Resolution too low on external monitor through Intel graphics, reversion in 4.x kernel

[Thomas Hinkle]

I have the incorrect resolution on my external monitor since upgrading to 15.10 with the 4.x kernel.

Playing with xmode lines manually via xrandr has failed -- when I create a correct 1920x1080 modeline and force it, it is unable to display.

Booting with the 3.19.0-26 kernel fixes the issue.

The Machine in question is a Dell XPS 12. Video card: Intel 3rd Gen graphics controller.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.10
Package: xorg 1:7.7+7ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.2.0-18.22-generic 4.2.3
Uname: Linux 4.2.0-18-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.19.1-0ubuntu5
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Wed Nov 18 07:58:53 2015
DistUpgraded: 2015-11-06 06:09:04,179 DEBUG enabling apt cron job
DistroCodename: wily
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, including running git bisection searches
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller [8086:0166] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0589]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-11-08 (375 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-GNOME 14.10 "Utopic Unicorn" - Release amd64 (20141022.1)
MachineType: Dell Inc. XPS 12 9Q23
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-18-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=31556373-7ffa-4f76-a0f4-0a770bb0f04f ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to wily on 2015-11-06 (12 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 08/01/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A08
dmi.board.name: 0520M8
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: A08
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA08:bd08/01/2013:svnDellInc.:pnXPS129Q23:pvrA08:rvnDellInc.:rn0520M8:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrA08:
dmi.product.name: XPS 12 9Q23
dmi.product.version: A08
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.64-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 11.0.2-1ubuntu4
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 11.0.2-1ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.17.2-1ubuntu9
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.9.2-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.5.0+git20150819-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20150808-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.11-1ubuntu3
xserver.bootTime: Wed Nov 18 07:57:09 2015
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors:

xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.outputs:
 product id 957
 vendor LGD
xserver.version: 2:1.17.2-1ubuntu9

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Thomas Hinkle, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better.

Could you please test the latest upstream kernel available from the very top line at the top of the page from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/?C=N;O=D (the release names are irrelevant for testing, and please do not test the daily folder)? Install instructions are available at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/MainlineBuilds . This will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue.

If the latest kernel did not allow you to test to the issue (ex. you couldn't boot into the OS) please make a comment in your report about this, and continue to test the next most recent kernel version until you can test to the issue. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this issue is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon, next to the word Tags, located at the bottom of the report description:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-X.Y-rcZ

Where X, and Y are the first two numbers of the kernel version, and Z is the release candidate number if it exists.

If the mainline kernel does not fix the issue, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-X.Y-rcZ

Please note, an error to install the kernel does not fit the criteria of kernel-bug-exists-upstream.

Once testing of the latest upstream kernel is complete, please mark this report's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results.

Thank you for your understanding.

[David Abergel (davelargeuk)]

I was having a problem rather similar to this (although on different hardware). I found that installing a 4.3.xx version kernel from the mainline builds described above fixed the problem.

(Miraculously, I don't think it broke anything else either!)

[penalvch (penalvch)]

David Abergel, it will help immensely if you filed a new report with the default Ubuntu kernel (not mainline) via a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux

Please feel free to subscribe me to it.

[David Abergel (davelargeuk)]

Done, please see here:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1520751

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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