Trying to run 2 external displays on my Laptop

[Duncan]

I'm attempting to run two external monitors using my laptop, in addition to it's built-in display.

The machine I'm using is a HP Elitebook 8570p, and based on everything that I've read, the machine id physically capable of doing what I want, but the drivers don't seem to be able to allow it.

I can have either my monitor on the display port -OR- the monitor on the VGA port active, but I can seem to get both to work at the same time.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: xorg (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.19.0-26.28~14.04.1-generic 3.19.8-ckt4
Uname: Linux 3.19.0-26-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.12
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: kwin
Date: Tue Aug 25 15:21:05 2015
DistUpgraded: 2014-04-25 08:04:56,411 DEBUG enabling apt cron job
DistroCodename: trusty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: No
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller [8086:0166] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:17a7]
InstallationDate: Installed on 1980-01-01 (13020 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 12.04.1 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120820.1)
LightdmGreeterLog:
 QInotifyFileSystemWatcherEngine::addPaths: inotify_add_watch failed: No such file or directory
 QFileSystemWatcher: failed to add paths: /var/lib/lightdm/.config/ibus/bus
 Bus::open: Can not get ibus-daemon's address.
 IBusInputContext::createInputContext: no connection to ibus-daemon
 file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/lightdm-kde-greeter/themes/userbar/main.qml:135: Unable to assign [undefined] to QString usersession
LightdmGreeterLogOld:
 QInotifyFileSystemWatcherEngine::addPaths: inotify_add_watch failed: No such file or directory
 QFileSystemWatcher: failed to add paths: /var/lib/lightdm/.config/ibus/bus
 Bus::open: Can not get ibus-daemon's address.
 IBusInputContext::createInputContext: no connection to ibus-daemon
 file:///usr/share/kde4/apps/lightdm-kde-greeter/themes/userbar/main.qml:135: Unable to assign [undefined] to QString usersession
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP EliteBook 8570p
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.19.0-26-generic root=UUID=d4fb8295-a504-4c69-a799-fca503b14e99 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-04-25 (487 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 01/31/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: 68ICF Ver. F.40
dmi.board.name: 17A7
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 42.32
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvr68ICFVer.F.40:bd01/31/2013:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPEliteBook8570p:pvrA1029D1103:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn17A7:rvrKBCVersion42.32:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.name: HP EliteBook 8570p
dmi.product.version: A1029D1103
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.60-2~ubuntu14.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core N/A
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau N/A
xserver.bootTime: Tue Jan 1 02:00:41 1980
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.outputs:
 product id 600
 vendor LGD
xserver.version: 2:1.15.1-0ubuntu2.7

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Duncan, as per http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/readIndex?sp4ts.oid=5212848&swLangOid=8&swEnvOid=4060 an update to your computer's buggy and outdated BIOS is available (F.62). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BIOSUpdate does it change anything?

If it doesn't, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful. As well, you don't have to create a new bug report.

Once the BIOS is updated, and the information above is provided, then please mark this report Status New.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Duncan (duncan-h)]

Hi Christopher,

Thank you for the feedback. I've done a bit of digging around and what you are saying is accurate, my BIOS is currently out of date.

I spent an hour or so trying to get my BIOS to update from what I was able to extract from the .exe file that HP has made available for download, but I have not yet had any success.

My colleague (same Make & Model machine) will make an attempt at it when he gets a chance, and I will update this thread again if one of us manages to come right with this.

Thanks again for the feedback.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for xorg (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]