1002:9591 [Lenovo ThinkPad T500] External monitor on display port has no sync with radeon driver

[Géza Búza]

When I turn on the external monitor, it displays an error message:
"The current input timing is not supported by the monitor display.
Please change your input timing to 1920x1080@60Hz or any other monitor listed timing as per the monitor specifications."

WORKAROUND: Installing fglrx-legacy 8.97.100.7 on Ubuntu 13.04 solves the problem.

The GNOME display settings dialog shows exactly this recommended setting as current.
I even tried to set it up using xrand with:
$ xrandr --output DisplayPort-0 --auto -s 24/1920x1080 -r 60

$ xrandr -q
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 3200 x 1080, maximum 8192 x 8192
DVI-0 unknown connection (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1360x768 59.8
   1152x864 60.0
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3
   640x480 59.9
   680x384 119.6 119.9
   576x432 120.1
   512x384 120.0
   400x300 120.6
   320x240 120.1
LVDS connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm
   1280x800 60.0*+ 50.1
   1280x720 59.9
   1152x768 59.8
   1024x768 59.9
   800x600 59.9
   848x480 59.7
   720x480 59.7
   640x480 59.4
DisplayPort-0 connected 1920x1080+1280+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 509mm x 286mm
   1920x1080 60.0*+
   1280x1024 75.0 60.0
   1152x864 75.0
   1024x768 75.1 60.0
   800x600 75.0 60.3
   640x480 75.0 60.0
   720x400 70.1
VGA-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

External monitor is a Dell U2311H unit.

I have found a similar bug like this: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/838181

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-18-generic 3.2.0-18.29
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-18.29-generic 3.2.9
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-18-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: CONEXANT Analog [CONEXANT Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
ApportVersion: 1.94.1-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: CONEXANT Analog [CONEXANT Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: geza 2080 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA:
 country HU:
  (2402 - 2482 @ 40), (N/A, 20)
  (5170 - 5250 @ 40), (N/A, 20)
  (5250 - 5330 @ 40), (N/A, 20), DFS
  (5490 - 5710 @ 40), (N/A, 27), DFS
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xfc220000 irq 50'
   Mixer name : 'Conexant CX20561 (Hermosa)'
   Components : 'HDA:14f15051,17aa2100,00100000 HDA:14f12c06,17aa2122,00100000'
   Controls : 17
   Simple ctrls : 12
Card29.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:29 'ThinkPadEC'/'ThinkPad Console Audio Control at EC reg 0x30, fw 7VHT16WW-1.06'
   Mixer name : 'ThinkPad EC 7VHT16WW-1.06'
   Components : ''
   Controls : 1
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card29.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'Console',0
   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Mono: Playback [on]
Date: Sun Mar 11 20:15:41 2012
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta amd64 (20120301)
MachineType: LENOVO 2081CTO
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 LANG=hu_HU.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-18-generic root=UUID=540742bc-9ee9-4c77-8e80-91f88cc9f368 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-18-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-18-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.71
SourcePackage: linux
StagingDrivers: mei
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 12/14/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 6FET92WW (3.22 )
dmi.board.name: 2081CTO
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr6FET92WW(3.22):bd12/14/2011:svnLENOVO:pn2081CTO:pvrThinkPadT500:rvnLENOVO:rn2081CTO:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 2081CTO
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad T500
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[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 v3.3 kernel[1] (Not a kernel in the daily directory). Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag(Only that one tag, please leave the other tags). This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text.

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.

[1] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.3-rc7-precise/

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

This issue appears to be an upstream bug, since you tested the latest upstream kernel. Would it be possible for you to open an upstream bug report at bugzilla.kernel.org [1]? That will allow the upstream Developers to examine the issue, and may provide a quicker resolution to the bug.

If you are comfortable with opening a bug upstream, It would be great if you can report back the upstream bug number in this bug report. That will allow us to link this bug to the upstream report.

[1] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream/kernel

[Géza Búza (medve)]

This bug is still in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS with kernel 3.2.0-26-generic #41-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jun 14 17:49:24 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux.

[Géza Búza (medve)]

I have tested the display with both type of kernels. Unfortunately I see no change.

Test1: Ubuntu Trusty Tahr with Ubuntu kernel 3.12.0-3-generic
Actual result: The original error message displayed by the monitor.
Expected result: Display Ubuntu desktop in 1920x1080@60Hz.

Test2: Ubuntu Trusty Tahr with mainline kernel 3.12.1-031201-generic
Actual result: The original error message displayed by the monitor.
Expected result: Display Ubuntu desktop in 1920x1080@60Hz.

A fresh dmesg output is attached.

If you need additional information, let me know!

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Géza Búza, did this problem not occur in a release prior to Precise?

[Géza Búza (medve)]

I am not sure, because I didn't have an external monitor that time.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Géza Búza, given your card is "Mobility Radeon HD 3650", the last release offering compatible and supported fglrx drivers is Precise. If you use fglrx via https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/fglrx-installer does this WORKAROUND the problem?

[Géza Búza (medve)]

Yes, installing the proprietary AMD fglrx driver solves this problem. That's why I am currently using fglrx-legacy 8.97.100.7 on Ubuntu 13.04.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Géza Búza, for regression testing purposes, could you please test for this in Lucid via http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/lucid/ ?

[Géza Búza (medve)]

I have tested the external display in Lucid (Ubuntu 10.04.4) and it works very well. So it's definitely a regression.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Géza Búza, the next step is to fully commit bisect from Lucid to Precise, in order to identify the offending commit. Could you please do this following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/KernelBisection ?

[Maciej Pawlik (maciej-pawlik-xml)]

Hey,

I did a bisection on my lenovo W500 (almost same hardware as T500) and it turns out that the bug was introduced in 2.6.37-2.9 natty kernel, and made it's way back to maverick with 2.6.38-10.44 update. After that I bisected a vanilla kernel, and it turns out that the offending commit is: [ba032a58d1f320039e7850fb6e8651695c1aa571] drm/radeon/kms: rework spread spectrum handling
so it is a bug with spread spectrum handling on displayport. This feature was disabled on DP and HDMI prior to that commit.

It seems that this is already reported to radeon/kernel guys here:
https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=40699
I'm gonna provide more details there.

[Maciej Pawlik (maciej-pawlik-xml)]

Also - a "quick & dirty fix" patch is available there.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Maciej Pawlik, thank you for your comment. So your hardware and problem may be tracked, could you please file a new report by executing the following in a terminal:
ubuntu-bug xorg

For more on this, please see the official Ubuntu documentation:
Ubuntu X.Org Team, Ubuntu Bug Control, and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue
Ubuntu Community: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

Please note, not filing a new report will delay your problem being addressed as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your understanding.