I have two external monitors plugged into a (powered) usb-c dock, one directly with vga and another using a dvi to hdmi adaptor. On three of the usb-c ports on my Framework laptop (12th gen) I can get all the monitors to play nicely. However, if I plug the dock into the back-right port only the laptop display will work, if I unplug one monitor from the dock the other will work along with the laptop, the problem only occurs when both external displays are connected to the dock. I am using Linux Mint 21.
Just remembered something even weirder, the three monitors do work on that port on the lock screen and when inputting the drive encryption password, just not when logged in to the (cinnamon) desktop.
My name is Matt Hartley and I am the brand new Linux Support Lead. With that, I apologize for the lengthy delay. This will not be a problem going forward because I am handling Linux support, personally.
I do have some thoughts, however. First I want to better understand your entire monitor arrangement.
One monitor is VGA direct to a usb-c dock?
Another one is dvi to hdmi adapter?
For VGA I’m really glad to see it working at all, so that’s great! DVI is a bit more compatible, but still can get iffy sometimes. In a perfect world, I prefer using HDMI or DisplayPort whenever possible. But I totally get that this isn’t always possible, so let’s see what we can do.
Docks are buggy sometimes. Some are more reliable than others, but if I was to hazard a guess it feels like a power draw event working well from one port and not the other. Again, completely speculating here.
Since this is Mint and I do believe they have you running X server, let’s grab an xrandr output from the problem port with everything connected. Let’s see what Mint sees.
Hi Matt.
Yes, the dock has a VGA port one monitor is plugged in to. The other is plugged into a HDMI port on the dock via a dvi to hdmi adapter.
I will note that this is mostly academic as I can just use any of the other ports and everything works fine.
Power draw seems unlikely as the dock has my (framework) usb-c power adapter plugged in (so it then also charges the laptop).
First, here is xrandr from a port where it is all working fine:
Xrandr working port
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 10686 x 2160, maximum 16384 x 16384
eDP-1 connected 3006x2004+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 285mm x 190mm
2256x1504 60.00*+ 48.00
1920x1440 60.00
1856x1392 60.01
1792x1344 60.01
2048x1152 59.99 59.98 59.90 59.91
1920x1200 59.88 59.95
1920x1080 60.01 59.97 59.96 59.93
1600x1200 60.00
1680x1050 59.95 59.88
1400x1050 59.98
1600x900 59.99 59.94 59.95 59.82
1280x1024 60.02
1400x900 59.96 59.88
1280x960 60.00
1440x810 60.00 59.97
1368x768 59.88 59.85
1280x800 59.99 59.97 59.81 59.91
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
700x525 59.98
800x450 59.95 59.82
640x512 60.02
700x450 59.96 59.88
640x480 60.00 59.94
720x405 59.51 58.99
684x384 59.88 59.85
640x400 59.88 59.98
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)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-4 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-3-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-3-2 connected primary 3840x2160+3006+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 477mm x 268mm
1920x1080 60.00*+
1680x1050 59.88
1600x900 60.00
1280x1024 75.02 60.02
1280x800 59.91
1152x864 75.00
1280x720 60.00
1024x768 75.03 60.00
832x624 74.55
800x600 75.00 60.32
640x480 75.00 59.94
720x400 70.08
DP-3-3 connected 3840x2160+6846+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 477mm x 268mm
1920x1080 60.00*+
1680x1050 59.95
1600x900 60.00
1280x1024 75.02 60.02
1280x800 59.81
1152x864 75.00
1280x720 60.00
1024x768 75.03 60.00
832x624 74.55
800x600 75.00 60.32
640x480 75.00 59.94
720x400 70.08
And here is the output from the problem port (with everything plugged in, so neither external monitor working):
Xrandr problem port
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 3006 x 2004, maximum 16384 x 16384
eDP-1 connected primary 3006x2004+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 285mm x 190mm
2256x1504 60.00*+ 48.00
1920x1440 60.00
1856x1392 60.01
1792x1344 60.01
2048x1152 59.99 59.98 59.90 59.91
1920x1200 59.88 59.95
1920x1080 60.01 59.97 59.96 59.93
1600x1200 60.00
1680x1050 59.95 59.88
1400x1050 59.98
1600x900 59.99 59.94 59.95 59.82
1280x1024 60.02
1400x900 59.96 59.88
1280x960 60.00
1440x810 60.00 59.97
1368x768 59.88 59.85
1280x800 59.99 59.97 59.81 59.91
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
700x525 59.98
800x450 59.95 59.82
640x512 60.02
700x450 59.96 59.88
640x480 60.00 59.94
720x405 59.51 58.99
684x384 59.88 59.85
640x400 59.88 59.98
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)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-4 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-3-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-3-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-3-3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-4-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-4-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-4-3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1-2 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
1920x1080 60.00 +
1680x1050 59.88
1600x900 60.00
1280x1024 75.02 60.02
1280x800 59.91
1152x864 75.00
1280x720 60.00
1024x768 75.03 60.00
832x624 74.55
800x600 75.00 60.32
640x480 75.00 59.94
720x400 70.08
DP-1-3 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
1920x1080 60.00 +
1680x1050 59.95
1600x900 60.00
1280x1024 75.02 60.02
1280x800 59.81
1152x864 75.00
1280x720 60.00
1024x768 75.03 60.00
832x624 74.55
800x600 75.00 60.32
640x480 75.00 59.94
720x400 70.08