e6520 External Monitor Automatically Resizing (Dell Dock + 2x 2410U)

I've got a system board from Dell on the way....arg.

 

Not sure if it's really just the BIOS setting, though mine is set to Thorough.

I actually put on a U2211H DP (port 1) and a 2209WA DVI (port 2) on my E6420 dock, no issues yet. I'm almost tempted to play "how many monitors can I stick on this thing", since my old laptop only allowed a combination of max 2 displays.

However, I did notice that one time when I ejected my laptop with the lid closed and put it back onto the dock, the DP monitor went all big (monitor says 800x600) while the DVI one was fine. I reopened the lid after that, so it likely forced the monitor configuration to change and reset. Trying to reproduce it just now, with the lid closed, the DVI monitor went out and the DP monitor went 800x600 again. Without opening the lid, I had to unplug/replug the DVI cable to get the DVI monitor back.

If it's intermittent, it still could be a motherboard or dock thing.

 

^Yeah, hopefully drivers will correct that...I wouldnt hold my breath. Though, I know a replacement motherboard will fix my issue...as other laptops work great.

 

Well well well....just a little update.


I got 4 more of the e6520s in, all identical spec to my own, so I put my hard drive in each one and connected it to my dock/monitors. All exhibited the same issue.

Remember, I've had this dock/monitors for 6+ months and had 2 6410's on it without issue. I also had 1 e6520 on it that worked fine....(sold it).

So, I am not going to change the motherboard as there is an extremely high likelihood I will have the same issue.

I think now it may be a BIOS/software issue. I've got it connected with DVI so I don't have any more problems...but I'll update as I go.

My monitors have DisplayPort, my dock has DisplayPort...I want DisplayPort.

!!!@#$%^&*&^%$#@!!!

 

Thus far no issues with the 1920x1080 DP + 1680x1050 DVI setup.

Have you tried another dock anyway? Maybe it's the mating of the two connectors. I've seen the D-series docks have weird undocking issues as of late, likely due to use and age which seem to happen depending on the matching of the units (ie: some D-series laptops work perfectly fine on some D-Docks but then do flake things on others where other laptops worked fine and vice versa).

My E-Port and laptop are both new, so I couldn't really test that theory if I wanted to.

 

^You need 2 DisplayPort monitors to be affected by the issue. If I connect my monitors using DVI or only 1 DisplayPort monitor, it works fine too.

It's a very specific issue that I really hope gets resolved by a BIOS/driver update.

 

Just as a followup, now have two U2211 via DP on the dock 1920x1080 for the last few days, no issues as of yet.

When looking for this thread, I found another thread that might be of interest:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/del...487308-e-series-dock-display-port-issues.html

Though in that thread, some people might really actually have defective hardware or been fixed with a driver update. Someone had a pair of U2410s which had almost exactly the same issue, but it doesn't look like it was resolved in that thread.

Do you have DisplayPort cables with ferrite cores?

 

Resolution: Turned out to be a dock issue.

...which is really odd, as it was connected for ~8 months with DisplayPort using my e6410, and the one e6520 worked without issue.

I switched out my dock and its working fine.

Both docks are DP/N: 0CY640

Old Dock: A03

New Dock: A04


What a complicated issue to diagnose!

 

Well, quick update. It started doing it again with the new dock. I've went back to DVI (no issues on DVI) and will wait for a bios or driver update to hopefully correct the issue.

 

Well, the p/n and info for my E-Port Plus, if you want to compare:

On the box:
DP/N 0YP021
Rev A04
Vendor ID | Location ID
12960/12960
MFG ID 12960
(there seems to be also a green Compal sticker on it)

On the unit:
Model No PR02X
Input 19.5V ~ 6.7A/10.8A
DP/N 0CY640

Power brick:
Model DA130PE1-00
DELL P/N: JU012
Ref No: ADP-130DB B
Input 100~240V~2.5A 50~60Hz
Output 19.5V ~ 6.7A

Maybe it's a problem with the laptop driving 1x 1920x1080 and 2x 1900x1200. Keep in mind that mine is driving 1x 1600x900 and 2x 1920x1080. If you're using a different dock from last time, maybe try disabling Optimus again. Or try lowering the resolution on your monitors. Or it could be a 6420 vs 6520 thing.

Also, what is the length of the DisplayPort cables that you are using? I'm using 2x 10' (one of them is from Monoprice, the other is a Dell with a ferrite bead from something else).