl debug.acpi.suspend_bounce=0".)
    - Try "kldload vesa.ko" if screen does not turn on. (Note: Generally speaking, ATI/AMD GPUs can be easily reset with vesa.ko but it does not help some NVIDIA GPUs because their video BIOSes do not allow calling POST again to the best of my knowledge. For NVIDIA GPUs, you need a model-specific driver, i.e., ports/x11/nvidia-driver built with "WITH_ACPI_PM=yes". Setting "hw.acpi.reset_video" is no longer recommended.)
    - Try "sysctl debug.acpi.resume_beep=1". When the BIOS finishes initialization and jumps to our resume code, it will make loud beep on system speaker for a while and stop. If it does not make noise while resuming, you know BIOS did not reach our resume code at all. On the other hand, if the noise does not stop, something has gone wrong while resuming a device driver or kernel panicked/hung. (Note: Some systems do not have capability to make noise on speaker. Press Ctrl+G on console to find out.)
    - Check if there is a relevant acpi_<manufacturer>.ko kernel module for your machine and if there is, make sure you test with the module unloaded first, then test again with it loaded.
    - Check if S3 is listed in sysctl hw.acpi.supported_sleep_state
    - Try the ideas mentioned here DebuggingSuspendResume

suspend to RAM from X

resume from RAM

Suspend must have succeeded i.e. the power LED should be slowly blinking on/off.
Press the power button once, do not hold it down. The machine should wakeup, HDD should startup
Wait 30 seconds.
- If the screen stays off:
  - Reset your BIOS settings to defaults.
  - TBD
- If the screen comes back on:
  - Reset your BIOS settings to defaults.
  - TBD

