i7 6700hq hd530. hdmi adapter. Triple display random flicker and hdmi signal loss in Windows 10, but not in Linux Mint

[kken2]

Asus g501vw, latest beta driver .4444

I have a triple display setup with two 1080p external monitors. One is hooked up to a usb-c hdmi adapter. One is connected to built-in hdmi port.

The monitor on the usb-c hdmi adapter randomly, but rarely, goes blank for 5 seconds. The monitor does not turn off or go to sleep though; the power light is still on. The display goes blank for 5 seconds, then comes back.

Sometimes there's a quick flicker, like there's interference.

This happens maybe once every 2-3 hours. Sometimes once in 6-7 hours. Sometimes a horizontal band flickers on the screen randomly several times in one hour.

I swapped the two monitors hdmi cables and ports, and again, the random blank display or flicker happens to the monitor that is connected to the usb-c hdmi adapter.

I've tried a different brand usb-c hdmi adapter, and the same happens.

It's interesting that when there is only one external monitor, and it is connected via the usb-c hdmi adapter, there's no flickering.... so far.

I have to observe for longer, but I haven't seen flickering when using the hdmi adapter alone yet.

Why would this happen, and how should I troubleshoot?

[kken2]

Further troubleshooting update....

I have just reformatted and clean installed Windows 10. This system is fresh, with Windows Update disabled so no updates can interfere.

Latest Intel drivers installed. No other apps.

Monitor connected to usb-c hdmi adapter still flickers and loses signal on this fresh system.

It doesn't matter if the desktop is extended mode or mirrored across all 3 displays.

Here's another video from a newly clean installed system...

[CCris2]

On Mint you have all 3 monitors at the same resolutions and refresh like in windows ?

[kken2]

yeah, i have all 3 monitors same refresh and resolution on Mint.

Already have the latest Windows 3.1 drivers installed.

I wish there were some way to do a debugging dump when the glitches happen.

Mint 17.3 does not flicker or black out.

Ubuntu 14.04.4 and 15.10 and Mint 18 do flicker and blackout like Windows.

Checked the linux sysinfo for differences in driver.

It seems the newer drivers introduced graphics glitches.

3.0 mesa 10.5.9 vs. 3.0 Mesa 11.0.2

X.Org 1.17.1 vs. 1.17.2

According to https://01.org https://01.org, mesa 10.5.9 was released in july 2015, 11.0.2 released end of September 2015.

xorg 1.17.1 released in February 2015, 1.17.2 released in June 2015.

I hope this means it's just a simple driver issue rather than some hardware defect.

...

Mint 17.3:

System: Host: mint17 Kernel: 3.19.0-32-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 4.8.2)

Desktop: Cinnamon 2.8.6 (Gtk 3.10.8~8+qiana) Distro: Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa

Machine: Mobo: ASUSTeK model: G501VW v: 1.0 Bios: American Megatrends v: G501VW.300 date: 05/09/2016

CPU: Quad core Intel Core i7-6700HQ (-HT-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB

Graphics: Card-1: Intel Device 191b bus-ID: 00:02.0

Card-2: NVIDIA Device 139b bus-ID: 01:00.0

Display Server: X.Org 1.17.1 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)

Resolution: 1920x1080@60.1hz, 1920x1080@60.0hz, 1920x1080@60.0hz

GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Skylake Halo GT2 GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.5.9 Direct Rendering: Yes

Audio: Card-1 Intel Device a170 driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3

Sound: ALSA v: k3.19.0-32-generic

server glx vendor string: SGI

client glx vendor string: Mesa Project and SGI

OpenGL vendor string: Intel Open Source Technology Center

[ 22.997] (II) intel(0): Using Kernel Mode Setting driver: i915_bpo, version 1.6.0 20150522

Ubuntu 14.04.4 and 15.10:

System: Host: u14 Kernel: 4.2.0-27-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.8.2) Desktop: Gnome Distro: Ubuntu 14.04 trusty

Machine: Mobo: ASUSTeK model: G501VW version: 1.0 Bios: American Megatrends version: G501VW.300 date: 05/09/2016

CPU: Quad core Intel Core i7-6700HQ CPU (-HT-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB

Graphics: Card: Intel Device 191b bus-ID: 00:02.0

X.Org: 1.17.2 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1920x1080@60.1hz, 1920x1080@60.0hz, 1920x1080@60.0hz

GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Skylake Halo GT2 GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.0.2 Direct Rendering: Yes

Audio: Card-1: Intel Sunrise Point-H HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3

Sound: ALSA ver: k4.2.0-27-generic

server glx vendor string: SGI

client glx vendor string: Mesa Project and SGI

OpenGL vendor string: Intel Open Source Technology Center

[ 23.398] (II) intel(0): Using Kernel Mode Setting driver: i915, version 1.6.0 20150522

System: Host: u15 Kernel: 4.2.0-16-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.2.1) Desktop: Unity (Gtk 3.16.7-0ubuntu3)

Distro: Ubuntu 15.10 wily

Machine: Mobo: ASUSTeK model: G501VW v: 1.0 Bios: American Megatrends v: G501VW.300 date: 05/09/2016

CPU: Quad core Intel Core i7-6700HQ (-HT-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB

Graphics: Card-1: Intel Device 191b bus-ID: 00:02.0

Card-2: NVIDIA GM107M [GeForce GTX 960M] bus-ID: 01:00.0

Display Server: X.Org 1.17.2 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)

