Drivers stop working after a kernel upgrade, need reinstall

heldmar · 06-19-2019, 11:49 AM

Hi,

I am an Ubuntu (18.04.2 LTS) user and I am using DisplayLink drivers for a USB Dock with my Laptop (Lenovo Yoga 910) since driver version 1.4.

I have upgraded to subsequent drivers versions when they came out, so right now I am running version 4.4, however, on versions 4.2 and 4.4 I have noticed that every time I do a kernel upgrade (which happens around once a month) drivers stop working and I need to do a uninstall and then reinstall same driver I had and reboot the machine in order for the driver to "attach" to the new kernel.

This although is quite simple is annoying, it seems like when you install the driver it actually attaches to the kernel and when the kernel is upgraded it won't transfer driver to it and you have to do it for it.

Is this something that can be prevented somehow? Can DisplayLink look into this for future releases?

mlukaszek · 06-19-2019, 04:56 PM

Kernel driver is being registered with dkms, so it should be rebuilt as you upgrade your kernels. Is this not working?

Thanks,
MIchal

heldmar · 06-19-2019, 06:13 PM

No, it's not working, that's why I wanted to make you guys aware to see if this can be corrected in future versions.

It's very easy to test it by installing simply installing an old kernel version, installing the driver and then trying to upgrade the kernel and then trying to use the dock. Actually, the dock works (USB connections and networking) but displays won't even turn on unless you reinstall the driver again.

heldmar · 07-02-2019, 12:21 PM

More information on this matter:

I have 2 different devices, one at home and one at the office, both of them use DisplayLink. I did a kernel upgrade last night and of course, it made my device at home to not work so I had to uninstall the driver, reboot, reinstall the driver and reboot again to make it work.

Then I came to office Today and when I plugged to my USB dock it didn't work, so I had to once again: uninstall, reboot, install, reboot. Not only is annoying but this means that it even affects devices! So, you basically will have to uninstall and reinstall per each device you have.

Very weird and annoying, I hope this can get fixed in any way.

Thomas Maeder · 07-23-2019, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heldmar

No, it's not working, that's why I wanted to make you guys aware to see if this can be corrected in future versions

Basically every time I update the kernel, I have to
* displaylink-installer uninstall
* reboot
* ./displaylink-driver-5.2.14.run

smacdonald-miov · 07-24-2019, 02:54 PM

I'm on Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS. I hadn't noticed a problem with the 4.4 driver.

I just upgraded to the 5.2 driver; I'll keep an eye out for issues.

Thomas Maeder · 08-16-2019, 04:34 AM

After the update to kernel 4.15.0-58, I had to uninstall, reboot then install again.

heldmar · 08-16-2019, 02:37 PM

After installing last version, now when I update Kernel, on the next reboot it takes around 3 - 4 minutes for the dock to recognize the external screens and work. It will work without installation but not immediately.

It will work normally afterwards on the very next reboots though.

Thomas Maeder · 07-06-2020, 09:19 PM

> After the update to kernel 4.15.0-58, I had to uninstall, reboot then install again.

I'm happy to be able to write that I haven't had to do that any more for a while now after kernel updates.

06-19-2019, 11:49 AM	#1
heldmar Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 7	Drivers stop working after a kernel upgrade, need reinstall Hi, I am an Ubuntu (18.04.2 LTS) user and I am using DisplayLink drivers for a USB Dock with my Laptop (Lenovo Yoga 910) since driver version 1.4. I have upgraded to subsequent drivers versions when they came out, so right now I am running version 4.4, however, on versions 4.2 and 4.4 I have noticed that every time I do a kernel upgrade (which happens around once a month) drivers stop working and I need to do a uninstall and then reinstall same driver I had and reboot the machine in order for the driver to "attach" to the new kernel. This although is quite simple is annoying, it seems like when you install the driver it actually attaches to the kernel and when the kernel is upgraded it won't transfer driver to it and you have to do it for it. Is this something that can be prevented somehow? Can DisplayLink look into this for future releases?

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06-19-2019, 04:56 PM	#2
mlukaszek Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 386	Kernel driver is being registered with dkms, so it should be rebuilt as you upgrade your kernels. Is this not working? Thanks, MIchal

06-19-2019, 06:13 PM	#3
heldmar Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 7	No, it's not working, that's why I wanted to make you guys aware to see if this can be corrected in future versions. It's very easy to test it by installing simply installing an old kernel version, installing the driver and then trying to upgrade the kernel and then trying to use the dock. Actually, the dock works (USB connections and networking) but displays won't even turn on unless you reinstall the driver again.

07-02-2019, 12:21 PM	#4
heldmar Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 7	More information on this matter: I have 2 different devices, one at home and one at the office, both of them use DisplayLink. I did a kernel upgrade last night and of course, it made my device at home to not work so I had to uninstall the driver, reboot, reinstall the driver and reboot again to make it work. Then I came to office Today and when I plugged to my USB dock it didn't work, so I had to once again: uninstall, reboot, install, reboot. Not only is annoying but this means that it even affects devices! So, you basically will have to uninstall and reinstall per each device you have. Very weird and annoying, I hope this can get fixed in any way.

07-24-2019, 02:54 PM	#6
smacdonald-miov Junior Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 6	I'm on Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS. I hadn't noticed a problem with the 4.4 driver. I just upgraded to the 5.2 driver; I'll keep an eye out for issues.

08-16-2019, 04:34 AM	#7
Thomas Maeder Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 4	After the update to kernel 4.15.0-58, I had to uninstall, reboot then install again.

08-16-2019, 02:37 PM	#8
heldmar Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 7	After installing last version, now when I update Kernel, on the next reboot it takes around 3 - 4 minutes for the dock to recognize the external screens and work. It will work without installation but not immediately. It will work normally afterwards on the very next reboots though.

07-06-2020, 09:19 PM	#9
Thomas Maeder Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 4	> After the update to kernel 4.15.0-58, I had to uninstall, reboot then install again. I'm happy to be able to write that I haven't had to do that any more for a while now after kernel updates.