Field data

System	Owner	Willing to test?	Test info
			Suspend		Resume		uname -mpv	kldstat \| awk '{ if (index($5, ".ko")) print $5 }'	pciconf -l \| sed 's/[0-9]@.//' \| sort -u	Notes
			text mode	X	text mode	X	uname -mpv	kldstat \| awk '{ if (index($5, ".ko")) print $5 }'	pciconf -l \| sed 's/[0-9]@.//' \| sort -u	Notes
Acer Aspire A515-43	peterj	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 13.1-STABLE #19 -dirty src13b-c269690-g3529ddcfbe09-dirty: Wed May 4 18:50:22 AEST 2022 root@aspire5.rulingia.com:/usr/obj/usr/src/amd64.amd64/sys/aspire5 amd64 amd64	rtwn.ko if_rtwn_usb.ko ccp.ko amdgpu.ko drm.ko linuxkpi_gplv2.ko ttm.ko amdgpu_picasso_gpu_info_bin.ko amdgpu_picasso_sdma_bin.ko amdgpu_picasso_asd_bin.ko amdgpu_picasso_pfp_bin.ko amdgpu_picasso_me_bin.ko amdgpu_picasso_ce_bin.ko amdgpu_picasso_rlc_bin.ko amdgpu_picasso_mec_bin.ko amdgpu_picasso_mec2_bin.ko amdgpu_picasso_vcn_bin.ko uhid.ko usbhid.ko wmt.ko	ahci ccp hdac hostb intsmb isab none nvme pcib re vgapci xhci	Video restores at full brightness but can be controlled. ntpd needs restarting
Dell Precision 7720	vd	yes	yes	yes	no	no	FreeBSD 12.0-STABLE r342396 SMLE amd64 amd64	zfs.ko opensolaris.ko amdgpu.ko drm.ko linuxkpi.ko linuxkpi_gplv2.ko debugfs.ko amdgpu_polaris10_mc_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_pfp_2_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_me_2_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_ce_2_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_rlc_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_mec_2_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_mec2_2_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_sdma_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_sdma1_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_uvd_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_vce_bin.ko amdgpu_polaris10_smc_bin.ko coretemp.ko if_iwm.ko iwm8265fw.ko vboxdrv.ko ums.ko geom_eli.ko uhid.ko ng_ubt.ko netgraph.ko ng_hci.ko ng_bluetooth.ko ng_l2cap.ko ng_btsocket.ko ng_socket.ko pf.ko vboxnetflt.ko ng_ether.ko vboxnetadp.ko linux.ko linux_common.ko linux64.ko mac_ntpd.ko	ahci em hdac hostb isab iwm none nvme pcib vgapci xhci	SMLE is GENERIC + "device evdev" + "options EVDEV_SUPPORT". Suspend works fine. Resume "works", except that the screen stays blank. "sysctl debug.acpi.suspend_bounce=1" followed by "acpiconf -s 3" works, but it does not switch off/on the video. "sysctl debug.acpi.resume_beep=1" produces a beep for about 1 second (ok). None of the following helps in re-enabling the video: hw.acpi.reset_video=1, acpi_video.ko loaded or not loaded, amdgpu.ko loaded or not loaded.
Apple Macbook Core Duo 1.83GHz	ChrisRees	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 10.3-RELEASE #0 r297264: Fri Mar 25 03:51:29 UTC 2016 root@releng1.nyi.freebsd.org:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC i386 i386	splash_pcx.ko ums.ko wsp.ko uhid.ko i915kms.ko drm2.ko iicbus.ko iic.ko iicbb.ko	atapci ath ehci hdac hostb isab mskc none pcib uhci vgapci	Works flawlessly. You could sysctl hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=s3 to make it sleep on lid close.
Asus Eee 1005HA	rpaulo	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 10	acpi_video.ko acpi_asus.ko	TBD	You need hw.acpi.reset_video=1
HP Z400 Workstation	lstewart	yes	yes	TBD	no	TBD	FreeBSD 9.0-STABLE #1 r230474: Tue Jan 24 02:22:29 EST 2012 root@lstewart1:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/S3TEST amd64 amd64	geom_raid.ko zfs.ko opensolaris.ko linprocfs.ko linux.ko	ahci ehci hostb ioapic isab pcib uhci vgapci	- S3TEST is GENERIC minus bge, sound and firewire related devices to minimise attached drivers for test. - Seems to suspend find, but on resume, turns on, screen stays off and machine is unresponsive to keyboard, network and ACPI power off from button press. Hard reset required to bring it back. - acpi_hp.ko makes no difference
