Extended Display Monitor Temporarily Blacks Out

[hundleyj]

This issue occurs randomly and lasts only 1-2 seconds, then the display returns to normal. The frequency of occurrence can range from once every 10-15 minutes (sometimes longer), or as often as once every couple seconds (though this is a rare condition). Sometimes the issue frequency increases when additional applications are opened on a display, but it has also occurred with no applications open. All docking station functions (keyboard, mouse, Ethernet, display) appear to act normally most of the time. I have searched through many forums and posts relating to this topic and tried a number of troubleshooting procedures (listed below), but nothing seems to rectify the situation. The problem only started happening recently after my computer (Windows 10 OS) crashed and had to be rebuilt from bare metal (the SSD had become warped). I had been operating in the exact same HW configuration (other than the new SSD) before the crash for over a year without seeing this issue. My system configuration and specs are listed below. I have posted the DisplayLink Support log file as well. I have this computer connected via USB 3.0 port to a StarTech.com docking station (USB3SDOCKDD). The docking station is connected to a KVMP switch via USB and dual DVI-D connectors. Dual Dell monitors are connected to the KVMP switch, and these are the displays that black out. I have seen both black out individually, but not at the same time. The native monitor on my laptop does not black out. I also have a Windows 7 OS Dell laptop connected to the KVMP switch, and there are no blackouts of the displays when that system is sending data through the switch. This leads me to believe that the monitors and the switch themselves are fine, and the problem resides with the Windows 10 laptop, the USB docking station, or the interaction between the two.

Troubleshooting Steps:
1. Swapped DVI-D cables from the Windows 7 laptop side of the KVMP switch to the Windows 10 laptop side of the switch. Swapped DVI-D cables between the two monitors.
2. Tried multiple USB 3.0 ports on the laptop.
3. Uninstalled/Reinstalled/Updated the following drivers
a. DisplayLink USB (tried drivers 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5 beta – original driver that came with the device was 7.6 which worked fine with Windows 10 for over a year)
b. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M GPU (uninstalled with DDU)
c. ATEN KVMP switch
d. Dell Monitors (tried with Dell driver and Generic PnP Monitor driver)
e. Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller – 1.0 (Microsoft) – Uninstalled through Device Manager
f. Used Driver Easy to check for any additional driver updates
- Applied all available updates (except USB Root Hub xHCI: Downloaded the update files {amdxhcireg Security Catalog and Setup Information} nothing appears to happen when I right-click on the setup file and select install and the device still shows that it needs updating in the Driver Easy menu)
4. Unselected “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” for each of the USBC peripherals (Device Manager >> USBC >> {USB device} >> Properties >> Power Mangement)
5. Modified Advanced display settings for multiple displays; changing which monitor was “main” vs. “Extend desktop to this display”
6. Modified GPU clocking using NVIDIA Inspector

OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise
Version 10.0.14393 Build 14393
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Manufacturer Origin Notebook
System Model EON15-X
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700 CPU @ 3.40GHz, 3401 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 1.05.10, 2/23/2016
SMBIOS Version 3.0
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode UEFI
Platform Role Mobile
Secure Boot State Off
PCR7 Configuration Elevation Required to View
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "10.0.14393.0"
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 32.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 32.0 GB
Available Physical Memory 25.9 GB
Total Virtual Memory 36.7 GB
Available Virtual Memory 29.7 GB

Monitors Generic PnP Monitor and Dual Dell P2213 (Digital DVI)
KVMP Switch ATEN CS1642a

