*ERROR* failed to set mode on [CRTC:7]

[Josh Arenson]

When I boot I receive this error. This is the same bug being tracked (and possibly ignored) by redhat. Please see the link for logs that others have submitted etc...

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=753050

I am using a Thinkpad T430s docked with DVI monitor and VGA monitor (a common configuration I would imagine). I read that there is a hardware limitation for supporting LVDS+DVI+VGA concurrently, but since the laptop is docked (and screen closed) I don't believe this explains the bug.

For the record, I am using
Ubuntu Release: 12.10
kernel 3.5.0-23-generic
Graphics: 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller [8086:0166] (rev 09)
 Subsystem: Lenovo Device [17aa:21fb]
 Kernel driver in use: i915

Please let me know how I can be of any further help.

[Fahim-ayat (fahim-ayat)]

Created attachment 71332
log file in /var/log/Xorg.1.log

I'm running Archlinux 2012 - kernel 3.6.9-1-ARCH
When plugging two monitors (the third one is laptop's LCD) x server fails to start and shows "[drm:drm_crtc_helper_set_config] *ERROR* failed to set mode on [CRTC:7] on two monitors and turns off the third one.
I'm using intel core i7 3612qm (Ivy bridge) and according to inel Specifications at http://ark.intel.com/products/64901 , inel hd 4000 supports up to 3 monitors.
xorg server version lines :
X.Org X Server 1.13.0.902 (1.13.1 RC 2)
Release Date: 2012-12-06

Attached log file
Thanx in advance

[Chris Wilson (ickle)]

xrandr please

Note that only 3 monitors are support by Ivybridge only if 2 of those are identical and running at the same resolution (such as DP+DP, HDMI+HDMI etc).

[Fahim-ayat (fahim-ayat)]

Thanx a lot for quick reply

xrandr says "can't open display"
when I disable my lcd in xorg conf I get

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 3840 x 1080, maximum 32767 x 32767
VGA1 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 477mm x 268mm
   1920x1080 60.0*+
   1600x1200 60.0
   1680x1050 60.0
   1680x945 60.0
   1400x1050 60.0
   1600x900 60.0
   1280x1024 75.0 60.0
   1440x900 75.0 59.9
   1280x960 60.0
   1366x768 60.0
   1360x768 60.0
   1280x800 74.9 59.8
   1152x864 75.0
   1280x768 74.9 59.9
   1024x768 75.1 70.1 60.0
   1024x576 60.0
   832x624 74.6
   800x600 72.2 75.0 60.3 56.2
   848x480 60.0
   640x480 72.8 75.0 66.7 60.0
   720x400 70.1
HDMI1 connected 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 477mm x 268mm
   1920x1080 60.0*+
   1600x1200 60.0
   1680x1050 59.9
   1680x945 60.0
   1400x1050 59.9
   1600x900 60.0
   1280x1024 75.0 60.0
   1440x900 75.0 59.9
   1280x960 60.0
   1366x768 60.0
   1360x768 60.0
   1280x800 74.9 59.9
   1152x864 75.0
   1280x768 74.9 60.0
   1280x720 60.0
   1024x768 75.1 70.1 60.0
   1024x576 60.0
   832x624 74.6
   800x600 72.2 75.0 60.3 56.2
   848x480 60.0
   720x480 59.9
   640x480 72.8 75.0 66.7 60.0
   720x400 70.1
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

I have two identical monitors, but one of them is connected through HDMI and the other is connected through VGA

[Chris Wilson (ickle)]

You're going to be able to combine LVDS+HDMI+VGA, that's unsupported by the hw. Reporting the limitations better is something we are working on.

[Fahim-ayat (fahim-ayat)]

Thanx and sorry to bother

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1124328

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.8 kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8-rc7-raring/

[Franck Fallateuf (ffallateuf)]

Joseph:

I've been suffering from the same problem. I went ahead and installed latest mainline kernel 3.8.0 rc7, but to no avail. Bug still exists. I went ahead and added the tag "kernel-bug-exists-upstream".

Thanks.

[Josh Arenson (josharenson)]

I concur with Franck's findings.

Thank you.

[Chris Wilson (ickle)]

It's a correct error response; the only fix is to somehow teach the display all the complexities of allowed configurations. Which basically comes under the banner of "atomic modesetting" which is still a pipe dream in the X world.

[Dave Vree (hdave)]

There is a workaround for this issue which is to leave one of the monitors unplugged until after login. It's lame, but it will allow one to boot and then work within a multi-monitor setup. I get this error with Intel Video 4000 when driving two monitors via HDMI and VGA simultaneously.

More here:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/226455/using-displayport-with-thinkpad-and-dockingstation-does-not-work

[peddanet (peddanet)]

That is funny. For me everything worked fine after upgrading 14.04. The dual monitor set up works briliantly after using the additional driver package for ati radeon graphic card adapters (fglrxx-updates).

It stopped working and producing exactly the same behaviour after working on another issue with compiz (skydome, cube rotating not working properly under 14.04). After trying to fix that, it fails, and the dual monitor vanished after logging in, leaving two black blank screens. In the error log there were repeatedly the above mentioned message.

The odd workaround works (plugging off), after changing from Terminal 8 to 7 again (ctrl-alt-F8 and then ctrl-alt-F7 again), then immediately the second monitor came back again....

[peddanet (peddanet)]

I wanted to provide the apport info instead of the thread owner, but failed, because I am not. I will now create a new bug report