Thunderbolt displays jump to the right occasionally

[Max Waterman]

I have two monitors connected to my Dell XPS 13 via the USB-C output.

For the majority of the time, it works fine. Occasionally, one or both of the images on the displays jump to the right, so that the right few inches appear on the left.

To rectify the problem, I run the 'displays' app, move one of the displays a little, click 'apply', and then, instead of 'keep settings', I 'revert' them to their original, and then everything is fine for a while.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+19ubuntu7.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-36.39-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-36-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity_support_test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.4
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Mon Oct 22 15:17:27 2018
DistUpgraded: 2018-05-23 09:09:55,083 DEBUG icon theme changed, re-reading
DistroCodename: bionic
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation HD Graphics 620 [8086:5916] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell HD Graphics 620 [1028:075b]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-10-11 (376 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20170801)
MachineType: Dell Inc. XPS 13 9360
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-36-generic root=UUID=15ace73f-6b30-4444-a755-85264a11ae1e ro quiet splash vt.handoff=1
SourcePackage: xorg
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to bionic on 2018-05-23 (152 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 05/21/2018
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 2.7.1
dmi.board.name: 05JK94
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr2.7.1:bd05/21/2018:svnDellInc.:pnXPS139360:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn05JK94:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct9:cvr:
dmi.product.family: XPS
dmi.product.name: XPS 13 9360
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.13.1+18.04.20180302-0ubuntu1
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.91-2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~18.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~18.04.1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.19.6-1ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau N/A
xserver.bootTime: Tue Oct 31 11:01:05 2017
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors:

xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.outputs:
 product id 5193
 vendor SHP
xserver.version: 2:1.19.3-1ubuntu1.3

[Max Waterman (dwater)]

IINM, this is the thunderbolt-3 display adaptor I am using:

https://www.startech.com/uk/AV/thunderbolt-3-video-adapters/thunderbolt-3-to-dual-hdmi~TB32HD24K60

[Max Waterman (dwater)]

It just occurred again. dmesg output hasn't changed from what is in CurrentDmesg.txt. Attempting to find details, I found:

$ boltctl list
 ● StarTech.com TB32HD24K60
   ├─ type: peripheral
   ├─ name: TB32HD24K60
   ├─ vendor: StarTech.com
   ├─ uuid: cf030000-0080-7718-2378-36488f03111d
   ├─ status: authorized
   │ ├─ authflags: boot
   │ ├─ authorized: Mon 22 Oct 2018 14:13:05 UTC
   │ └─ connected: Mon 22 Oct 2018 14:13:05 UTC
   └─ stored: yes
      ├─ when: Wed 23 May 2018 08:12:24 UTC
      ├─ policy: auto
      └─ key: no

$ boltctl info cf030000-0080-7718-2378-36488f03111d
 ● StarTech.com TB32HD24K60
   ├─ type: peripheral
   ├─ name: TB32HD24K60
   ├─ vendor: StarTech.com
   ├─ uuid: cf030000-0080-7718-2378-36488f03111d
   ├─ dbus path: /org/freedesktop/bolt/devices/cf030000_0080_7718_2378_36488f03111d
   ├─ status: authorized
   │ ├─ authflags: boot
   │ ├─ parent: c5030000-00b2-9d18-222d-f4d412c1b818
   │ ├─ syspath: /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.0/0000:01:00.0/0000:02:00.0/0000:03:00.0/domain0/0-0/0-1
   │ ├─ authorized: Mon 22 Oct 2018 14:13:05 UTC
   │ └─ connected: Mon 22 Oct 2018 14:13:05 UTC
   └─ stored: yes
      ├─ when: Wed 23 May 2018 08:12:24 UTC
      ├─ policy: auto
      └─ key: no

I don't see much else of interest. Let me know what else is needed.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Does the problem occur if you log into an "Ubuntu on Wayland" session? I am wondering if it is specific to Xorg sessions.

[Max Waterman (dwater)]

I'm currently going down the road of replacing the startech device. The only thing that made me wonder if it was a software problem is that using the 'screen display' utility to move one screen, apply, then revert, seemed to fix the problem, albeit temporarily.
I noticed while debugging on Windows that the same problem happens there, so that seems to suggest it isn't software...but the same trick to temporarily fix it, using the corresponding Windows utility to move the displays, does not seem to fix it.
I wonder if the ubuntu 'screen display' utility does some kind of 'reset' on the thunderbolt interface and/or the startech adaptor.
In any case, it is looking like hardware...what do you think?

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Yes, it sounds likely to be a hardware problem if it occurs in Windows too. Closing this bug now.