Toshiba Portege R600 Laptop	lstewart	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 8.2-STABLE #8 r224238M: Thu Aug 11 09:54:34 EST 2011 root@lstewart-laptop:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC amd64 amd64	if_wpi.ko snd_hda.ko sound.ko ahci.ko atapicam.ko acpi_toshiba.ko cuse4bsd.ko linux_v4l2wrapper.ko linux.ko vboxdrv.ko sdhci.ko mmc.ko mmcsd.ko zfs.ko opensolaris.ko vboxnetflt.ko netgraph.ko ng_ether.ko vboxnetadp.ko wpifw.ko i915.ko drm.ko	ahci ehci em hdac hostb isab pcib sdhci uhci vgapci wpi	- Need sysctl hw.acpi.reset_video=1 - Used KDE4.6.5 for X test
Lenovo X1	osa	yes	no	yes	no	yes	FreeBSD 9.0-STABLE, FreeBSD 9.1-STABLE, FreeBSD 9.2-STABLE	if_em.ko if_iwn.ko firmware.ko wlan.ko snd_hda.ko sound.ko usb.ko agp.ko acpi_video.ko cuse4bsd.ko iwn1000fw.ko wlan_amrr.ko acpi_ibm.ko vboxdrv.ko vboxnetflt.ko netgraph.ko ng_ether.ko vboxnetadp.ko wlan_wep.ko wlan_tkip.ko wlan_ccmp.ko ipfw.ko linux.ko sysvshm.ko sysvsem.ko sysvmsg.ko fuse.ko linux_adobe.ko i915.ko iicbb.ko iicbus.ko iic.ko drm.ko ng_socket.ko ng_mppc.ko rc4.ko ng_iface.ko ng_ppp.ko ng_tee.ko ng_pptpgre.ko ng_ksocket.ko ng_vjc.ko ehci.ko xhci.ko ums.ko uhid.ko	ahci ehci em hdac hostb isab iwn none pcib vgapci xhci	sdhci needs kldunload/kldload after resume, comment out "options VESA" in the kernel configuration file
Lenovo X1 Carbon	glebius	yes	no	yes	no	yes	FreeBSD head			sdhci needs kldunload/kldload after resume
Dell Latitude E5420	cperciva	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 9.2-RELEASE amd64	sdhci.ko mmc.ko mmcsd.ko linsysfs.ko linux.ko linprocfs.ko if_lagg.ko	ahci bge ehci fwohci hdac hostb isab iwn none pcib sdhci vgapci	Video non-functional with GENERIC, but everything works perfectly with GENERIC - "options VESA".
Toshiba Z830 Laptop	emaste	yes	yes	TBD	no	TBD	PC-BSD 9.0			Resume works but video does not come back, with reset_video=0 or reset_video=1
Asus G2K Laptop	jkim	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 10.0-CURRENT #0 r233249M: amd64	vesa.ko ataahci.ko ata.ko cam.ko atapci.ko ataati.ko atasiliconimage.ko atajmicron.ko fdescfs.ko linprocfs.ko linux.ko linsysfs.ko firewire.ko sbp.ko lindev.ko if_ath.ko wlan.ko if_lagg.ko if_re.ko miibus.ko sound.ko snd_hda.ko usb.ko amdtemp.ko acpi_video.ko acpi_asus.ko cpuctl.ko cpufreq.ko dpms.ko udf.ko wlan_ccmp.ko wlan_tkip.ko wlan_wep.ko if_ath_pci.ko usb_quirk.ko ohci.ko ehci.ko amdsbwd.ko iic.ko iicbus.ko iicbb.ko iicsmb.ko smbus.ko intpm.ko smb.ko mmc.ko mmcsd.ko sdhci.ko cuse4bsd.ko if_bridge.ko bridgestp.ko ng_ubt.ko ng_hci.ko ng_bluetooth.ko netgraph.ko uhid.ko ng_l2cap.ko ng_btsocket.ko ng_socket.ko linux_adobe.ko logo_saver.ko wlan_xauth.ko	atapci ath fwohci hdac hostb intsmb isab none pcib re sdhci vgapci	I have two more desktops with ATI/AMD GPUs. They all work fine unless I load USB drivers cuse4bsd.ko (ports/multimedia/cuse4bsd-kmod 0.1.23).
Thinkpad T400s	phk	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 10.0-CURRENT #0 r238860M amd64	linux.ko linux_adobe.ko i915.ko drm.ko	ahci ath ehci em hostb isab none pcib sdhci uhci vgapci	USB is dead after resume
Thinkpad T450	JasonTubnor	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 12.0-BETA3 r340039 GENERIC amd64 amd64	zfs.ko opensolaris.ko i915kms.ko drm.ko linuxkpi.ko linuxkpi_gplv2.ko debugfs.ko if_iwm.ko iwm7265Dfw.ko	ahci ehci em hdac hostb isab iwm none pcib vgapci xhci	Modern i915kms.ko drivers are required for screen to reset after resume. Install drm-next-kmod from packages and then add kld_list="/boot/modules/i915kms.ko" to /etc/rc.conf. Works as it does under OpenBSD. For the lid to operate suspend/resume set: sysctl hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=S3
