Kernel 5.0 issues with external displays connected to docking station

Hello.

I’m using Fedora since Fedora 26 on a Lenovo T530. For about 6 months I use my T530 with a docking station and have 2 external displays connected over DisplayPort.

The setup worked perfectly with Fedora 29 and Kernel 4.18.x

Then the updates to kernel 5.0 started and I noticed I could no longer boot with the computer attached to the docking station and the laptop display closed. The boot process gets stuck right before the login screen for Gnome should appear. I see a frozen mouse cursor and the gray background of the login screen.

If I have my laptop lid open I can get through to the login screen. It gets displayed on the internal display and the two external displays light up and show the login background too.

To me it looks like the Kernel 5.0 tries to initialize the login screen always on the internal display but gets stuck if that display is shut-down with the lid closed.

When I boot up with the laptop not attached to the docking I can login without issues.
When I then attach the computer to the docking I can setup the external displays on Fedora 29. On Fedora 30 (clean install) the Gnome shell crashes as soon as I apply the display configuration.

I have Installed various Linux distributions on a separate partition like Fedora 30, Ubuntu 19.04, Xubuntu 19.04. I get exactly the same issues on distributions with Gnome. On Xubuntu the multi-display setup doesn’t work at all.

I want to report that issue but I don’t know where to start.

My impression is this is related to kernel 5.0, but I would like to find out if it is an issue of the kernel itself or closer related to the graphics driver.
How can I collect proper Information to create a meaningful ticket in the proper issue tracker?

My sytem specs are:

+++ System Info
System         = LENOVO ThinkPad T530 2394CTO
BIOS           = G4ETB4WW (2.74 )
Release        = "Fedora release 29 (Twenty Nine)"
Kernel         = 4.18.16-300.fc29.x86_64 #1 SMP Sat Oct 20 23:24:08 UTC 2018 x86_64
/proc/cmdline  = \boot\vmlinuz-4.18.16-300.fc29.x86_64 quiet splash ro root=UUID=3205423c-90b7-4cd7-8b40-99b0e9ef471d initrd=boot\initramfs-4.18.16-300.fc29.x86_64.img
Init system    = systemd 
Boot mode      = UEFI
+++ Processor
CPU model      = Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3210M CPU @ 2.50GHz
+++ Intel Graphics
/sys/module/i915/parameters/enable_dc        = -1 (use per-chip default)
/sys/module/i915/parameters/enable_fbc       =  0 (disabled)
/sys/module/i915/parameters/enable_psr       = -1 (use per-chip default)
/sys/module/i915/parameters/modeset          = -1 (use per-chip default)

/sys/class/drm/card0/gt_min_freq_mhz         =   350 [MHz]
/sys/class/drm/card0/gt_max_freq_mhz         =  1100 [MHz]
/sys/class/drm/card0/gt_boost_freq_mhz       =  1100 [MHz]
/sys/kernel/debug/dri/0/i915_ring_freq_table: 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 900 950 1000 1050 1100 [MHz]

Maybe you canreport there: https://retrace.fedoraproject.org/
:wink:
I found it by using the tool problem reporting in submenu sundry

You could file a bug following this document: Redirect Notice

Please note that you can login to bugzilla using the same user you use on this forum (FAS account).

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My problem right now is that I need assistance how to properly identify the underlying bug/issue.

journalctl only gives me one error that is different in a boot in the docking station compared to a boot without it:

Mai 07 21:37:20 localhost.localdomain gnome-shell[1203]: Failed to set CRTC mode 2560x1440: Invalid argument

Thats all there. I need help to get more information before filing a bug. At the current state I have not enough data that any developer could do anything with my report.

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