Regression with external monitors using 5.17. surface kernel series and Microsoft Dock 2

[Corben78]

Using a Microsoft Dock 2 and two external monitors via USB-C to HDMI adapters and kernel 5.17.9-surface causes the external display to stay dark when booting fresh. Happens also with 5.17.5-surface. The monitors do flicker from time to time, maybe shortly the image will be shown, but in general nothing is displayed. Booting from a working setting, they are still shown in the gnome settings, but trying to detach and re-attach them shows errors in dmesg.. Works with 5.16. surface kernel series and older.

Environment

• Hardware model: Surface Pro 7
• Kernel version: Linux surfacepro7 5.17.9-surface #1 SMP PREEMPT Sat May 21 02:11:54 UTC 2022 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
• Distribution: Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS

Dmesg output

dmesg-5.17.9-surface.txt
When re-attaching:

[   74.626593] usb 3-1.4: USB disconnect, device number 7
[   83.687944] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* mstb 0000000033ef1eba port 1: DPCD read on addr 0x4b0 for 1 bytes NAKed
[   83.701281] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* mstb 0000000033ef1eba port 3: DPCD read on addr 0x4b0 for 1 bytes NAKed
[   91.513507] usb 3-1.4: new full-speed USB device number 15 using xhci_hcd
[   91.649042] usb 3-1.4: New USB device found, idVendor=045e, idProduct=094f, bcdDevice= 0.00
[   91.649052] usb 3-1.4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[   91.649055] usb 3-1.4: Product: Microsoft Surface USB-C to HDMI 2.0 Adapter
[   91.649058] usb 3-1.4: Manufacturer: Microsoft
[   91.661052] hid-generic 0003:045E:094F.000A: hiddev0,hidraw1: USB HID v1.11 Device [Microsoft Microsoft Surface USB-C to HDMI 2.0 Adapter] on usb-0000:00:14.0-1.4/input1
[   92.665734] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* GUID check on 10:01 failed: -5
[   98.699770] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* mstb 0000000033ef1eba port 3: DPCD read on addr 0x4b0 for 1 bytes NAKed
[  104.066433] usb 3-1.1.4: USB disconnect, device number 8
[  113.716911] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* mstb 0000000033ef1eba port 2: DPCD read on addr 0x4b0 for 1 bytes NAKed
[  113.723755] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* mstb 0000000033ef1eba port 3: DPCD read on addr 0x4b0 for 1 bytes NAKed
[  137.597797] usb 3-1.1.4: new full-speed USB device number 16 using xhci_hcd
[  137.732625] usb 3-1.1.4: New USB device found, idVendor=045e, idProduct=094f, bcdDevice= 0.00
[  137.732634] usb 3-1.1.4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[  137.732637] usb 3-1.1.4: Product: Microsoft Surface USB-C to HDMI 2.0 Adapter
[  137.732639] usb 3-1.1.4: Manufacturer: Microsoft
[  137.746164] hid-generic 0003:045E:094F.000B: hiddev1,hidraw2: USB HID v1.11 Device [Microsoft Microsoft Surface USB-C to HDMI 2.0 Adapter] on usb-0000:00:14.0-1.1.4/input1
[  138.816298] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* GUID check on 00:02 failed: -5
[  145.715518] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* mstb 0000000033ef1eba port 3: DPCD read on addr 0x4b0 for 1 bytes NAKed

The same errors occur though on kernel 5.16. and the monitors are not recognized again after re-attaching from the dock itself. Disconnecting the Dock completely and re-attaching it with the monitors attached makes them re-appear on kernel 5.16., and also on 5.17. But not when doing a fresh boot. Looks like some initialization is going wrong.

[NickyTope]

I have similar issues and i915 drm errors using a Dock 2 with my Surface Book 3. the monitors are recognised and show in xrandr but have no output. Same issue using latest kernel.

I have switched to linux-lts and nvidia-lts to get anything to work in the meantime, am happy to post more logs / info if needed.

[Corben78]

Unfortunately this is still an issue with Kernel 5.19.

[charlie-haley]

This is an upstream kernel issue, there's some more info here NVIDIA/open-gpu-kernel-modules#256

[Corben78]

I guess the nVidia issue is not related to my Surface Pro 7 with only integrated Intel graphics.

[charlie-haley]

I guess the nVidia issue is not related to my Surface Pro 7 with only integrated Intel graphics.

Ah sorry, I missed that part, I had a similar issue to @NickyTope with my SB3!

[Corben78]

Looks like external monitors via the Dock 2 are working for me with 5.19.13-surface.
Can't say since when it works, as I've used 5.16.17-surface now for a long time, but currently that issue is solved.
The issue that 1600x1024 can be selected, but doesn't work as mentioned in #737 still persists (but for me 1680x1050 is fine too).

