Second external Monitor turning black after a few seconds MINT 20.1

[remo_h]

Hello everybody,

I'm using Linux MINT 20.1 on my Laptop and added two external monitors to it. One is connected via an HDMI cable and works fine (monitor 1). The other one (monitor 2) is connected via an HDMI to DVI cable and plugged into the laptop by using an HDMI to USB C adapter. Before I upgraded my older MINT version to 20.1 this setup worked fine. Also when I use my windows laptop this still works so I am ruling out a hardware issue.

When i use my laptop and monitor 1 and then decide to plug in monitor 2 the laptop monitor and monitor 1 go black and load again. This also happens on monitor 2 and for a short span of time (~1 sec) I can see a picture. Then all screens go black again and monitor 2 stays black. The other two are working.

System information:

Code: Select all

System:    Kernel: 5.4.0-70-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 
           wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 20L7004PGE v: ThinkPad T480s serial: <filter> 
           Chassis: type: 10 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: LENOVO model: 20L7004PGE v: SDK0J40697 WIN serial: <filter> UEFI: LENOVO 
           v: N22ET48W (1.25 ) date: 07/18/2018 
Battery:   ID-1: BAT0 charge: 43.2 Wh condition: 43.8/57.0 Wh (77%) volts: 12.9/11.6 
           model: LGC 01AV478 serial: <filter> status: Unknown 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i5-8250U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Kaby Lake 
           rev: A L2 cache: 6144 KiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 28800 
           Speed: 2401 MHz min/max: 400/3400 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 2400 2: 2400 3: 2400 
           4: 2400 5: 2400 6: 2400 7: 2400 8: 2400 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel UHD Graphics 620 vendor: Lenovo driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 
           chip ID: 8086:5917 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz, 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 620 (KBL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.2.6 
           direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 chip ID: 8086:9d71 
           Device-2: Plantronics Plantronics .Audio 478 USB type: USB 
           driver: plantronics,snd-usb-audio,usbhid bus ID: 1-1:10 chip ID: 047f:c011 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-70-generic 
Network:   Device-1: Intel Ethernet I219-V vendor: Lenovo driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: efa0 
           bus ID: 00:1f.6 chip ID: 8086:15d8 
           IF: enp0s31f6 state: down mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Intel Wireless 8265 / 8275 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: efa0 
           bus ID: 3d:00.0 chip ID: 8086:24fd 
           IF: wlp61s0 state: up mac: <filter> 
           IF-ID-1: wwan0 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 238.47 GiB used: 18.14 GiB (7.6%) 
           ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: MZVLB256HAHQ-000L7 size: 238.47 GiB 
           speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: <filter> 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 231.54 GiB used: 8.96 GiB (3.9%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/dm-1 
           ID-2: /boot size: 704.5 MiB used: 206.0 MiB (29.2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 976.0 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-2 
USB:       Hub: 1-0:1 info: Full speed (or root) Hub ports: 12 rev: 2.0 chip ID: 1d6b:0002 
           Device-1: 1-1:10 info: Plantronics Plantronics .Audio 478 USB type: Audio,HID 
           driver: plantronics,snd-usb-audio,usbhid rev: 2.0 chip ID: 047f:c011 
           Device-2: 1-2:2 info: Logitech Unifying Receiver type: Keyboard,Mouse 
           driver: logitech-djreceiver,usbhid rev: 2.0 chip ID: 046d:c534 
           Device-3: 1-3:3 info: Alcor Micro AU9540 Smartcard Reader type: Smart Card driver: N/A 
           rev: 2.0 chip ID: 058f:9540 
           Device-4: 1-6:4 info: FIBOCOM L830-EB-00 type: Communication,CDC-Data,Abstract (modem) 
           driver: cdc_acm,cdc_mbim rev: 2.0 chip ID: 2cb7:0210 
           Device-5: 1-7:5 info: Intel type: Bluetooth driver: btusb rev: 2.0 chip ID: 8087:0a2b 
           Device-6: 1-8:6 info: Acer Integrated Camera type: Video driver: uvcvideo rev: 2.0 
           chip ID: 5986:2113 
           Device-7: 1-9:7 info: Synaptics type: <vendor specific> driver: N/A rev: 2.0 
           chip ID: 06cb:009a 
           Hub: 2-0:1 info: Full speed (or root) Hub ports: 6 rev: 3.0 chip ID: 1d6b:0003 
           Device-8: 2-3:2 info: Realtek USB3.0-CRW type: Mass Storage driver: usb-storage 
           rev: 3.0 chip ID: 0bda:0316 
           Hub: 3-0:1 info: Full speed (or root) Hub ports: 2 rev: 2.0 chip ID: 1d6b:0002 
           Device-9: 3-1:13 info: Realtek BillBoard Device type: Billboard driver: N/A rev: 2.0 
           chip ID: 0bda:2171 
           Hub: 4-0:1 info: Full speed (or root) Hub ports: 2 rev: 3.1 chip ID: 1d6b:0003 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 48.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 0 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
           1: deb http: //packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
           2: deb http: //archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
           3: deb http: //archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           4: deb http: //archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           5: deb http: //security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
           6: deb http: //archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/slack.list 
           1: deb https: //packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/debian/ jessie main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64,arm64,armhf] http: //packages.microsoft.com/repos/code stable main
Info:      Processes: 290 Uptime: 4h 04m Memory: 15.41 GiB used: 4.78 GiB (31.0%) Init: systemd 
           v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 9 Client: Unknown python3.8 client 
           inxi: 3.0.38