Resolution: 1920x1080@60.10hz, 1920x1080@60.00hz, 1920x1080@60.00hz

GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Skylake Halo GT2 GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.0.2 Direct Rendering: Yes

Audio: Card-1 Intel Sunrise Point-H HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3

Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.2.0-16-generic

[ 22.011] (II) intel(0): Using Kernel Mode Setting driver: i915, version 1.6.0 20150522

[idata]

Hi Link626,

Please let's try with this method, Install the Intel® Beta graphics driver manuallyHow to manually install an Intel® Graphics Driver in Windows® 10http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/graphics-drivers/000005629.html http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/graphics-drivers/000005629.html Intel® Beta Graphics Driver for Windows® 10https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26099/Intel-Beta-Graphics-Driver-for-Windows-10-and-Windows-7-8-1-15-40-?product=88345 https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/26099/Intel-Beta-Graphics-Driver-for-Windows-10-and-Windows-7-8-1-15-40-?product=88345 Then could you please install the thunderbolt driver provide by tour manufacturehttps://www.asus.com/ROG-Republic-Of-Gamers/ROG-G501VW/HelpDesk_Download/ https://www.asus.com/ROG-Republic-Of-Gamers/ROG-G501VW/HelpDesk_Download/ It is important to mention that we sell our Intel chipsets and processors to third party manufacturers and they design their own computers with their own features, settings and capabilities. For that reason they design their own drivers, to meet the exact specifications on their computers. If your computer is having problems with our generic Intel graphics drivers, the best you can do is installing the latest customized driver released by ASUS*https://www.asus.com/ROG-Republic-Of-Gamers/ROG-G501VW/HelpDesk_Download/ https://www.asus.com/ROG-Republic-Of-Gamers/ROG-G501VW/HelpDesk_Download/ Also could you please attach the graphics report?http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/graphics-drivers/000005848.html http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/graphics-drivers/000005848.html Regards,Hellen.

[CCris2]

I found thunderbolt driver. Is in Others on support page in Windows 10. Very smart where they put it.

[kken2]

I manually installed the beta driver. rebooted.

No difference. Still random blackouts and flickers.

As for manufacturers designing their own graphics drivers? Not Asus.

If you download the graphics driver from Asus website, you will see that it is unmodified Intel driver, version xxx.4300, and all the md5 hashes match, same as this one >> https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25484/Intel-Graphics-Driver-for-Windows-10-and-Windows-7-8-1-15-40-?product=88345 Download Intel® Graphics Driver for Windows® 10 and Windows 7*/8.1* [15.40]

I already had that thunderbolt driver installed after I reformatted and reinstalled.

I don't think this hdmi adapter is using any thunderbolt resources, so it probably does not have an effect.

It's using the usb bus. so consider this like a regular usb 3.0 adapter. In fact, the hdmi adapters registers in device manager as usb device "PTN5002". Several adapters on the market register as ptn5002.

PTN5002 seems to be a generic usb item that has no new drivers, and runs off old microsoft drivers dated back to 2006.

All my usb 3.1 and chipset drivers are by Intel, and up to date.

usb-c systems are still relatively new, so not many people are using them in triple display configurations. Most people have dual monitor and just use the native hdmi port.

So this may be an issue most people are not even aware of.

It makes me wonder though...

Why does a specific older linux open-source driver have no blackout/flicker issues?

Those open source drivers were not specifically made for my computer, and they existed long before alpine ridge chipset and skylake came out.

Did those drivers lack some functionality that led to their stability? or are the drivers ignoring some hardware defect?

Did newer Linux and Windows drivers turn something on that led to instability?

Can I even assume this is a software issue since this issue does not exist in Linux Mint 17.3?

I can live with a software issue because it might eventually get sorted out. But if it's a hardware issue, I need to know before the warranty expires.

How does Intel even debug something like this without me giving them my computer? I see several threads in this forum with unanswered flickering issues.

[idata]

Thanks for this information Link626, I'm investigating about this, as soon I get an answer I'll let you know the outcome.

Regards,Hellen.

[idata]

Hi Link626,

I apologize for the time it takes, I was rereading and investigated about this case, hope this helps you.Since this configuration works on Linux but not in Windows®, please try this steps and if the issue persists I would strongly recommend you to contact Asus* in order to see if they can replicate the issue you are getting. Could you please try a BIOS update?https://www.asus.com/ROG-Republic-Of-Gamers/ROG-G501VW/HelpDesk_Download/ https://www.asus.com/ROG-Republic-Of-Gamers/ROG-G501VW/HelpDesk_Download/ Please install all windows updates.After that, please install the following drivers,

1. Chipset/Intel INF Update Driver/ Version V10.1.1.11
2. Others/ Intel Management Engine Interface/ Version V11.0.0.1169
3. Others/ ThunderBolt/ Version V15.2.35.250
4. VGA/ Intel Graphics Driver/ Version V20.19.15.4474

Here you can find them: https://www.asus.com/ROG-Republic-Of-Gamers/ROG-G501VW/HelpDesk_Download/ https://www.asus.com/ROG-Republic-Of-Gamers/ROG-G501VW/HelpDesk_Download/ Please let me know the outcome. Regards,Hellen.

[CCris2]

Do you have these drivers ? https://mega.nz/# !RRNBjaZK!etT5ZsasBGc5dvEToPbPk0p8miV5SxjrXg81KckVr0w MEGA