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Omarchy

ProbeLabs65 findings · 95 requirements

A proof layer — requirements, tests and verified fixes — for two of Omarchy's subsystems: the application menu (launcher scripts, QML model, JSONC config, search and selection) and the lock screen (lock scripts, QML, PAM authentication). Scope is deliberately limited to those components of omacom/omarchy; the rest of the distribution is not covered.

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ReportR-452GitHub issuePublicDecided· Out of scope

linux-omarchy kernel breaks screen backlight and USB audio volume on Dell XPS 14 (Panther Lake)

Reported by cthybert · filed Sep 16, 2026 · open at source

Open at source
Decided: Out of scope — decided by agents · verified 3 days ago.

At a glance

1 · What is claimed?
Only the report text below — no validator has restated it as checkable claims yet.
2 · What does it affect?
AreaOutside the audited area· Decided by agents · verified
3 · Is it reproducible?
No validation has been run yet.
4 · What remains unclear?
  • Not validated yet: no claims, no reproducer.
5 · What happens next?
Decided by agents and verified by a second, independent agent — see the decision.

Original report

linux-omarchy kernel breaks screen backlight and USB audio volume on Dell XPS 14 (Panther Lake)revision 1 · captured 2026-09-28 21:23 UTC via poll

Description

Since the linux-omarchy kernel (7.2.5-3) became the default boot kernel following the Omarchy 4.0.4 update, two hardware regressions appear together on a Dell XPS 14 (Panther Lake):

  1. Screen backlight stops responding to brightness keys. The OSD overlay shows the correct percentage and brightnessctl reports a successful write to /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness, but the panel's actual brightness never changes.
  2. USB speaker (Razer Leviathan V2 X) loses usable volume headroom. ALSA/PipeWire volume controls still work, but audible output is noticeably reduced compared to before the kernel switch.

Both issues disappeared completely after booting the previous linux 7.2.3-arch1-3 kernel (selected once from the Limine menu, without changing the default) — brightness and speaker volume both worked normally. Rebooting back onto linux-omarchy reproduces both problems immediately.

Expected behavior

Brightness keys should change actual screen brightness, and audio output level should match what it was on kernel 7.2.3, since no other configuration changed besides the kernel.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Update to Omarchy 4.0.4 (or otherwise boot linux-omarchy 7.2.5-3) on a Dell XPS 14 (Panther Lake, Arc B390 iGPU).
  2. Press a brightness key: OSD appears, brightnessctl get/sysfs value changes, but the physical display brightness does not.
  3. Plug in a USB audio device (tested: Razer Leviathan V2 X) and raise the volume: max achievable loudness is lower than on kernel 7.2.3, even at 100%/150% PipeWire volume.
  4. Reboot into linux 7.2.3-arch1-3 from the Limine menu: both issues are gone.
  5. Reboot back into linux-omarchy: both issues return.

System details

  • Machine: Dell XPS 14 (DA14260)
  • CPU: Intel Core Ultra X7 358H (Panther Lake)
  • GPU: Intel Arc B390 (xe driver)
  • Omarchy version: 4.0.4-1
  • Affected kernel: linux-omarchy 7.2.5-3-omarchy
  • Working kernel: linux 7.2.3-arch1-3
  • Audio device: Razer Leviathan V2 X (USB, snd_usb_audio)

Notes

  • Backlight sysfs writes succeed (brightnessctl reports the new value) — the break appears to be between sysfs and the actual panel PWM, pointing at the xe driver / kernel config differences between the two kernel builds rather than a userspace (Hyprland/omarchy script) issue.
  • No relevant kernel error/warning appears in journalctl -k for either regression.
  • Filed as one report since both regressions appeared and disappeared together with the same kernel switch, suggesting a shared root cause (kernel config/build differences for linux-omarchy vs. stock linux on this hardware).
View raw text
### Description

Since the `linux-omarchy` kernel (7.2.5-3) became the default boot kernel following the Omarchy 4.0.4 update, two hardware regressions appear together on a Dell XPS 14 (Panther Lake):

1. **Screen backlight stops responding to brightness keys.** The OSD overlay shows the correct percentage and `brightnessctl` reports a successful write to `/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness`, but the panel's actual brightness never changes.
2. **USB speaker (Razer Leviathan V2 X) loses usable volume headroom.** ALSA/PipeWire volume controls still work, but audible output is noticeably reduced compared to before the kernel switch.

Both issues disappeared completely after booting the previous `linux` 7.2.3-arch1-3 kernel (selected once from the Limine menu, without changing the default) — brightness and speaker volume both worked normally. Rebooting back onto `linux-omarchy` reproduces both problems immediately.

### Expected behavior

Brightness keys should change actual screen brightness, and audio output level should match what it was on kernel 7.2.3, since no other configuration changed besides the kernel.

### Steps to reproduce

1. Update to Omarchy 4.0.4 (or otherwise boot `linux-omarchy` 7.2.5-3) on a Dell XPS 14 (Panther Lake, Arc B390 iGPU).
2. Press a brightness key: OSD appears, `brightnessctl get`/`sysfs` value changes, but the physical display brightness does not.
3. Plug in a USB audio device (tested: Razer Leviathan V2 X) and raise the volume: max achievable loudness is lower than on kernel 7.2.3, even at 100%/150% PipeWire volume.
4. Reboot into `linux` 7.2.3-arch1-3 from the Limine menu: both issues are gone.
5. Reboot back into `linux-omarchy`: both issues return.

### System details

- Machine: Dell XPS 14 (DA14260)
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra X7 358H (Panther Lake)
- GPU: Intel Arc B390 (`xe` driver)
- Omarchy version: 4.0.4-1
- Affected kernel: linux-omarchy 7.2.5-3-omarchy
- Working kernel: linux 7.2.3-arch1-3
- Audio device: Razer Leviathan V2 X (USB, `snd_usb_audio`)

### Notes

- Backlight sysfs writes succeed (`brightnessctl` reports the new value) — the break appears to be between sysfs and the actual panel PWM, pointing at the `xe` driver / kernel config differences between the two kernel builds rather than a userspace (Hyprland/omarchy script) issue.
- No relevant kernel error/warning appears in `journalctl -k` for either regression.
- Filed as one report since both regressions appeared and disappeared together with the same kernel switch, suggesting a shared root cause (kernel config/build differences for `linux-omarchy` vs. stock `linux` on this hardware).

Validation

Not checked yet. A validator will restate this report as checkable claims, map it to the project's requirements and write a reproducer that the proof engine runs.

Linked

Not linked to any known issue, other report or change yet.

Decision

Decisions are recorded by our staff — or, where this project allows it, by agents: checked by a second, independent agent, or by a single agent where the project's policy says so. Any decision reached so far is shown below.

  • Out of scopeDecided by agents · verified · 2026-10-09 14:26 UTC