USB-C no monitor working at all

[Spargeltarzan]

Dear community,

I am with my notebook on Gentoo since 2017 and from time to time due to a kernel upgrade my USB-C monitor connection breaks.
I accepted this for some months now since I wasn't able to fix it quickly, but now I invested many hours without success. No connection directly USB-C to USB-C monitor, my kensington hub is not working, a little usb-c to hdmi cable not and also not a Thinkpad dock. I feel lost - worked through every little section of the handbook, etc. for USB-C, etc. but can't find my mistake.

Booting windows my Thinkpad Dock works, booting a fedora live stick to check its drivers, not at all. Can't test for the kensington/USB-C cable for today from fedora, but I believe I miss quite a important option since nothing at all is working.

Could you please support me?

Regards
Spargeltarzan

[pietinger]

Do you have this in your kernel .config ?

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Device Drivers  --->
        [*]   USB Type-C Support  --->
            [*]   USB Type-C Port Controller Manager
        USB Type-C Alternate Mode drivers  --->
            [*] DisplayPort Alternate Mode driver

(Usually you will need also PCI Hotplugging for Type-C. See: https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/USB/Guide# ... hunderbolt )

[Spargeltarzan]

Thank you for your support!

Yes I activated everything under USB Type-C Support (directly into the kernel "*") and I also activated HOTPLUG_PCI_ACPI and HOTPLUG_PCI_PCIE.


I have attached a wgetpaste of

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cat /usr/src/linux/.config | grep USB

https://bpa.st/J53A

and

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cat /usr/src/linux/.config | grep PCI

https://bpa.st/F25A

and

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lenovo-yoga ~ # lspci -k
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers (rev 08)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers
	Kernel driver in use: skl_uncore
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Skylake GT2 [HD Graphics 520] (rev 07)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Skylake GT2 [HD Graphics 520]
	Kernel driver in use: i915
00:04.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor Thermal Subsystem (rev 08)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor Thermal Subsystem
	Kernel driver in use: proc_thermal
	Kernel modules: processor_thermal_device_pci_legacy
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP USB 3.0 xHCI Controller (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP USB 3.0 xHCI Controller
	Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
00:14.2 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Thermal subsystem (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP Thermal subsystem
	Kernel driver in use: intel_pch_thermal
	Kernel modules: intel_pch_thermal
00:15.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller #0 (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller
	Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss
	Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci
00:15.1 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller #1 (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller
	Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss
	Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci
00:15.3 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller #3 (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller
	Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss
	Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP CSME HECI #1 (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP CSME HECI
	Kernel driver in use: mei_me
	Kernel modules: mei_me
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
	Kernel driver in use: ahci
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #5 (rev f1)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP PCI Express Root Port
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #6 (rev f1)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP PCI Express Root Port
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP LPC Controller (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP LPC Controller
00:1f.2 Memory controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP PMC (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP PMC
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio
	Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP SMBus (rev 21)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Sunrise Point-LP SMBus
	Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
01:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 8260 (rev 3a)
	Subsystem: Intel Corporation Wireless 8260
	Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
	Kernel modules: iwlwifi
02:00.0 SD Host controller: O2 Micro, Inc. Device 8620 (rev 01)
	Subsystem: Lenovo Device 3800
	Kernel driver in use: sdhci-pci

Should I provide any other config file?
Can it be there might be incompatibilities when something is compiled as a module or directly into the kernel?

[pietinger]

Should I provide any other config file?
Can it be there might be incompatibilities when something is compiled as a module or directly into the kernel?

Maybe we need your complete kernel .config.
Yes, this is always possible (often with sound), but i don't think it's the problem here. To be on the safe side, you can embed this statically:

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CONFIG_MFD_INTEL_LPSS_PCI=m

CONFIG_PWM_LPSS_PCI=m

I have seen this:

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CONFIG_I2C_DESIGNWARE_PCI=m

and this:

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# PCI controller drivers
# DesignWare PCI Core Support
# CONFIG_PCIE_DW_PLAT_HOST is not set
# CONFIG_PCI_MESON is not set
# end of DesignWare PCI Core Support

Do you really have a DESINGWARE PCI controller ? (is I2C_DESIGNWARE active as module?) If yes, I would recommend to enable also:

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Device Drivers  --->
    [*] PCI support  --->
        PCI controller drivers  --->
            DesignWare PCI Core Support  --->
                [*] Platform bus based DesignWare PCIe Controller - Host mode

Everything else looks fine for me. So, maybe something has gotten broke (if it has worked before and you have used the same kernel config before) ?

What you can always do is:
1. Boot with UbuntuLiveCD and check if all works
2. If YES, then check with "dmesg" and "lsmod" the system boot AND what you get after connecting your display to USB-C
Maybe we need then also these both (from Ubuntu) AND a "dmesg" from your Gentoo system (to be able to compare everything; SystemBoot AND after connecting display).

[Spargeltarzan]

Thanks for your support!

