Analog VGA goes black on resume

[James Cobban]

Starting a few weeks ago after applying regular maintenance to 22.04.3 LTS one of my two displays, an LG 22MP47HQ-P connected to my tower by a D-Sub cable, blinked multiple times immediately on resume from suspend. My second display which is connected using HDMI works normally. This, of course, was merely a mild annoyance because after a few seconds it stopped. However in the past week that same display flashes on, and then goes black. I power the display off and back on and again it flashes on for a fraction of a second and then goes black. After several power cycles of the display it stays on, so again this is only a mild annoyance. Is this a known issue with a recent update?

Specifically this is after a deep suspend, one where on unlock you need to press a key to get the login prompt.

I tried updating to 23.10 but the problem is there as well.

This bug tool does not permit reporting a problem against Wayland.

lshw -C video
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
logical name: /dev/fb0
version: 06
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom fb
configuration: depth=32 driver=i915 latency=0 resolution=1920,1080
resources: irq:31 memory:f7800000-f7bfffff memory:e0000000-efffffff ioport:f000(size=64) memory:c0000-dffff

/var/log/apt/history.log taken immediately after encountering the issue on 22.04

Start-Date: 2024-01-02 16:01:30
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.7295'
Upgrade: thunderbird:amd64 (1:115.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 1:115.6.0+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), thunderbird-locale-en:amd64 (1:115.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 1:115.6.0+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), thunderbird-locale-en-gb:amd64 (1:115.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 1:115.6.0+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), thunderbird-locale-en-us:amd64 (1:115.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 1:115.6.0+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), thunderbird-gnome-support:amd64 (1:115.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 1:115.6.0+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1)
End-Date: 2024-01-02 16:01:33

Start-Date: 2024-01-03 16:57:04
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: libsqlite3-dev:amd64 (3.37.2-2ubuntu0.1, 3.37.2-2ubuntu0.3), libsqlite3-0:amd64 (3.37.2-2ubuntu0.1, 3.37.2-2ubuntu0.3), sqlite3:amd64 (3.37.2-2ubuntu0.1, 3.37.2-2ubuntu0.3)
End-Date: 2024-01-03 16:57:05

Start-Date: 2024-01-03 16:57:08
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: openssh-client:amd64 (1:8.9p1-3ubuntu0.5, 1:8.9p1-3ubuntu0.6), openssh-server:amd64 (1:8.9p1-3ubuntu0.5, 1:8.9p1-3ubuntu0.6), openssh-sftp-server:amd64 (1:8.9p1-3ubuntu0.5, 1:8.9p1-3ubuntu0.6)
End-Date: 2024-01-03 16:57:10

Start-Date: 2024-01-03 16:57:13
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: libnode72:amd64 (12.22.9~dfsg-1ubuntu3.2, 12.22.9~dfsg-1ubuntu3.3), nodejs:amd64 (12.22.9~dfsg-1ubuntu3.2, 12.22.9~dfsg-1ubuntu3.3), libnode-dev:amd64 (12.22.9~dfsg-1ubuntu3.2, 12.22.9~dfsg-1ubuntu3.3)
End-Date: 2024-01-03 16:57:14

Start-Date: 2024-01-03 16:57:16
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: nodejs-doc:amd64 (12.22.9~dfsg-1ubuntu3.2, 12.22.9~dfsg-1ubuntu3.3)
End-Date: 2024-01-03 16:57:17

Start-Date: 2024-01-09 20:43:19
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.9514'
Install: php8.3-xml:amd64 (8.3.1-1+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+1, automatic), php8.3-mbstring:amd64 (8.3.1-1+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+1, automatic), php8.3-common:amd64 (8.3.1-1+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+1, automatic), php8.3-intl:amd64 (8.3.1-1+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+1, automatic)
Upgrade: php-common:amd64 (2:93+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+3, 2:94+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+1), software-properties-common:amd64 (0.99.22.8, 0.99.22.9), python3-software-properties:amd64 (0.99.22.8, 0.99.22.9), php-intl:amd64 (2:8.2+93+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+3, 2:8.3+94+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+1), php-mbstring:amd64 (2:8.2+93+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+3, 2:8.3+94+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+1), software-properties-gtk:amd64 (0.99.22.8, 0.99.22.9), python3-distro-info:amd64 (1.1ubuntu0.1, 1.1ubuntu0.2), distro-info-data:amd64 (0.52ubuntu0.5, 0.52ubuntu0.6), linux-firmware:amd64 (20220329.git681281e4-0ubuntu3.23, 20220329.git681281e4-0ubuntu3.24), php-xml:amd64 (2:8.2+93+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+3, 2:8.3+94+ubuntu22.04.1+deb.sury.org+1), distro-info:amd64 (1.1ubuntu0.1, 1.1ubuntu0.2)
End-Date: 2024-01-09 20:45:50

Start-Date: 2024-01-10 21:58:10
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: libc6:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), libc6:i386 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), libc-dev-bin:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), libc6-dbg:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), libc6-dev:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6)
End-Date: 2024-01-10 21:58:28