Inxi -sGS output:

Code: Select all

System:    Host: remo-ThinkPad-T480s Kernel: 5.4.0-70-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 
           Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel UHD Graphics 620 vendor: Lenovo driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz, 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 620 (KBL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.2.6 direct render: Yes

When I type in xrandr in the terminal without the plugged in third monitor it shows:

Code: Select all

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1920 x 2160, maximum 16384 x 16384
eDP-1 connected primary 1920x1080+0+1080 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 309mm x 173mm
   1920x1080     60.01*+  60.01    59.97    59.96    59.93    48.01  
   1680x1050     59.95    59.88  
   1600x1024     60.17  
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1600x900      59.99    59.94    59.95    59.82  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1400x900      59.96    59.88  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1440x810      60.00    59.97  
   1368x768      59.88    59.85  
   1360x768      59.80    59.96  
   1280x800      59.99    59.97    59.81    59.91  
   1152x864      60.00  
   1280x720      60.00    59.99    59.86    59.74  
   1024x768      60.04    60.00  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.05  
   896x672       60.01  
   1024x576      59.95    59.96    59.90    59.82  
   960x600       59.93    60.00  
   960x540       59.96    59.99    59.63    59.82  
   800x600       60.00    60.32    56.25  
   840x525       60.01    59.88  
   864x486       59.92    59.57  
   800x512       60.17  
   700x525       59.98  
   800x450       59.95    59.82  
   640x512       60.02  
   720x450       59.89  
   700x450       59.96    59.88  
   640x480       60.00    59.94  
   720x405       59.51    58.99  
   684x384       59.88    59.85  
   680x384       59.80    59.96  
   640x400       59.88    59.98  
   576x432       60.06  
   640x360       59.86    59.83    59.84    59.32  
   512x384       60.00  
   512x288       60.00    59.92  
   480x270       59.63    59.82  
   400x300       60.32    56.34  
   432x243       59.92    59.57  
   320x240       60.05  
   360x202       59.51    59.13  
   320x180       59.84    59.32  
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-2 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 544mm x 303mm
   1920x1080     60.00*+  50.00    59.94  
   1280x720      60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1024x768      60.00  
   800x600       60.32  
   720x576       50.00  
   720x480       60.00    59.94  
   640x480       60.00    59.94  

When I type it in directly after plugging the third monitor in it gives me:

