External screen undetected after first plug

[Jean-Christophe Baptiste]

On Ubuntu 14.04, the external screen plugged on VGA is detected and get activated correctly.
However, if I unplug it and then replug it later, it is not detected anymore and the screen receives no signal.

A way to get it back to work is to reboot or simply suspend the computer.

Sorry but I have no idea of what package is handling that.

[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 1300914

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.

[Jean-Christophe Baptiste (jc-baptiste)]

I am not able to provide technical details at this time. This a functional issue and I don't know what package is involved.

[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 v3.14 kernel[0].

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.

[Jean-Christophe Baptiste (jc-baptiste)]

I tested with 3.14, and same problem.

But I caught some kernel messages every time I replug the screen:

[ 42.038474] [drm:intel_dp_complete_link_train] *ERROR* failed to train DP, aborting
[ 57.587925] [drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up
[ 57.600327] [drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up
[ 57.612303] [drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up
[ 66.380412] [drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up
[ 66.391831] [drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up
[ 66.403830] [drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up

I am not sure if it relevant, but it seems so.

[Jean-Christophe Baptiste (jc-baptiste)]

Also note that I had no issue on Ubuntu 12.04, so this is a regression.

[Jean-Christophe Baptiste (jc-baptiste)]

The simple fact to switch to a TTY reactivate the screen. There are also no issues in other windows managers than Gnome (e.g. Openbox), xrandr works well. So probably neither an Xorg nor a driver issue.
It seems to be Gnome-related.

[Andre Lacroix (andlcx)]

Hallo,

i have the same problem under Xubuntu 14.04 and a brandnew HP Zbook 14.

At system boot my external vga screen was detected correctly and a few seconds after Xubuntu-XFCE-Login the external screen isn't available. At a few seconds i have seen the correct XFCE-desktop through the login process.

Here is my syslog-entry if i plug out an plug in the external vga-monitor:
[drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up

The problem affects obviosly to a programming bug. See here: https://bugs.freedesktop.org/attachment.cgi?id=93781 (Patch Intel i915).

[glarrain (glarrain)]

This issue affects me too (Ubuntu GNOME 14.04 on a Macbook Pro 11.1). With Ubuntu GNOME 13.10 it didn't.

Hereby attached is a log file with two kind of messages:
* [...] [drm:intel_dp_i2c_aux_ch] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up
* [...] [drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up

[EdgarPE (edgarpe)]

I tried the mainline kernel: 3.15.6-031506-generic, still the same problem.

[Greg S (bugs-launchpad-net-y2009)]

I observe the same problem on 14.04 on HP EliteBook 840.

dmesg:

[ 0.000000] Linux version 3.13.0-36-generic (buildd@toyol) (gcc version 4.8.2 (Ubuntu 4.8.2-19ubuntu1) ) #63-Ubuntu SMP Wed Sep 3 21:30:07 UTC 2014 (Ubuntu 3.13.0-36.63-generic 3.13.11.6)
[ 0.000000] DMI: Hewlett-Packard HP EliteBook 840 G1/198F, BIOS L71 Ver. 01.06 01/24/2014

[19569.345195] [drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up

lspci:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 0b) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 198f
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 63
        Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
        Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
        I/O ports at 3000 [size=64]
        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
        Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features
        Kernel driver in use: i915

[Kees Cook (kees)]

What does the output of "xrandr" show when VGA is working, and when it is not?

[Jean-Christophe Baptiste (jc-baptiste)]

Sorry, I have changed both the computer and the desktop environment since then.
I had work to do and needed reliable settings quickly.
I have achieved this with a Thinkpad and KDE.

[Mikko Pesari (mpesari)]

Here's another report with HP EliteBook 840.

== dmesg ==
DMI: Hewlett-Packard HP EliteBook 840 G1/198F, BIOS L71 Ver. 01.04 10/09/2013

== /proc/cpuinfo ==
model name : Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4300U CPU @ 1.90GHz

== lspci ==
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 0b) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
 Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 198f
 Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 65
 Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
 Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
 I/O ports at 3000 [size=64]
 Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
 Capabilities: <access denied>
 Kernel driver in use: i915

Steps taken:

1) Power on the computer without VGA attached
2) Log in to Unity

== xrandr ==
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1600 x 900, maximum 32767 x 32767
eDP1 connected primary 1600x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 309mm x 174mm
   1600x900 60.0*+ 40.0
   1440x900 59.9
   1360x768 59.8 60.0
   1152x864 60.0
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3 56.2
   640x480 59.9
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VIRTUAL1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