Start-Date: 2024-01-10 21:58:35
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: libc-bin:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6)
End-Date: 2024-01-10 21:58:51

Start-Date: 2024-01-10 21:58:55
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: locales:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6)
End-Date: 2024-01-10 21:59:22

Start-Date: 2024-01-10 21:59:25
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: libc-devtools:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6)
End-Date: 2024-01-10 21:59:26

Start-Date: 2024-01-15 13:06:55
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: libbinutils:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5), binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5), libctf0:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5), binutils-common:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5), binutils:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5)
End-Date: 2024-01-15 13:07:03

Start-Date: 2024-01-15 13:07:06
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: gir1.2-javascriptcoregtk-4.0:amd64 (2.42.3-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.42.4-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), gir1.2-webkit2-4.0:amd64 (2.42.3-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.42.4-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), libjavascriptcoregtk-4.0-18:amd64 (2.42.3-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.42.4-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37:amd64 (2.42.3-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.42.4-0ubuntu0.22.04.1)
End-Date: 2024-01-15 13:07:07

Start-Date: 2024-01-15 13:07:09
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: libctf-nobfd0:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5)
End-Date: 2024-01-15 13:07:10

Start-Date: 2024-01-16 15:56:12
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: xwayland:amd64 (2:22.1.1-1ubuntu0.9, 2:22.1.1-1ubuntu0.10)
End-Date: 2024-01-16 15:56:17

Start-Date: 2024-01-16 15:56:20
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: xserver-common:amd64 (2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.5, 2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.7)
End-Date: 2024-01-16 15:56:38

Start-Date: 2024-01-16 15:56:44
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: xserver-xorg-legacy:amd64 (2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.5, 2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.7)
End-Date: 2024-01-16 15:56:56

Start-Date: 2024-01-16 15:56:59
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: xserver-xephyr:amd64 (2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.5, 2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.7)
End-Date: 2024-01-16 15:57:07

Start-Date: 2024-01-16 15:57:10
Commandline: /usr/bin/unattended-upgrade
Upgrade: xserver-xorg-core:amd64 (2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.5, 2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.7)
End-Date: 2024-01-16 15:57:15

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 23.10
Package: xorg 1:7.7+23ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.5.0-14.14-generic 6.5.3
Uname: Linux 6.5.0-14-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.27.0-0ubuntu5
Architecture: amd64
BootLog: Error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/log/boot.log'
CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Sat Jan 20 09:32:39 2024
DistUpgraded: 2024-01-20 04:06:11,870 DEBUG Running PostInstallScript: '/usr/lib/ubuntu-advantage/upgrade_lts_contract.py'
DistroCodename: mantic
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0412] (rev 06) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [1028:05a4]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-02-09 (1441 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 19.10 "Eoan Ermine" - Release amd64 (20191017)
MachineType: {report['dmi.sys.vendor']} {report['dmi.product.name']}
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_CA.UTF-8
 LANGUAGE=en_CA:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.5.0-14-generic root=UUID=67aed1dc-c6dd-4509-b413-1acd9fc2ca3f ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to mantic on 2024-01-20 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 06/25/2018
dmi.bios.release: 65.23
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A23
dmi.board.name: 00V62H
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 15
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA23:bd06/25/2018:br65.23:svnDellInc.:pnOptiPlex9020:pvr00:rvnDellInc.:rn00V62H:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct15:cvr:sku05A4:
dmi.product.name: OptiPlex 9020
dmi.product.sku: 05A4
dmi.product.version: 00
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.115-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 23.2.1-1ubuntu3.1
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:21.1.7-3ubuntu2.6
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:19.1.0-3
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20210115-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.17-2build1

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

If it's software at all then this would be a kernel bug. But I suspect the issue is more likely hardware since 1920x1080 @60Hz is pushing the limits of analog VGA. Anything less than a perfect cable with perfect connections and I'd expect display glitches like this.

Personally I'd recommend adding a graphics card to the machine so you can use HDMI on both monitors. But you might also want to try 30Hz to see if it makes the display more stable. We can also keep this open as a kernel bug just in case it is.

[James Cobban (7-webmaster)]

Thank you for responding. Please bear in mind that I have been using this same computer and this same monitor configuration for over five years, and only in the past three weeks since I originally reported this problem have I had this issue. I did not change the hardware before the problem arose. However since my computer has two DisplayPort 1.2 outputs I will try connecting the failing display using a DisplayPort to HDMI cable, the same way the working display is connected.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

It might be a subtle regression in the kernel then, in how it handles VGA negotiation. But if you have the option of DisplayPort/HDMI then I wouldn't spend time trying to figure out what might have regressed in the kernel for VGA.

[James Cobban (7-webmaster)]

After replacing the VGA cable with a Display Port to HDMI cable the problem persists. Presumably the backlight on the LCD display is failing. It is over five years old, so this is forgivable. I will order a new display.

Thank for your patience and consideration.