Apparent kernel-related bug: Dell tablet crashes when plugged into docking station with 4.15.0-44 kernel

Asked by Ryan Budney

I have a Dell 5290 2-in-1 tablet that has been running Ubuntu 18.04 successfully for several months. Today I upgraded the kernel from 4.15.0-43 to 4.15.0-44. The tablet functions normally until it is plugged into its docking station, then the screen freezes.

Technically, the screen flickers a few times, then goes blank, leaving only the frozen mouse pointer. The system is still running, though as I can ssh into my tablet. sudo reboot will not reboot the tablet, but sudo reboot -f will.

When I force the tablet to load 4.15.0-43, the tablet functions normally. i.e. even when I plug it into its docking station, it continues to perform properly. It's only with 4.15.0-44 that it freezes.

How can I localize this bug?

Question information

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Ryan Budney (delooper) said :
#1
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Joakim Löfgren (joakim-lofgren) said :
#3

I get blank screens with my Dell Latitude 7490 and the Dell WD15 dock as well.

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Marco L. (kriegalex) said :
#4

Same story here with a XPS 15 9560 and a TB16 TB3 dock.

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Marco L. (kriegalex) said :
#5

The changelog (http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/changelogs/pool/main/l/linux/linux_4.15.0-44.47/changelog) contains this :

* The line-out on the Dell Dock station can't work (LP: #1806532)
    - ALSA: usb-audio: Allow to override the longname string
    - ALSA: usb-audio: Give proper vendor/product name for Dell WD15 Dock
    - ALSA: usb-audio: Add vendor and product name for Dell WD19 Dock

Maybe a bug was introduced by fixing an existing one ?

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Ethan Moss (ethanmoss) said :
#6

I've had similar issues with my HP Elitebook 1040 G4 and the HP Elite USB-C dock. I get a blank screen either right at the login screen or right after where nothing responds, but booting using 4.15.0-43 works fine.

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andyczerwonka (andy-czerwonka) said :
#7

This update breaks my Precision 5530 when plugged into the docking station, it freezes up immediately. I had to revert to the old kernel too.

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JC AGUILAR (jeanchristophe-aguilar) said :
#8

My Dell Latitude 5580 is also impacted

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Lars Kühne (lars-kuehne) said :
#9

Same here: I manage a bunch of Dell Laptops at our Institute, about 40 in total among which are Lattitude 5480, 7480 and 7490. All habe the same problems when connecting to the docking stations, regardless of whether that's the WD15 or TB16. It is definitely related to the latest 4.15.0-44 kernel, since booting with the 4.15.0-43 kernel works fine. Booting when disconnected from the docking station also works.

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Brubel Sabs (brubelsabs) said :
#10

Same issue with Lenovo Thinkpad 470S and Thunderbolt docking station

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Jukka Palomäki (jpalomaki) said :
#11

Also hitting this with Dell XPS 13 (9370) with thunderbolt dock

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A Wood (awoodfasthosts) said :
#12

Also experiencing this with a Latitude 5591 with TB-16 dock. I can get past user login, but the user's desktop fails to load, the screens stay blank and the machine seemingly crashes. Even if I remove the laptop from the dock the OS doesn't recover and a hard reboot is required.

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Avenger (aykincakaloz) said :
#13

Confirming the issue.

- Dell Precision 5520
- TB16 Dock
- Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS
- Linux .... 4.15.0-44-generic #47-Ubuntu SMP Mon Jan 14 11:26:59 UTC 2019 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

The symptoms get worse as time goes on

Started with 2 screens connected and unable to see anything after login. Disconnecting one screen (Displayport) seemed to help but system froze after 5 minutes. Was able to use dock without any screens at that time. Now, connecting the dock, without any displays immediately triggers a screen refresh to a black screen with only cursor visible, and then system freezes

Nothing in syslog other than \00\00\00\00 chars which I believe are due to force shutdown

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Rob Parker (rfdparker) said :
#14

I can confirm the same issue with another dock.

- Laptop: Dell Latitude E5440
- Dock: Dell Port Replicator: UK/Irish Advanced E-Port II with USB 3.0, 130W AC Adapter without stand (452-11421)

The laptop does have hybrid Intel and Nvidia graphics, however I have not configured anything for this and hence I'm only using the Intel graphics.

Has a 'real' bug report been raised for this yet?

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Rachit Kinger (rachitkinger) said :
#15

I'm facing the same issue. When I reverted to an older kernel 4.15.0-43 the issue seems to have resolved.

- Laptop: Dell XPS 15, 9560

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Nick Johnson (wln2qp5ozl-nick-xrvasaslqc) said :
#16

I find the same problems, perhaps more with a Dell 7480 and WD15 dock (part K17A), Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS.