3) Attach VGA cable
    - Desktop extends to the external display as it should

== syslog ==
colord: Automatic metadata add icc-ed869d76ba2f1549b15ab60e4327ba9b to xrandr-Lenovo Group Limited-VP-07998
colord: Device added: xrandr-Lenovo Group Limited-VP-07998

== xrandr ==
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 3520 x 1200, maximum 32767 x 32767
eDP1 connected primary 1600x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 309mm x 174mm
   1600x900 60.0*+ 40.0
   1440x900 59.9
   1360x768 59.8 60.0
   1152x864 60.0
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3 56.2
   640x480 59.9
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP2 connected 1920x1200+1600+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 518mm x 324mm
   1920x1200 60.0*+
   1920x1080 59.9
   1600x1200 60.0
   1680x1050 60.0
   1280x1024 75.0 72.0 60.0
   1440x900 75.0 59.9
   1024x768 75.1 70.1 60.0
   800x600 72.2 75.0 60.3
   640x480 75.0 72.8 66.0 60.0
   720x400 70.1
HDMI2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VIRTUAL1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

4) Detach VGA cable
    - Display setting switches to 1-display mode as it should (i.e. windows on external display are moved to the laptop display)
    - xrandr output is exactly the same as in step 2
    - Right after detaching these messages appear in syslog:

== syslog ==
kernel: [ 172.974774] [drm:intel_dp_start_link_train] *ERROR* too many voltage retries, give up
# line above repeated 6 more times...

[EdgarPE (edgarpe)]

Here is a duplicate issue, with apport info:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libdrm/+bug/1411552

[Nick Demou (ndemou)]

I have the same symptoms only _after_ upgrading to 3.13.0-44-generic. Can you test an earlier kernel version and see if the problem goes away?

uname -a
------------------------
Linux ndXPS13 3.13.0-44-generic #73~precise1-Ubuntu SMP Wed Dec 17 00:38:38 UTC 2014 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

lspci|grep VGA
------------------------
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)

xrandr
------------------------
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1366 x 768, maximum 32767 x 32767
LVDS1 connected primary 1366x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 293mm x 164mm
   1366x768 60.0*+ 40.0
   1360x768 59.8 60.0
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3 56.2
   640x480 59.9
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VIRTUAL1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

[Kamil (kamil-jezek)]

display port seems to work fine -- it may be used as workaround

[Peter Schüller (schueller-p)]

I have the same problem. When I press "Detect Displays" in the displays settings dialogue I get three "[drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up" lines in the syslog.

[Peter Schüller (schueller-p)]

I have a GeForce GT 740M card and this happens
* with nouveau drivers
* with proprietary NVIDIA drivers
* with GeForce settings to "intel gpu"
* with GeForce settings to "NVIDIA gpu"

[Peter Schüller (schueller-p)]

I now installed bumblebee and the issue is still the same. It works once and then no more.

[Peter Schüller (schueller-p)]

Nick Demou: I tried with 3.13.0-32-generic, 3.13.0-44-generic, 3.13.0-45-generic, 3.13.0-46-generic

In 44 it does not work, not even once. The external VGA port never becomes active.

All the others work with the described bug:
* the VGA port becomes mirrored during boot.
* When I unplug it and plug it in again it does not work anymore.
* [Workaround] If I log out of my session or restart lightdm the VGA port becomes active again, until the next plugout or shutdown of the screen.

[Nick Demou (ndemou)]

In my case things are (mostly) OK since a few days (I'm now on 3.13.0-46). One or two times it failed but I have no ideat what trigered the failure. To tell the trouth I also begun suspending the notebook first then removing the hdmi cable because *maybe* it helps. Nevered failed since I do this but maybe it's just a coincidence... This bug is a tough one :-(

[EdgarPE (edgarpe)]

The problem is far less severe with HDMI cable, it works most of the time. With D-sub it never works after the first plug out.

[Nick Demou (ndemou)]

ANYONE: Is there a way to get debug logs when this thing happens? Anyway to "reset" the VGA driver or anything except rebooting the whole machine?

When pluging the external monitor dmesg shows nothing -- also greping /var/log shows nothing.
I don't know where else to look.

[Nick Demou (ndemou)]

Today it happened to me again and after unplugging and replugging the monitor 10 times it worked!!!

It almost makes me feel it must be a HW issue but:
 - I'm using two different displayport adapters (DP to VGA at home DP to HDMI at work)
 - it never ever happened during a powering on (have powered up my laptop at least 20 times after this issue begun)
 - a reboot *always* fixes the problem (have tried it at least 10 times)

[Peter Schüller (schueller-p)]

As I wrote above: for me logging out of the session and in again consistently restores it (already when lightdm is restarting it is "resolved" and both monitors work again).