Code: Select all

^[[AScreen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 5760 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
eDP-1 connected primary 1920x1080+3840+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 309mm x 173mm
   1920x1080     60.01*+  60.01    59.97    59.96    59.93    48.01  
   1680x1050     59.95    59.88  
   1600x1024     60.17  
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1600x900      59.99    59.94    59.95    59.82  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1400x900      59.96    59.88  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1440x810      60.00    59.97  
   1368x768      59.88    59.85  
   1360x768      59.80    59.96  
   1280x800      59.99    59.97    59.81    59.91  
   1152x864      60.00  
   1280x720      60.00    59.99    59.86    59.74  
   1024x768      60.04    60.00  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.05  
   896x672       60.01  
   1024x576      59.95    59.96    59.90    59.82  
   960x600       59.93    60.00  
   960x540       59.96    59.99    59.63    59.82  
   800x600       60.00    60.32    56.25  
   840x525       60.01    59.88  
   864x486       59.92    59.57  
   800x512       60.17  
   700x525       59.98  
   800x450       59.95    59.82  
   640x512       60.02  
   720x450       59.89  
   700x450       59.96    59.88  
   640x480       60.00    59.94  
   720x405       59.51    58.99  
   684x384       59.88    59.85  
   680x384       59.80    59.96  
   640x400       59.88    59.98  
   576x432       60.06  
   640x360       59.86    59.83    59.84    59.32  
   512x384       60.00  
   512x288       60.00    59.92  
   480x270       59.63    59.82  
   400x300       60.32    56.34  
   432x243       59.92    59.57  
   320x240       60.05  
   360x202       59.51    59.13  
   320x180       59.84    59.32  
DP-1 connected 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 510mm x 290mm
   1920x1080     60.00*+  50.00    59.94  
   1920x1080i    60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1680x1050     59.88  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1152x864      59.97  
   1280x720      60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1024x768      60.00  
   800x600       60.32  
   720x576       50.00  
   720x480       60.00    59.94  
   640x480       60.00    59.94  
HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-2 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 544mm x 303mm
   1920x1080     60.00*+  50.00    59.94  
   1280x720      60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1024x768      60.00  
   800x600       60.32  
   720x576       50.00  
   720x480       60.00    59.94  
   640x480       60.00    59.94 

And then after 0.3 seconds again...

Code: Select all

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 5760 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
eDP-1 connected primary 1920x1080+3840+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 309mm x 173mm
   1920x1080     60.01*+  60.01    59.97    59.96    59.93    48.01  
   1680x1050     59.95    59.88  
   1600x1024     60.17  
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1600x900      59.99    59.94    59.95    59.82  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1400x900      59.96    59.88  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1440x810      60.00    59.97  
   1368x768      59.88    59.85  
   1360x768      59.80    59.96  
   1280x800      59.99    59.97    59.81    59.91  
   1152x864      60.00  
   1280x720      60.00    59.99    59.86    59.74  
   1024x768      60.04    60.00  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.05  
   896x672       60.01  
   1024x576      59.95    59.96    59.90    59.82  
   960x600       59.93    60.00  
   960x540       59.96    59.99    59.63    59.82  
   800x600       60.00    60.32    56.25  
   840x525       60.01    59.88  
   864x486       59.92    59.57  
   800x512       60.17  
   700x525       59.98  
   800x450       59.95    59.82  
   640x512       60.02  
   720x450       59.89  
   700x450       59.96    59.88  
   640x480       60.00    59.94  
   720x405       59.51    58.99  
   684x384       59.88    59.85  
   680x384       59.80    59.96  
   640x400       59.88    59.98  
   576x432       60.06  
   640x360       59.86    59.83    59.84    59.32  
   512x384       60.00  
   512x288       60.00    59.92  
   480x270       59.63    59.82  
   400x300       60.32    56.34  
   432x243       59.92    59.57  
   320x240       60.05  
   360x202       59.51    59.13  
   320x180       59.84    59.32  
DP-1 disconnected 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-2 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 544mm x 303mm
   1920x1080     60.00*+  50.00    59.94  
   1280x720      60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1024x768      60.00  
   800x600       60.32  
   720x576       50.00  
   720x480       60.00    59.94  
   640x480       60.00    59.94  
  1920x1080i (0x935) 74.250MHz +HSync +VSync Interlace
        h: width  1920 start 2008 end 2052 total 2200 skew    0 clock  33.75KHz
        v: height 1080 start 1084 end 1094 total 1125           clock  60.00Hz
  1920x1080i (0x936) 74.250MHz +HSync +VSync Interlace
        h: width  1920 start 2448 end 2492 total 2640 skew    0 clock  28.12KHz
        v: height 1080 start 1084 end 1094 total 1125           clock  50.00Hz
  1920x1080i (0x937) 74.176MHz +HSync +VSync Interlace
        h: width  1920 start 2008 end 2052 total 2200 skew    0 clock  33.72KHz
        v: height 1080 start 1084 end 1094 total 1125           clock  59.94Hz
  1152x864 (0x938) 81.579MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1152 start 1216 end 1336 total 1520 skew    0 clock  53.67KHz
        v: height  864 start  865 end  868 total  895           clock  59.97Hz