I start the laptop via the dock button as I run with lid closed when docked (for physical space constraints). I get to the luks decryption screen where I enter my password for disk encryption then at the moment the login screen should appear, the laptop locks up & requires a hard reboot I'm using a single screen on the dock.

Further, I also get the lock-up if I lock the screen when running on the dock. I get a brief glimpse of the lockscreen as I would expect then the display blanks. The delay is ~0.5 seconds. No amount of key bashing or mouse wiggling brings up the display and a hard boot is required.

Reverting to kernel 43 fixes this reliably. So does booting disconnected, then connecting once logged in.
Happy to post some logs if any devs require them and can tell me which ones.

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Johan Tol (jto-joto) said :
#17

I have the same issue:
- Dell Latitude 5590
- Dock WD15

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DJ Champion (fienx) said :
#18

Dell XPS 9560 with a TB3 dock also having similar issues after upgrading to the 0-44 kernel. Can confirm reverting to kernel 43 fixes issue.

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DJ Champion (fienx) said :
#19

Further to my previous comment, I did the following to stay reverted to the 43 kernel from the broken 44 kernel:

# make sure you are booted in the non-broken kernel 4.15.0-43
# the currently broken kernel linux-image-4.15.0-44-generic should show up in the following command.

dpkg -l | grep linux-image

# remove the broken kernel with the following command:

sudo apt-get purge linux-image-4.15.0-44-generic

# remove its headers too:

sudo apt-get purge linux-headers-4.15.0-44-generic

reboot and you should now be in the 43 kernel and Ubuntu should not update to the 44

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Armin M. Warda (laubchpad) said :
#20

Same problem here with 18.04 on Lenovo ThinkPad X240, after update to kernel 4.15.0-44 yesterday.

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meskaya (meskaya) said :
#21

Same issue here with a Lenovo ThinkPad T470s and a Lenovo Thunderbolt 3 dock model 40AC (https://support.lenovo.com/gb/en/accessories/acc100356 )

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meskaya (meskaya) said :
#22

I am using Ubuntu 18.04 and I can confirm all is OK with kernel 4.15.0.43

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dmitri (dosler) said :
#23

Same issue(s) here with a Lenovo TP 460p:
  * booting into black screen
  * USB drive not recognized at boot
  * not able to switch monitors
works with older kernel 4.15.0.43

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Marek T (marktyt) said :
#24

I'm also experiencing the same problem, but with a Dell Precision 5530 with Dell TB16 Dock (2 monitors, USB Headphones connected)

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Brubel Sabs (brubelsabs) said :
#25

As a work around I've tried linux-image-generic-hwe-18.04 (4.18.0-14-generic), and it worked again, so I can use the docking station as before.

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huseyin kara (hakperest) said :
#26

Kernel 4.15.0-43 works fine but 4.15.0.44 works only all monitors (Built-in included) are on. By closing lip system crashes.

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rathboma (beekeeper-studio) said :
#27

Same issue with Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen5 with the Thinkpad thunderbolt dock.

Whole system freezes when you either try to boot with the TB connected, or when you unplug it.

This was an issue about 12 months ago, so this seems like a regression?

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Nicolas C (nicolasct) said :
#28

Hi, has someone tried with 4.15.0-45-generic to see if problem still occurs ?

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Marco L. (kriegalex) said :
#29

Yes the issue seems fixed from what I heard from my colleagues with latest 4.15.0-45 kernel.

http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/changelogs/pool/main/l/linux/linux_4.15.0-45.48/changelog

* External monitors does not work anymore 4.15.0-44 (LP: #1813663)
    - SAUCE: Revert "drm/i915/dp: Send DPCD ON for MST before phy_up"

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Sami Nybacka (sapeny) said :
#30

I just upgraded to 4.15.0-45-generic and dock is no more causing freeze. Dell XPS 13 9360 + Dock WD15 USB-C.

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Marius Nettum (nettum) said :
#31

4.15.0-45 fixed the problem for me (Dell XPS 15" 9570, docking with TB16 and 2 external monitors)

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meskaya (meskaya) said :
#32

Problem fixed with Kernel 4.15.0-45.
Thanks !!!!

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Rachit Kinger (rachitkinger) said :
#33

Sorry still struggling with this. How can I upgrade to 4.15.0-45
I've tried `sudo apt-get upgrade` and that hasn't worked for me.

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huseyin kara (hakperest) said :
#34

This problem has been solved in 4.15.0-45-generic. Running these commands can fix the issue:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

https://askubuntu.com/a/1115464/139749

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Luka Znidaric (clothier) said :
#35

Issue reappeared today, most likely after the yesterdays update. On Lenovo p52s with dock and dual monitor setup. Anyone else having the same problem?

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