Thinkpad X200	lme	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 10.0-CURRENT #14 r238992M amd64	aio.ko acpi_ibm.ko vboxdrv.ko linprocfs.ko linux.ko tmpfs.ko vboxnetflt.ko netgraph.ko ng_ether.ko vboxnetadp.ko smb.ko smbus.ko ichsmb.ko hwpmc.ko coretemp.ko acpi_dock.ko sem.ko cuse4bsd.ko i915.ko drm.ko umodem.ko ucom.ko if_cdce.ko uether.ko uvhid.ko vkbd.ko linux_adobe.ko tpm.ko	ahci ehci em hdac hostb ichsmb isab iwn none pcib uhci vgapci	USB is dead after 2nd resume, tpm.ko needs to be unloaded before suspending
Thinkpad X200	tyler	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 11.0-CURRENT r264387 amd64	zfs.ko opensolaris.ko geom_eli.ko crypto.ko aesni.ko sem.ko iwn5000fw.ko ums.ko ng_ubt.ko netgraph.ko ng_hci.ko ng_bluetooth.ko ng_l2cap.ko ng_btsocket.ko ng_socket.ko vboxnetflt.ko vboxdrv.ko ng_ether.ko vboxnetadp.ko linux.ko i915kms.ko drm2.ko iicbus.ko iic.ko iicbb.ko	ahci ehci em hdac hostb isab iwn none pcib uhci vgapci	NOTE: This kernel build is using a `VT` kernel. USB is dead after 2nd resume by default, managed to make suspend work by changing sysctls around USB wake based on this mailing list post
Thinkpad T61	trasz	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 11.0-CURRENT #5 r267012	acpi_ibm.ko i915kms.ko iicbb.ko iicbus.ko iic.ko drm2.ko acpi_video.ko	ahci atapci cbb ehci em hdac hostb isab iwn none pcib uhci vgapci	NOTE: This kernel build is using a `VT` kernel. Make sure the "Security -> IO Port Access -> Modem" in BIOS is set to "enabled", otherwise it won't resume. USB is dead after 2nd resume. Don't load tpm.ko.
Thinkpad T43	tyler	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	FreeBSD 11.0-CURRENT #0 r264918 amd64	if_wi.ko iwi_bss.ko radeonkms.ko drm2.ko iicbus.ko iic.ko iicbb.ko radeonkmsfw_R300_cp.ko	atapci bge cbb ehci hostb isab iwi none pcib pcm uhci vgapci	Xorg rendered Gtk+ apps incorrectly after first resume, second suspend/resume cycled resulted in panic and restart
Lenovo Thinkpad X61s	SevanJaniyan	yes	yes	TBD	yes	TBD	FreeBSD 11.0-CURRENT r270990 amd64	zfs.ko opensolaris.ko acpi_ibm.ko i915kms.ko iicbb.so iicbus.ko iic.ko drm2.ko	ahci atapci cbb ehci em hdac hostb isab none pcib ral sdhci_pci uhci vgapci	modem needs to be enabled in BIOS & hw.acpi.reset_video=1 needs to be set
Fujitsu Lifebook E733	AleksanderAlekseev	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 11.0-BETA4 r303759 amd64	i915kms.ko iicbb.ko iicbus.ko iic.ko drm2.ko ipfw.ko ums.ko uhid.ko	ahci ehci em hdac hostb isab iwn none pcib uart vgapci xhci	Did't work at first. Not sure whether updating from BETA3 to BETA4 or changing BIOS settings (e.g. disabling Intel Fast Boot) helped. Now works flawlessly. All config files could be found on GitHub.
HP EliteBook 840 G2	brnrd manu	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	FreeBSD 12.0-CURRENT a7f7424(drm-next) TrueOS	zfs.ko opensolaris.ko geom_eli.ko tmpfs.ko aesni.ko if_iwm.ko iwm7265fw.ko linux.ko linux_common.ko linux64.ko libiconv.ko libmchain.ko msdosfs_iconv.ko if_bwn.ko siba_bwn.ko if_bwi.ko runfw.ko if_run.ko if_rum.ko cuse.ko sem.ko geom_uzip.ko fdescfs.ko linuxkpi.ko iwn4965fw.ko iwn1000fw.ko iwn5000fw.ko iwn5150fw.ko iwn6000fw.ko iwn6000g2afw.ko iwn6000g2bfw.ko iwn6050fw.ko if_urtw.ko if_rtwn.ko acpi_video.ko fuse.ko ums.ko atp.ko i915kms.ko drm.ko debugfs.ko linprocfs.ko ipfw.ko autofs.ko	ahci ehci em hdac hostb isab iwm none pcib vgapci xhci	In UEFI-only mode

Related FreeBSD pages

Other projects

power management in NetBSD
OpenBSD's new suspend and resume framework (pdf paper) (pdf slides)

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