Name NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_13D7&SUBSYS_75021558&REV_A1\4&62B 0C4E&0&0008
Adapter Type GeForce GTX 980M, NVIDIA compatible
Adapter Description NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
Adapter RAM (1,048,576) bytes
Installed Drivers C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvc vi.inf_amd64_07f39a265f56cb54\nvldumdx.dll,C:\Wind ows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvcvi.inf_ amd64_07f39a265f56cb54\nvldumdx.dll,C:\Windows\Sys tem32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvcvi.inf_amd64_0 7f39a265f56cb54\nvldumdx.dll,C:\Windows\System32\D riverStore\FileRepository\nvcvi.inf_amd64_07f39a26 5f56cb54\nvldumdx.dll,C:\Windows\System32\DriverSt ore\FileRepository\nvcvi.inf_amd64_07f39a265f56cb5 4\nvldumd.dll,C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\File Repository\nvcvi.inf_amd64_07f39a265f56cb54\nvldum d.dll,C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileReposito ry\nvcvi.inf_amd64_07f39a265f56cb54\nvldumd.dll,C: \Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvcvi .inf_amd64_07f39a265f56cb54\nvldumd.dll
Driver Version 23.21.13.9135
INF File oem7.inf (Section070 section)
Color Planes Not Available
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1920 x 1080 x 60 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
I/O Port 0x0000E000-0x0000E07F
IRQ Channel IRQ 4294967292
Driver c:\windows\system32\driverstore\filerepository\nvc vi.inf_amd64_07f39a265f56cb54\nvlddmkm.sys (23.21.13.9135, 16.73 MB (17,544,792 bytes), 4/10/2018 11:53 AM)

Name DisplayLink USB Device
PNP Device ID USB\VID_17E9&PID_4307&MI_01\7&8593E1A&3&0001
Adapter Type Not Available, DisplayLink compatible
Adapter Description DisplayLink USB Device
Adapter RAM Not Available
Installed Drivers Not Available
Driver Version 8.4.3480.0
INF File oem56.inf (dlidusb_Install section)
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1920 x 1080 x 60 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\wudfrd.sys (10.0.14393.0, 211.00 KB (216,064 bytes), 7/16/2016 4:42 AM)

Name DisplayLink USB Device
PNP Device ID USB\VID_17E9&PID_4307&MI_00\7&8593E1A&3&0000
Adapter Type Not Available, DisplayLink compatible
Adapter Description DisplayLink USB Device
Adapter RAM Not Available
Installed Drivers Not Available
Driver Version 8.4.3480.0
INF File oem56.inf (dlidusb_Install section)
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1680 x 1050 x 60 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\wudfrd.sys (10.0.14393.0, 211.00 KB (216,064 bytes), 7/16/2016 4:42 AM)

Any assistance to resolve this annoying issue is much appreciated!

[AlbanRampon]

Hello!

1-2 seconds is a bit too quick for the issue to take place on the host.
Can you confirm the content of the displays is exactly where it was before the blackout and is NOT moved to the remaining display?

It sounds like your monitors are losing synchronisation. I would put that on the link to the monitor itself.

Once you've confirmed the screen content behaviour, we can look at mitigation.

Kind regards,
Alban

[hundleyj]

Alban,

Yes, the content of the display remains unchanged after the blackout.

[AlbanRampon]

Thank you.
That would tend to indicate Windows doesn't even know about this... so nothing happens on the host side.
This still points to the monitor losing synchronisation on the cable.

Could you please check your surroundings when this happens?
Is there someone using a gas lift chair standing up/sitting down near you?

Do your cables have ferrite beads on them? These removes transient signals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite_bead

Kind regards,
Alban

[hundleyj]

There are no odd movements or electrical loads near the computer that I am aware of. The cables do not have a ferrite bead attached.

The issue seems to appear more frequently when I first log on to my computer, flashing black every second for 10 - 20 seconds. Then it flashes once a minutes for a couple minutes. Next it slows down to once every 10 - 15 minutes, and finally once or twice an hour. But there can be momentary spikes in occurrences throughout use of the computer.

[hundleyj]

I swapped out the DVI cables from docking station to KVMP switch and from KVMP switch to monitors with ones that have a ferrite bead, and the temporary backouts have stopped! It appears this was a cable issue...

Thanks for the help!!!