[Dell Precision M4600] 2nd monitor flickers since kernel 3.5.0-19

[Wim Symons]

My 2nd monitor (a Samsung SyncMaster 930BF) worked perfectly up to kernel 3.5.0.19-generic. Starting from 3.5.0-21-generic up to now (3.5.0-32-generic) the display is not usable. It just flickers very rapidly, making it impossible to work with.

I tried to use xrandr to set a lower display rate, or even to supply a custom modeline. Nothing works.
So now I just froze my kernel to 3.5.0-19 in the grub configuration, but I don't like it because I miss out on security updates.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: xorg 1:7.7+1ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-19.30-generic 3.5.7
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-19-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu10
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,vpswitch,snap,mousepoll,resize,place,move,wall,grid,regex,imgpng,session,gnomecompat,animation,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,workarounds,scale,expo,ezoom,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Tue Mar 19 12:34:50 2013
DistUpgraded: 2012-10-19 11:20:50,891 DEBUG enabling apt cron job
DistroCodename: quantal
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: vboxhost, 4.2.10, 3.5.0-19-generic, x86_64: installed
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, if not too technical
GraphicsCard:
 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Whistler XT [AMD Radeon HD 6700M Series] [1002:6740] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:04a3]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-05-14 (308 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Precision M4600
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-19-generic root=UUID=f306ac5b-7656-4877-bf0a-4c41123e513e ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to quantal on 2012-10-19 (151 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 07/11/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A05
dmi.board.name: 08V9YG
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA05:bd07/11/2011:svnDellInc.:pnPrecisionM4600:pvr01:rvnDellInc.:rn08V9YG:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct9:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Precision M4600
dmi.product.version: 01
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.8.6-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu36
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.39-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 9.0.2-0ubuntu0.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 9.0.2-0ubuntu0.1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.13.0-0ubuntu6.1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.3-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.99.99~git20120913.8637f772-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.20.9-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.2-0ubuntu3

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Wim Symons, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please test for this with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ .

If it remains an issue, could you please run the following command in the development release from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal), as it will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report:

apport-collect -p linux REPLACE-WITH-BUG-NUMBER

If reproducible, could you also please test the latest upstream kernel available (not the daily folder) following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

where VERSION-NUMBER is the version number of the kernel you tested. For example:
kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.13-rc6

This can be done by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon next to the word Tags located at the bottom of the bug description. As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

[Wim Symons (wim-symons-deactivatedaccount)]

For the moment I no longer run Ubuntu as my default OS. But I managed to work around the issue by using the binary amd catalyst driver. You can close the issue.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Wim Symons, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1157144/comments/3 regarding you aren't running Ubuntu. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.