Windows 8 and USB 3.0 with Kensington SD3500

[jjp]

Hi,

I am stuck with my new configuration.
Here is the list of components:
- Asus Laptop UX31A
- 2 Asus MX279 Displays
- Kensington SD3500 Docking Station with Dual Display capability

The software is as follows :
- Windows 8
- Kensington Display Adapter 7.0.43577.0
- DisplayLink Core Software 7.1.44152.0
- DisplayLink Graphics 7.1.44323.0

When the Docking Station is connected directly to the USB 3.0 port of the laptop, it basically does not work or sometimes the USB 2.0 hub ports of the docking station are viewed but nothing else. The USB Host Root Hub (xHCI) is automatically disabled and the docking station no longer viewed.

When I connect the Docking Station with a USB 2.0 extension cable to the same USB 3.0 port of the laptop, it works as everything is now down to the USB 2.0 protocol due to the extension cable which is USB 2.0.
This works much better as I see everything except for the second display connected via the HDMI connector of the Docking Station.
The rest works fine, but at USB 2.0 speed of course:
- The first display connected to the DVI port of the docking station is fine.
- The 4 USB 2.0 Ports of the docking station work fine
- The 2 frontal USB 3.0 ports work fine but at USB 2.0 speed
- The Audio connection works fine
- The Ethernet port works fine

I would first want to know what I need to do to get the second display working in "USB 2.0" configuration.
I would then want to know how to get the same thing orking in USB 3.0??!!

I have seen plenty of topics on the forum but none seem to reach a valid solution for this problem that we seem to be a lot to have.

Thanks for any help that could be provided.
I have run the DisplayLink Support Tool and will attach the generated File.

Kind Regards,
JJP

[jjp]

Here is the Support Zip File

[Wim]

We believe that this is an issue with the firmware in the USB 3.0 hub in the dock and not connected to DisplayLink. The issue can occur with Windows 8 on some Intel platforms.

We have made Kensington aware of the issue and would suggest contacting Kensington support to get this resolved.

Wim

[beaveyOne]

I'm having the exact same problem, and I've tested using both my home and work laptops. One is a Sony Vaio, and one is a Lenovo Thinkpad. With both machines, plugging in the dock to a USB 2.0 port works fine, and i have dual displays, audio, ethernet, and all the usb ports. When I plug in to a USB 3.0 port, I have the exact same issues as the original poster.

Frustrating beyond belief. I'll contact Kensington tech support, but I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem. I just got the dock, and it's been driving me crazy. Thanks.

I also have one of the Lenovo Thinkpad USB 3.0 docks, and it works perfectly on the same laptop. It does look like a problem with the Kensington dock's firmware, since both of them have the same DisplayLink guts.

[comdis]

I'm having the exact same problem, and I've tested using both my home and work laptops. One is a Sony Vaio, and one is a Lenovo Thinkpad. With both machines, plugging in the dock to a USB 2.0 port works fine, and i have dual displays, audio, ethernet, and all the usb ports. When I plug in to a USB 3.0 port, I have the exact same issues as the original poster.

Frustrating beyond belief. I'll contact Kensington tech support, but I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem. I just got the dock, and it's been driving me crazy. Thanks.

I also have one of the Lenovo Thinkpad USB 3.0 docks, and it works perfectly on the same laptop. It does look like a problem with the Kensington dock's firmware, since both of them have the same DisplayLink guts.
I am running an Asus Zenbook Prime UX31A with an iCore7 and Sandforce Bridge and Windows 8-64. My new i-tec USB 3.0 docking station (chipset DisplayLink DL-3900) is not working at all. At the beginning (USB 3.0 Inter host used) it was working with some USB devices but I could not get an external monitor to work. Only with extense USB 2.0 cable - all is OK. After updating all drivers and installing DisplayLink 7.1M1 now Windows does not even recognize the docking station at all in USB 3.0 port with Intel chipset (Intel extensible Host controller ). In the device manager \"USB Root Hub (xHCI)\" is stating error code 43 (\"The USB hub failed to reset\"). I have already tried the workaround from the Plugable website (installing the Intel instead of the Microsoft USB 3.0 driver) but this did not work either, as Windows kept saying that I already had the latest driver. It is really frustrating with Intel USB 3.0 host port! Any suggestions? Many thanks!