[Corben78]

Looks like I was wrong. Today a cold boot didn't bring up the external displays again. Booting 5.16.17-surface or even 5.15.0-52-generic (currenty official Ubuntu HWE kernel on 20.04) works though.
Haven't figured out yet what I did yesterday to have it working properly with 5.19.13-surface... still looks like some kind of initialization issue.

[Corben78]

Today I found out it seems related to cdc_ether. At least that's the symptom:
If I unload the module with sudo modprobe -r cdc_ether, the monitors are immediately turning on. If I load the module with sudo modprobe cdc_ether, the monitors show colorful pixels for a moment and turn off. When I unplug the ethernet cable, the monitors turn on again.

At some point after Kernel 5.16.17-surface this regressions seems have been introduced.

[Corben78]

After realizing it's related to cdc_ether, and coincidentally getting a notification about this bug report no connection anymore with r8152 on 4.13.0-26, which lead me to USB 3.0 ethernet adapter not working I'm testing now this kernel parameter:
usbcore.quirks=045e:09a0:k
So far no issues.

The USB ID is from the output of lsbusb -v of the Microsoft Dock 2:

lsusb -v

Bus 003 Device 006: ID 045e:09a0 Microsoft Corp. USB2 Hub
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.10
  bDeviceClass            0 
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x045e Microsoft Corp.
  idProduct          0x09a0 
  bcdDevice           31.01
  iManufacturer           1 Microsoft
  iProduct                2 USB 10/100/1000 LAN
  iSerial                 6 1016EE9A9
  bNumConfigurations      2
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength       0x0027
    bNumInterfaces          1
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0xa0
      (Bus Powered)
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower              350mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           3
      bInterfaceClass       255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass    255 Vendor Specific Subclass
      bInterfaceProtocol      0 
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x81  EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0002  1x 2 bytes
        bInterval               8
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength       0x0050
    bNumInterfaces          2
    bConfigurationValue     2
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0xa0
      (Bus Powered)
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower              350mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           1
      bInterfaceClass         2 Communications
      bInterfaceSubClass      6 Ethernet Networking
      bInterfaceProtocol      0 
      iInterface              5 CDC Communications Control
      CDC Header:
        bcdCDC               1.10
      CDC Union:
        bMasterInterface        0
        bSlaveInterface         1 
      CDC Ethernet:
        iMacAddress                      3 F01DBCA0BFF4
        bmEthernetStatistics    0x00000000
        wMaxSegmentSize               1514
        wNumberMCFilters            0x0000
        bNumberPowerFilters              0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0010  1x 16 bytes
        bInterval               8
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           0
      bInterfaceClass        10 CDC Data
      bInterfaceSubClass      0 
      bInterfaceProtocol      0 
      iInterface              0 
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       1
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass        10 CDC Data
      bInterfaceSubClass      0 
      bInterfaceProtocol      0 
      iInterface              4 Ethernet Data
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x81  EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x02  EP 2 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
Binary Object Store Descriptor:
  bLength                 5
  bDescriptorType        15
  wTotalLength       0x0016
  bNumDeviceCaps          2
  USB 2.0 Extension Device Capability:
    bLength                 7
    bDescriptorType        16
    bDevCapabilityType      2
    bmAttributes   0x00000006
      BESL Link Power Management (LPM) Supported
  SuperSpeed USB Device Capability:
    bLength                10
    bDescriptorType        16
    bDevCapabilityType      3
    bmAttributes         0x02
      Latency Tolerance Messages (LTM) Supported
    wSpeedsSupported   0x000e
      Device can operate at Full Speed (12Mbps)
      Device can operate at High Speed (480Mbps)
      Device can operate at SuperSpeed (5Gbps)
    bFunctionalitySupport   2
      Lowest fully-functional device speed is High Speed (480Mbps)
    bU1DevExitLat          10 micro seconds
    bU2DevExitLat        2047 micro seconds
Device Status:     0x0000
  (Bus Powered)

Info about the usbcore.quirks can be found here: [PATCH v3] usb: core: Add "quirks" parameter for usbcore

I'm not sure if this is just pure luck, or if there is more to it. I'm still testing with now kernel 6.0.12-surface on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, but so far the external monitors are initialized correctly

[Corben78]

Looks like I cheered to soon with the additional usbcore quirk parameter. I didn't work the next day anymore.
But I upgraded now to kernel 6.2.2-surface and it just works. External monitors are initialized correctly on boot.
I still cannot select 1600x1024 as resolution without breaking it, but I got now used to 1680x1050.

Will close this issue in a few days, if this problem doesn't come back.

[Corben78]

No real problems anymore since kernel 6.2.2-surface. Worked with 6.2.6 and now with 6.2.8.
Sometimes after sleep one of my 2 monitors connected to the microsoft dock 2 doesn't wake up, but a power cycle helps then.
Closing this issue.