When it the third monitor turned black again and everything is "back to normal" the first output is shown again. Help would be much appreciated.

[SMG]

Welcome to the forum, remo_h.

Some people have noticed when they moved to LM20 they had issues they did not have with LM19 and very often a BIOS/UEFI update cleared the issues they saw with LM20. According to this T480s (type 20L7, 20L8) Laptop (ThinkPad): Drivers and Software, the latest version is 1.43 so there have been quite a few since you last updated. In the second half of this page README for BIOS Update Utility (Linux) are the changes made in each version. I see some which could relate to your issue.

Machine:
Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 20L7004PGE v: ThinkPad T480s serial: <filter>
Chassis: type: 10 serial: <filter>
Mobo: LENOVO model: 20L7004PGE v: SDK0J40697 WIN serial: <filter> UEFI: LENOVO
v: N22ET48W (1.25 ) date: 07/18/2018

Also when I use my windows laptop this still works so I am ruling out a hardware issue.

The inxi data you provided does not seem to indicate you are dual-booting this laptop with Windows. If you are using a different laptop when running Windows then you can not rule out a hardware issue because you are using different hardware (different laptop).

If the BIOS/UEFI update does not help, I would suggest trying the 5.8 kernel which is available in Update Manager.

Open Update Manager. Select View > Linux Kernels and click Continue. Make sure 5.8 is selected on the left panel and then click the top-most option on the right panel. An "Install" button will appear. Install the kernel and then reboot for it to become active.

[remo_h]

Hello SMG and thanks for the warm welcome.
I will test updating the BIOS/UEFI as you recommended and post the results here. I am not sure whether I can download the 5.8 kernel because the update manager does not suggest any updates - but I will surely find a way to do it.
In the meantime I was using a direct HDMI - USB-C cable and this worked. So it seems as the laptop would not like the HDMI - USB-C adapter for some reason.

Regarding the "hardware issue"-statement:
Yes, I could've been more precise. I meant that I'd rule out a broken cable, adapter or monitor since they are all working with a different laptop.

Thanks for the help so far, I will post an update here after I tested the updates.

[SMG]

I am not sure whether I can download the 5.8 kernel because the update manager does not suggest any updates - but I will surely find a way to do it.

Update Manager will not specifically suggest it because you are running the 5.4 kernel right now.

Here are the directions to download the 5.8 kernel:
Open Update Manager. Select View > Linux Kernels and click Continue. Make sure 5.8 is selected on the left panel and then click the top-most option on the right panel. An "Install" button will appear. Install the kernel and then reboot for it to become active.

Kernel updates are ones which are pretty easy to undo, so you if end up preferring the 5.4 kernel, we can provide directions to revert back to it.