Display preferences app no longer detects external monitor after today's update

[Luis Arias]

Before today's update, I could use an exernal monitor plugged into the mini display port (intel card) of my Inspiron xps 15z. Now after today's update the display preferences applet doesn't detect the external monitor and clicking on Detect Displays doesn't help. I tried rebooting on the previous (3.0.0-15) kernel version and the problem remained so I think its due to a compiz update.

Here is the list of updated packages from /var/log/apt/history.log:

Start-Date: 2012-02-15 08:32:49
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.299'
Install: linux-image-3.0.0-16-generic:amd64 (3.0.0-16.28), linux-headers-3.0.0-16:amd64 (3.0.0-16.28), linux-headers-3.0.0-16-generic:amd64 (3.0.0-16.28)
Upgrade: juju:amd64 (0.5+bzr453-1juju2~oneiric1, 0.5+bzr454-1juju2~oneiric1), compiz-plugins-default:amd64 (0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6, 0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6.1), tomcat6-user:amd64 (6.0.32-5ubuntu1.1, 6.0.32-5ubuntu1.2), linux-generic:amd64 (3.0.0.15.17, 3.0.0.16.19), firefox-globalmenu:amd64 (10.0+build1-0ubuntu0.11.10.1, 10.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.11.10.1), firefox:amd64 (10.0+build1-0ubuntu0.11.10.1, 10.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.11.10.1), libtomcat6-java:amd64 (6.0.32-5ubuntu1.1, 6.0.32-5ubuntu1.2), compiz-gnome:amd64 (0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6, 0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6.1), linux-headers-generic:amd64 (3.0.0.15.17, 3.0.0.16.19), linux-image-generic:amd64 (3.0.0.15.17, 3.0.0.16.19), firefox-locale-en:amd64 (10.0+build1-0ubuntu0.11.10.1, 10.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.11.10.1), libservlet2.5-java:amd64 (6.0.32-5ubuntu1.1, 6.0.32-5ubuntu1.2), compiz-plugins:amd64 (0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6, 0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6.1), libdecoration0:amd64 (0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6, 0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6.1), tomcat6-common:amd64 (6.0.32-5ubuntu1.1, 6.0.32-5ubuntu1.2), compiz:amd64 (0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6, 0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6.1), linux-libc-dev:amd64 (3.0.0-15.26, 3.0.0-16.28), compiz-core:amd64 (0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6, 0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6.1), firefox-gnome-support:amd64 (10.0+build1-0ubuntu0.11.10.1, 10.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.11.10.1)
End-Date: 2012-02-15 08:34:42

I will try a unity 2d session to see if the problem persists.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-16.28-generic 3.0.17
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-16-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,move,commands,regex,animation,place,session,grid,obs,workarounds,mousepoll,wall,imgpng,unitymtgrabhandles,gnomecompat,resize,vpswitch,wobbly,fade,expo,scale,ezoom,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Wed Feb 15 11:13:33 2012
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-10-17 19:46:06.316435
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 vboxhost, 4.1.8, 3.0.0-14-generic, x86_64: installed
 vboxhost, 4.1.8, 3.0.0-15-generic, x86_64: installed
 vboxhost, 4.1.8, 3.0.0-16-generic, x86_64: installed
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, if not too technical
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0126] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0446]
 nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0df5] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0446]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110427.1)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Dell System XPS 15Z
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-16-generic root=UUID=bef2e696-3944-4c80-af8f-e8414a26c6f7 ro pcie_aspm=force acpi=noirq i915.semaphores=1 quiet splash keyboard-configuration/layoutcode=fr keyboard-configuration/variantcode=oss vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-17 (120 days ago)
XorgConf:
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Default Device"
  Option "NoLogo" "True"
 EndSection
dmi.bios.date: 05/09/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A02
dmi.board.name: 060G42
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 0.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA02:bd05/09/2011:svnDellInc.:pnDellSystemXPS15Z:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn060G42:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr0.1:
dmi.product.name: Dell System XPS 15Z
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6.1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu26
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.26-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7.1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.0-1ubuntu13
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu2.1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1

[Luis Arias (kaaloo)]

Same thing in metacity and actually in terminal mode after doing Alt-F1 so this seems to have nothing to do with compiz. However looking at the list of upgraded packages I'm a bit stumped at what could have such a low level effect.

[Luis Arias (kaaloo)]

I just tried rebooting without the quiet and splash kernel parameters and I got my external monitor back! Will do some more reboot tests later just to make sure this is what had an effect.

[Luis Arias (kaaloo)]

I'm closing this report since the situation is not reproducible, was probably just a fluke.

[Luis Arias (kaaloo)]

Actually I don't see how to close it, please close this bug.

[dino99 (9d9)]

That version has reached EOL since a while, so it will not receive update. If that issue still exist, report again using ubuntu-bug.