Intel HD Graphics 4400 flickering/blanking randomly with 2 external monitors attached to DP MST hub

[MHiie]

Hi,

I have a Lenovo X1 Carbon (2nd generation) with Intel HD Graphics 4400, connected to two Dell U2713HM monitors via EVGA DisplayPort MST hub. About half of the time it works correctly, but other times when I plug in the DisplayPort cable to the laptop, one of 3 things can happen:

1) all the monitors display some picture, then go blank, then display something again, then go blank, ad infinitum

2) one or two of the monitors are blank, and if I go to Windows Screen Resolution window, I can manually select "Extend desktop to this display", and all the monitors then work as expected

3) like (2), but one of the monitors shows only 1920x1080 as the maximum resolution (the correct resolution is 2560x1440)

Sometimes the endless loop also happens out of the blue (when I'm not connecting any cables, just during normal work). Also, sometimes the displays just go black for a moment and then resume working normally.

I contacted EVGA support, and they told me it must be a graphics adapter/driver issue.

I have Windows 8.1 x64 with the latest Intel Graphics Drivers (15.36.3.64.3907, driver version 10.18.10.3907). I've also installed the latest BIOS from Lenovo (1.17/GRET40WW).

Thanks,

Magnus

[Allan_J_Intel1]

Thanks for joining the Graphics community.

Are you getting same problem when connecting your computer without EVGA DisplayPort MST hub?

Does it happen when connecting with straight cables?

If you already tested the graphics controller with an earlier driver version and latest, BIOS update, this might be compatibility issue with the EVGA DisplayPort MST hub.

Allan.

[MHiie]

> Are you getting same problem when connecting your computer without EVGA DisplayPort MST hub?

> Does it happen when connecting with straight cables?

I don't get the problem with 1 external monitor, either with or without the hub (when a single monitor is connected to the hub, everything works fine). It's only with 2 external monitors attached when I get problems. Unfortunately this laptop only has a single DP port, so I cannot test with 2 external monitors attached directly.

> If you already tested the graphics controller with an earlier driver version and latest, BIOS update, this might be compatibility issue with the EVGA DisplayPort MST hub.

The reason I don't think this is an issue with the hub is that restarting (powering off/on) the hub does not solve the problems, but restarting the laptop does solve the problems for a while.

[MHiie]

> If you already tested the graphics controller with an earlier driver version and latest, BIOS update, this might be compatibility issue with the EVGA DisplayPort MST hub.

I've now verified that this is not an EVGA hub issue - this issue is so annoying that I bought a Club 3D MST Hub, the exact same symptoms appear with it as with the EVGA hub.

One further observation - just for testing, I changed the 3rd monitor's resolution to 1920x1080, and the issues pretty much stopped (but not completely, some scenarios still happened every other day or so). When I changed the resolution back to the native 2560x1440, the issue came back. I can't work with the lower resolution, so this is not an long-term option.

Is there anything else I can try?

Thanks,

Magnus

[RColo1]

Hi MagnusHiie,

i've about the same problem with flickering on the external monitor with extended desktop i think... have you solved the problem?

[ROBERT_U_Intel]

@ Magnus, @ Roberto

Could you please attach the DXDiag report for your system to this thread?

Thanks

Robert

[RColo1]

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System Information

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[ROBERT_U_Intel]

Hi Roberto

According to your DXDiag report you are running a very old graphics driver. Could you please retest with the 15.33.32.64.4061 available here: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24593/Intel-HD-Graphics-Driver-for-Windows-7-8-8-1-64-bit Intel® Download Center

Thanks

Robert

[RColo1]

just tried again... and again flickering...

[MHiie]

Still happens now, with different monitors (2xBenQ BL3201PT) and latest drivers on Windows 10.

DxDiag report attached.

Thanks,

Magnus

[Allan_J_Intel1]

The latest video drivers available for your graphics controller at Intel would be version 4380.

Please try: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25860/Intel-Graphics-Driver-for-Windows-10-15-40-4th-Gen- Download Intel® Graphics Driver for Windows® 10 [15.40][4th Gen]

Allan.

[MHiie]

I was assuming that my version (updated via Device Manager automatic upgrade) was newer both in terms of date (Mar 23 vs Mar 😎 and build number 4416 vs 4380. I'm confused about the difference of version numbers that Intel download site has vs what Device Manager reports. The INF file of the diver you linked contains the same version number that I have (20.19.15) but an older build number 4380.

Should I install the older build?

[Allan_J_Intel1]

You are currently running a customized driver version 20.19.15.4416. Intel has not validated that particular driver version because our latest is 4380.

For testing purposes you could try installing 4380 and also drivers from your computer manufacturer.

Allan.

[ROBERT_U_Intel]

Hi Magnus

Could you verify the issue occurs on a driver we just released on Download Center today? https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=24348 Version 15.36.7.64.3960

Thanks

Robert

[MHiie]

> Could you verify the issue occurs on a driver we just released on Download Center today? https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=24348 Version 15.36.7.64.3960

I installed the new driver, the problems remain. Although subjectively (it's hard to quantify exactly) the scenarios (2) and (3) are now less likely.

[MHiie]

Is there any way to turn on diagnostic logging or detailed events for the driver so I could see what is going on?