[jjp]

We believe that this is an issue with the firmware in the USB 3.0 hub in the dock and not connected to DisplayLink. The issue can occur with Windows 8 on some Intel platforms.

We have made Kensington aware of the issue and would suggest contacting Kensington support to get this resolved.

Wim

Hi Wim, thanks for the feedback.
I have uninstalled the previous version of the display link software, as well as the "Kensington" software that was in fact only the previous version of the displaylink software.
I now have only installed the latest 7.1M1 version (7.1.45135.0), but it is still not working when connected via USB 3.0.
I have raised an incident to the kensington support stating your feedback.

Nevertheless, do you know why I can only manage to see one of the 2 extra dual monitors when I am working in USB 2.0?
There is a DVI connection on the docking station and an HDMI connection, only the DVI connection seems to be working, the display connected to the HDMI connection is not seen by the system.
I have of course tried changing cables and monitors, which are working fine. In fact, I connect to the DVI connection with an HDMI cable and a HDMI/DVI converter connector. So it's really the HDMI connection on the docking station that I cannot see.
Any clue why this is the case? At least I would have everything working in USB 2.0 :-(
Thx

[jjp]

I have done a few more tests with another laptop, but that unfortunately only has USB2.0 connections.
The results are identical to the ones with the ASUS with a USB2.0 connection.
Everything works fine, except for the second external monitor. I only have the laptop integrated monitor and I only see 1 external monitor.
Nevertheless, in the Device Manager, in the USB Display Adapters, I do see 2 connections :
1- DisplayLink Display Adapter (430F)
2- Kensington USB3.0 2X Video Dock
I do not know if this corresponds to the 2 connections on the Docking station, but the fact is that within th DisplayLink Manager, when configuring the monitors, I only see the one connected to Kensington USB3.0 2X Video Dock.
Attached is a document with a few screenshots of what I have just explained.

I will also attach a new DisplayLink Support Tool Run file since I now have the latest version of the software from 1st February.

Thanks for the help.
JJP

[luiset83]

Sounds like defective hardware perhaps? If you did the test with 2 systems and still can't get output from HDMI port it points to the dock being defective... if possible try with different monitor(s) and another system to triple check if that's the case.

[Wim]

When you plug in the HDMI monitors, do all the displays flash, as if it's reconfiguring for another extended screen? WDP shows 3 screens connected, so I wonder if this is the laptop display, and 2 displays from the dock.

If so, it looks like the software is doing the right thing, and giving you 2 extended displays, but the hardware is faulty and not rendering out of the HDMI port.

Wim

[jjp]

When you plug in the HDMI monitors, do all the displays flash, as if it's reconfiguring for another extended screen? WDP shows 3 screens connected, so I wonder if this is the laptop display, and 2 displays from the dock.

If so, it looks like the software is doing the right thing, and giving you 2 extended displays, but the hardware is faulty and not rendering out of the HDMI port.

Wim

Hi Wim, you have seen 3 screens in WDP because in the meantime I have also connected the second monitor via the external VGA connection of the laptop, so I do have 3 monitors, but only because I have gone through the external VGA connection of the laptop.
When I plug/unplug the HDMI connection, the system does not flash or move or do anything at all.
Maybe I do have a problem with the HDMI connection.
My monitors have various entries and the second display is connected both via VGA cable and HDMI cable. The VGA connection directly to the VGA external connector of the laptop works fine, but the HDMI connection via le docking station does not work at all.

In fact my interim solution is to connect one external monitor via the DVI connection of the docking station and another via the external VGA connection of the laptop with another VGA cable :-(
That means 2 cables and of course a docking station in USB2.0 for the other connectors (USB2 and USB 3 ports, Audio and Ethernet)

Any clue why that HDMI connection does not work?
Hardware issue?

Thanks for your help.

[Wim]

I'm starting to think its a hardware issue. HDMI Hotplug is used to signal to the software that there is a display connected. It sounds like this hotplug event is not getting sent to the PC, so no display is enabled.

