How to Configure a 6700T System for Three Screens

[CPayn]

Hello everyone... First time post (please be gentle!)...

I am the proud owner of a 6700T based system that uses an Asus Z170i Pro Gaming motherboard, coupled with 16Gb RAM and a 1Tb Samsung 850 Pro SSD. This machine is configured to dual-boot, with Windows 7/64 Pro and Mint Linux 17.3 (Rosa) 64-Bit... Everything works brilliantly except the graphics configuration. I have three Dell 2415, 24", 1920x1200 Monitors. I see some really weirdly different results when attempting to get this machine to drive these three monitors. Specifically:-

Option 1, DisplayPort Daisy-Chain

If I run a cable from the DisplayPort adapter on the case to a daisy-chain of these three screens [set 100% in alignment with the recommendations from Dell], then booting into Windows 7 gives me 3 screens, working perfectly, with a triple display and crisp, flicker free graphics. If I then reboot the system and launch into Mint with this exact same cabling setup, I see nothing on any of the three screens...

Option 2, Split Duties

If I run an HDMI cable from the motherboard's integrated HDMI socket to one monitor, then a DisplayPort cable to a second monitor [leaving the 3rd screen for a moment], then I can boot into Linux Mint and everything works perfectly. If I then reboot the system into Windows, the HDMI-connected monitor activates and works reliably, but the DisplayPort screen might only snap on for 5 seconds before snapping off. I get a window of about 15 minutes with the DP-connected display showing me Windows for a few seconds/minutes and then going dark again, before recycling. Eventually, after about 15 minutes, it goes dark and does not return.

Option 3, Combination

If I take the second configuration from above, then reconfigure the DP screen to be part of a DaisyChain, then connect in the third screen, I get nothing at all on any of the monitors...

My ideal state would be to get Mint working as reliably with the daisy-chained DisplayPort setup as for Windows 7 (i.e. the first Option in cabling, above), but at the moment it appears to be a non-starter... If it is of any help, there is a breakdown of the Linux configuration of this system below, for your reference. Any suggests, recommendations, tests, etc, that could help me achieve a working 3-screen dual boot would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance... Not sure if this is relevant, but I spend 90% of my time with this System working with Linux, so most of my time I'm using 2 cables and 2 screens, with my 3rd screen dark ...

inxi -c5 -Fxxz

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

Desktop: Cinnamon 2.8.8 (Gtk 3.10.8~8+qiana) dm: mdm

Distro: Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa

Machine: Mobo: ASUSTeK model: Z170I PRO GAMING v: Rev X.0x

Bios: American Megatrends v: 0701 date: 11/16/2015

CPU: Quad core Intel Core i7-6700T (-HT-MCP-) cache: 8192 KB

flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 22464

clock speeds: min/max: 800/2801 MHz 1: 800 MHz 2: 800 MHz

3: 800 MHz 4: 800 MHz 5: 1900 MHz 6: 1100 MHz 7: 900 MHz

8: 1200 MHz

Graphics: Card: Intel Sky Lake Integrated Graphics

bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:1912

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

Resolution: 1920x1200@60.0hz, 1920x1200@60.0hz

GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Skylake DT GT2

GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.5.9 Direct Rendering: Yes

Audio: Card Intel Sunrise Point-H HD Audio

driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:a170

Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k3.19.0-32-generic

Network: Card-1: Intel Ethernet Connection (2) I219-V

driver: e1000e v: 2.3.2-k bus-ID: 00:1f.6 chip-ID: 8086:15b8

IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac:

Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter

bus-ID: 04:00.0 chip-ID: 168c:003e

IF: N/A state: N/A mac: N/A

Drives: HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (3.5% used)

ID-1: /dev/sda model: Samsung_SSD_850 size: 1000.2GB serial: xxx-=-=-=-=-=-xxx

Partition: ID-1: / size: 16G used: 719M (5%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5

ID-2: /tmp size: 7.4G used: 18M (1%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda10

ID-3: /usr size: 16G used: 5.8G (41%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda7

ID-4: /var size: 16G used: 1.1G (8%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda9

ID-5: /home size: 16G used: 4.9G (35%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda8

ID-6: swap-1 size: 16.53GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda6

RAID: System: supported: N/A

No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present

Unused Devices: none

Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C

Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A

Info: Processes: 236 Uptime: 2:14 Memory: 918.2/15932.9MB

Init: Upstart v: 1.12.1 runlevel: 2 default: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.4

Client: Shell (bash 4.3.111 running in gnome-terminal) inxi: 2.2.28

[idata]

Hello sproggit,

I'm sorry the support is only available through the open source community. See the https://01.org/linuxgraphics/community Community section of the Linux and Intel graphics website.

If you need to update the graphics driver, Intel graphics drivers for Linux are available on the https://01.org/linuxgraphics/downloads Downloads section of the Linux and Intel graphics website.

The information we have about triple display is for Windows only and not for Linux, so you will get better help for Linux from the Linux community link above.

Or, somebody else with experience on Linux are more than welcome to provide any support to sproggit to help him solve his problem.

Best wishes, Ivan

[CPayn]

Ivan,

Very many thanks for your kind reply. I did try the Community - and one of your colleagues from the Intel Linux Driver developer team was unbelievably helpful - and patient - with me. The ultimate upshot of this was that I did a test installation of a much later version of Mint Linux [18.0] and then upgraded *that* to the very latest GA kernel, with the most recent set of published patches applied.

This was not successful and I was unable to get Mint working with a daisy-chained displayport setting... Yet...

I am hugely encouraged by the interest and commitment from your Linux Driver community; I am certain that they will get there eventually, but, like all technology, it can take a little gentle tweaking first. I await future kernel revisions with interest!

Thank you for the very helpful redirect...

[idata]

You are more than welcome!

I hope you can have better experience with future kernel revisions. Best wishes, Ivan