Using secondary monitors with modesetting driver causes system crash

[Shevek]

Setup:
1. Use modesetting driver for X11.
2. Enable a secondary monitor, either VGA, HDMI or DisplayPort.

Observe:
a. Screen flickers, loses hsync, goes weird every few seconds.
b. After a few minutes, system freezes, no logs, no recovery, no nothing, but display still on screen.

Workaround:
Switching to intel driver system still crashes, but less often, and differently.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-28-generic 4.4.0-28.47
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-28.47-generic 4.4.13
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-28-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: shevek 2968 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: shevek 2968 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Sun Jul 3 16:13:54 2016
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=22fd2208-7557-432d-bbff-95dd97905323
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-05-18 (412 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 15.04 "Vivid Vervet" - Release amd64 (20150422.1)
MachineType: LENOVO 20CKCT01WW
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-4.4.0-28-generic.efi.signed root=/dev/mapper/xubuntu--vg-root ro noprompt persistent quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-28-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-28-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157.1
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-06-23 (10 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 08/20/2015
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: N11ET34W (1.10 )
dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.board.name: 20CKCT01WW
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: 0B98417 WIN
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: None
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvrN11ET34W(1.10):bd08/20/2015:svnLENOVO:pn20CKCT01WW:pvrThinkPadT550:rvnLENOVO:rn20CKCT01WW:rvr0B98417WIN:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNone:
dmi.product.name: 20CKCT01WW
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad T550
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Did this issue start happening after an update/upgrade? Was there a prior kernel version where you were not having this particular problem?

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.7 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'.

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/v4.7-rc6-yakkety/

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]