(This is true unless using kernel 3.13.0-44-generic where the VGA port never works.)

[Nick Demou (ndemou)]

You're right Peter: logging out to lightdm also works for me.

However quitting the GUI session is the real pain for me: it's very often that I have two dozen windows spread over a few virtual screens, everything arranged in just the right order. I just hate loosing this. Rebooting only adds a few seconds after the SSD upgrade but I would gladly wait a couple of minutes if I could save my GUI session.

[Peter Schüller (schueller-p)]

Nick I understand. I personally use tmux a lot to avoid this, but this works only for console applications.

The important point I wanted to make is: it does not require a hardware-level-reset to restore the functionality.

As a consequence I believe this should be fixable in software.

[Kamil (kamil-jezek)]

I am on ubuntu 14.04. fix pack 1 = linux kernel 3.16.0-33. HP Elitebook 840

There is no more *ERROR* too many retries, in the log, but the behaviour is still the same as people describe above.

When VGA is connected to the docking station, reboot fixes the problem
When VGA is connected directly to the laptop and the laptop is undocked, the problem may be fixed just by sleep/resume, no reboot needed.

[André Rummler (andre-rummler)]

I get the same with HP Elitebook 840, Ubuntu 14.04.02, kernel 3.13.0-52-generic. Each time I plug in the VGA cable of my new Asus screen (no fitting HDMI cable at home) there is a
[drm:intel_dp_aux_native_read] *ERROR* too many retries, giving up
message in syslog and it is not detected.

[André Rummler (andre-rummler)]

Last week it was still working with a data projector so I do not know what happened. I can provide more data if requested. Is someone working on this bug?

[Peter Schüller (schueller-p)]

Recently the workaround I previously described stopped working:
logging out of the session and logging in back does not work anymore:
only the lightdm screen becomes visible on the projector, the session
is never visible! (After plugging out the monitor the first time, or
after shutting down the beamer the first time. Before that it works.)

On Sat, May 9, 2015 at 8:25 PM, André Rummler
<email address hidden> wrote:
> Last week it was still working with a data projector so I do not know
> what happened. I can provide more data if requested. Is someone working
> on this bug?
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1300914
>
> Title:
> External screen undetected after first plug
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1300914/+subscriptions

--
Peter SCHÜLLER, Assistant Professor Dr
Marmara University, Computer Engineering Department
http://www.peterschueller.com/

[André Rummler (andre-rummler)]

I searched but I only found an error with different symptoms but the same log message:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/1301398
As it claims that it was fixed in 3.15, I installed 3.16.0-37-generic from Utopic and voilà: It works without problems and error messages. So I am in a better position than Kamil in #28 but as I am even using the same model of notebook (different hardware configuration possible) we still do not know why it occurs.

[Peter Schüller (schueller-p)]

The behavior changed and I again checked several kernel versions and found an important difference:

* 46 shows lightdm greeter (password input) on internal and external monitor and after starting the session (login) the external monitor is deactivated but I can reactivate it (switch between internal/external/internal+external monitor) using the appropriate Fn+F key combination to make the session visible on the external monitor.

* 48, 49, 52, 51 shows lightdm greeter (password input) on internal and external screen but after starting the session (login) the external monitor stops working and Fn+F does not activate it again. Logging out again shows the lightdm greeter on both monitors but once in the session it is impossible to get the external monitor working except for logging out.

The only difference in behavior is the kernel version. At the moment only kernel 46 is usable.

[Nick Demou (ndemou)]

I have a DisplayPort output and two adapters. DP to HDMI and DP to VGA. I have weeks to experience the issue with the DP2HDMI converter but it happens every time with the DP2VGA converter. I've ordered an other DP2VGA converter. Let's see.

[Nick Demou (ndemou)]

Yes, the problem went away with the new DP2VGA converter! I'm plugging it and the external monitor gets immediately recognized. Sorry for the noise in this report but I never would have thought that the DP2VGA adapter would fail in such a strange way.

[André Rummler (andre-rummler)]

Are there any news about this issue? I can still observe it with the newest updates for 14.04.03 (3.16.0-45-generic). Switching to the greeter does not work for me as well but switching to tty and replugging the screen seems to do it. Is it probably possible to disable the counter for "too many tries" as a workaround?

[Hrishikesh Barua (talonx)]

Any updates on this issue? Still happens on 14.04 with 3.19.0-26

[André Rummler (andre-rummler)]

This bug is also discussed on the freedesktop bug tracker:
https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=88919

It seems to persist in kernel 4.3.