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CONFIG_MFD_INTEL_LPSS_PCI=m
CONFIG_PWM_LPSS_PCI=m[

I compiled it directly into the kernel.

I have seen this:

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CONFIG_I2C_DESIGNWARE_PCI=m

and this:

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# PCI controller drivers
# DesignWare PCI Core Support
# CONFIG_PCIE_DW_PLAT_HOST is not set
# CONFIG_PCI_MESON is not set
# end of DesignWare PCI Core Support

Do you really have a DESINGWARE PCI controller ? (is I2C_DESIGNWARE active as module?) If yes, I would recommend to enable also:

Code: Select all

Device Drivers  --->
    [*] PCI support  --->
        PCI controller drivers  --->
            DesignWare PCI Core Support  --->
                [*] Platform bus based DesignWare PCIe Controller - Host mode

I believe I don't have a DESIGNWARE PCI controller, I have a Lenovo Yoga 900 notebook.

What you can always do is:
1. Boot with UbuntuLiveCD and check if all works
2. If YES, then check with "dmesg" and "lsmod" the system boot AND what you get after connecting your display to USB-C
Maybe we need then also these both (from Ubuntu) AND a "dmesg" from your Gentoo system (to be able to compare everything; SystemBoot AND after connecting display).

I realised now, my little OWC USB-C hub to HDMI/SD-Cards/network/etc. is working, my monitor shows a screen when I am connecting it using a HDMI cable to the hub.

But my monitor shows no screen, when I connect it directly to USB-C from its USB-C port with USB-C cable. (Yes this cable is actually a good one, supports even charging 60W).
It also doesn't work from a Fedora live stick. Same for the Thinkpad Dock, it doesn't work in Fedora.
It is a ThinkPad Hybrid USB -C mit USB -A- Dock.

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/DisplayLink I also tried setting fbdev in VIDEO_CARDS in /etc/portage/make.conf. Will this really be necessary? It looks like the DisplayLink wiki plays around with the xorg configs which I didn't touch for many years - I believe this is a obsolete approach. I reverted again and removed fbdev from VIDEO_CARDS again.

So we have my Thinkpad-Dock and a normal USB-C cable what remains not working. Any ideas? Both isn't working in the Fedora live stick neither.

[pietinger]

Thanks for your support!

You are very Welcome !

I realised now, my little OWC USB-C hub to HDMI/SD-Cards/network/etc. is working, my monitor shows a screen when I am connecting it using a HDMI cable to the hub.

But my monitor shows no screen, when I connect it directly to USB-C from its USB-C port with USB-C cable. (Yes this cable is actually a good one, supports even charging 60W).
It also doesn't work from a Fedora live stick. Same for the Thinkpad Dock, it doesn't work in Fedora.
It is a ThinkPad Hybrid USB -C mit USB -A- Dock.
[...]
So we have my Thinkpad-Dock and a normal USB-C cable what remains not working. Any ideas? Both isn't working in the Fedora live stick neither.

If it doesn't work with (the latest) UbuntuLiveCD either, I'm afraid that either a BIOS setting is preventing it, or the USB-C cable is wrong, or it doesn't work by design (==your monitor supports only HDMI and DisplayPort and uses USB-C only to be a hub for other devices; but not for connecting as monitor). I am sorry I could not help you further.

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/DisplayLink I also tried setting fbdev in VIDEO_CARDS in /etc/portage/make.conf. Will this really be necessary? It looks like the DisplayLink wiki plays around with the xorg configs which I didn't touch for many years - I believe this is a obsolete approach. I reverted again and removed fbdev from VIDEO_CARDS again.

AFAIK DisplayLink was (is?) a solution for USB 2.0.

[pietinger]

Moved from Portage & Programming to Kernel & Hardware.

[Spargeltarzan]

If it doesn't work with (the latest) UbuntuLiveCD either, I'm afraid that either a BIOS setting is preventing it, or the USB-C cable is wrong, or it doesn't work by design (==your monitor supports only HDMI and DisplayPort and uses USB-C only to be a hub for other devices; but not for connecting as monitor). I am sorry I could not help you further.

I can confirm my USB-C port of my monitor doesn't work from my Windows dualboot or UbuntuLiveCD neither. I believe there is some kind of hardware defect in my monitor since I am very sure there was a time when it worked. Well that is not that important anyway.

I am also happy that my kensington hub also works now. So the only software issue remaining is the Thinkpad USB Dock (ThinkPad Hybrid USB -C mit USB -A- Dock) which I would love to use regularly. I have time to test this with the UbuntuLiveCD in some days. I read in forums about people using it with Linux...I will let you know!

[grknight]

Make sure you have a USB-C cable that is of decent quality as cheap ones may only connect the power pins.
It should be rated for video or Thunderbolt.

Edit: also look for CONFIG_USB4 in the kernel, but this is primarily for Intel Falcon Ridge or newer PCs

Edit 2: Not all USB-C ports are the same. It should be DisplayPort or Thunderbolt compatible to have enough bandwidth for video. Some USB-C connections are USB-2 only.