Display preferences causes crash with VGA external display

[Jeff Oliver]

Binary package hint: gnome-control-center

Opening the display preferences for the first time after the computer is restarted causes the system to crash. By crash, I mean the screen turns black, the cursor freezes (or disappears), and the system is unresponsive to keyboard or mouse stimuli.

The purpose of opening the display preferences is to send the display to an external display (monitor or projector) via the VGA port. The external display is off when Ubuntu is started, then powered on, then display preferences is opened, resulting in a crash.

Interestingly, if the system is restarted (via Restart..., or after Shut Down...) with the external display connected (VGA) _and_ external display powered on when Ubuntu starts up, display preferences opens without a hitch, detects the external display, and generally plays nice with others. It is only when Ubuntu is already running, then the external display is subsequently powered on, does this crash occur.

Additional details (enumerated per Launchpad's suggestion):
1) The release of Ubuntu you are using: Running Ubuntu 9.10 on a Dell Inspiron E1505 laptop.
2) The version of the package you are using: The bug may be in gnome-display-properties, but I cannot be positive. I believe this is part of the gnome-control-center package, and I'm using version 1:2.28.1-0ubuntu1.
3) What you expected to happen: I expected the display preferences application to open.
4) What happened instead: Fail.

Things I have not tried:
-External display connected via non-VGA port, such as a USB.
-Opening display preferences for the first time after a restart, without a powered-on external display connected to the VGA port.

Thanks in advance to any who could provide information on a fix.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
CheckboxSubmission: 515339ea979f00a7c145ad53ddb37b6f
CheckboxSystem: d00f84de8a555815fa1c4660280da308
Date: Wed Apr 14 10:11:58 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/gnome-display-properties
Package: gnome-control-center 1:2.28.1-0ubuntu1
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-20.58-generic
SourcePackage: gnome-control-center
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-20-generic i686

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

the issue seems rather an xorg or video driver one

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[This is an automatic notification.]

Hi Jeff,

This bug was reported against an earlier version of Ubuntu, can you
test if it still occurs on Lucid?

Please note we also provide technical support for older versions of
Ubuntu, but not in the bug tracker. Instead, to raise the issue through
normal support channels, please see:

    http://www.ubuntu.com/support

If you are the original reporter and can still reproduce the issue on
Lucid, please run the following command to refresh the report:

  apport-collect 563083

If you are not the original reporter, please file a new bug report, so
we can work with you as the original reporter instead (you can reference
bug 563083 in your report if you think it may be related):

  ubuntu-bug xorg

If by chance you can no longer reproduce the issue on Lucid or if you
feel it is no longer relevant, please mark the bug report 'Fix Released'
or 'Invalid' as appropriate, at the following URL:

  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/563083

[Jeff Oliver (jeffreycoliver)]

Problem does not occur in Lucid. Tested May.14.2010 by original poster (me).