Wim

[beaveyOne]

My Kensington dock is working! In Windows 8! Good grief, it's working... full USB3 speed, dual monitors, gigabit ethernet, and everything works just as it's supposed to. Turns out it wasn't necessarily a problem with the Kensington dock at all. Rather, I'm blaming Microsoft's USB 3.0 drivers for this one. I have two laptops I'm testing with this dock. Neither one worked previously with it, but the fix is similar for both:

Sony VAIO VPCSC1AFM:

This laptop has a Sandy Bridge architecture, and in Device Manager the controller showed "Renesas USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller - 0096 (Microsoft)". I was able to download the non-Microsoft driver from Intel's web site here (http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=19880) and install it (ignore the fact that it doesn't say "Windows 8" on that page - it works). Once I did and rebooted, the Kensington dock worked perfectly! Absolutely no problems so far. Easy.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon:

This ultrabook uses a newer Ivy Bridge architecture, and so the Renesas driver won't work. Intel makes it difficult to install their driver in Windows 8, but it can be done by following these instructions on Plugable's site (http://plugable.com/2012/12/01/windows-8-and-intel-usb-3-0-host-controllers). Once I did that, the ThinkPad worked with the Kensington dock, too. Again, absolutely no problems so far.

It's a huge relief for me, and hopefully things will continue to work fine. Maybe this post will help someone else out, because the problem was driving me crazy for days trying to find a solution.

[carminus]

I made these up http://www.displaylink.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2336 give them a shot. Make sure you read the readme first!

The birth place of intel usb 3 discussions http://communities.intel.com/thread/32444?start=0&tstart=0

Good luck.

[jjp]

My Kensington dock is working! In Windows 8! Good grief, it's working... full USB3 speed, dual monitors, gigabit ethernet, and everything works just as it's supposed to. Turns out it wasn't necessarily a problem with the Kensington dock at all. Rather, I'm blaming Microsoft's USB 3.0 drivers for this one. I have two laptops I'm testing with this dock. Neither one worked previously with it, but the fix is similar for both:

Sony VAIO VPCSC1AFM:

This laptop has a Sandy Bridge architecture, and in Device Manager the controller showed "Renesas USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller - 0096 (Microsoft)". I was able to download the non-Microsoft driver from Intel's web site here (http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=19880) and install it (ignore the fact that it doesn't say "Windows 8" on that page - it works). Once I did and rebooted, the Kensington dock worked perfectly! Absolutely no problems so far. Easy.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon:

This ultrabook uses a newer Ivy Bridge architecture, and so the Renesas driver won't work. Intel makes it difficult to install their driver in Windows 8, but it can be done by following these instructions on Plugable's site (http://plugable.com/2012/12/01/windows-8-and-intel-usb-3-0-host-controllers). Once I did that, the ThinkPad worked with the Kensington dock, too. Again, absolutely no problems so far.

It's a huge relief for me, and hopefully things will continue to work fine. Maybe this post will help someone else out, because the problem was driving me crazy for days trying to find a solution.

Thanks for the information. I am going to try it and let you know if it also works for me :-)

IT WORKS FINE for my ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A also!!!
It now works in USB 3.0 as it was working in USB 2.0, after having replaced the Microsoft Drivers with the Intel Drviers for Windows 7!!!
Simply need to follow these instructions on Plugable's site (http://plugable.com/2012/12/01/windows-8-and-intel-usb-3-0-host-controllers) as stated by beaveyOne.

Thanks for your help beaveyOne :-)

[jjp]

I still have my second display issue on the HDMI port, but I suppose that is a hardware issue on the Kensington docking station. I will have it changed and cross my fingers ;-)

[jjp]

AFter changing the docking station for a new one, I still have the issue with the HDMI port for the second display :-(
When I plugin the HDMI cable, nothing happens at all. None of the screens flash.
Like Wim says, it's like if the event of the connection of the HDMI cable does not launch any hotplug detection or anything and the screen is not seen by the system.
It is now no longer a hardware issue, as I changed the docking station station for a new one, but there is still no way to get the HDMI port working correctly :-(

Can someone be of any help at all??!!
Wim??!!