Windows 10 - DisplayLink Software Crash and Screens stop working

[stjohn]

Hello,

I have a Dell MKS14b - Dell Monitor Stand with USB 3.0 Dock, and a Dell Latitude E5470.
- i7 6600U
- 8GB Ram
- Intel HD Graphics 520
- AMD Radeon R7 M360

Whenever I use the dock it will work for about 2 hours and then the displaylink screens will freeze and the software will close itself, but the keyboard and mouse still continue to work.

I have tried everything i can think of (updating, downgrading drivers, uninstalling, reinstalling displaylink using displaylink cleaning tool, disabling graphics cards, changing cables for know working ones) but still i cannot get it to work.

I have attached two sets of log files. One which was take after it crash this morning without the advanced logging and one with the advanced logging after i replicated the crash.

Any help with this will be appreciated.

[AlbanRampon]

Hello StJohn,

Thank you for describing the issue and collecting the logs.
You have USB communication issues with the device.
The communication fails, then the USB host controller puts the device in error and all traffic is halted. The DisplayLink icon is only present when a hardware and a monitor are detected. As the device is thrown off of the bus, the icon disappears.

This tends to come from a hardware issue, especially as I see enumeration issues and enumeration takes place BEFORE the drivers are invoked by Windows.
I would recommend trying with another USB cable in another USB port to rule out a cable/mechanical fault.
If the issue persist, I suggest you contact the manufacturer, Dell, for hardware support.

Kind regards,
Alban

[stjohn]

I am trying the new cable and new usb port.

I will update you with the results.

Just so you know i am having this problem with all the Dell Latitude E5470 and all Dell monitor docks.
All the docks and cables work fine on other devices (Dell Latitdue 3340 or XPS 13)

Kind Regards

StJohn

[AlbanRampon]

That new information is very useful.

Once you have checked with other USB ports, I would like to get advanced logs from a working machine please. This way I can see if it has errors but less serious ones or if it is free of errors.
That will also be useful to get the host controller driver version number.

How many is "all" ?

Kind regards,
Alban

[stjohn]

Attach is a screen shot of the driver version.

I have also attach logs from a working one.
Same model laptop, same model dock, all the same drivers.

We have had this problem with all 5 laptops we have and 5 docks.
We have managed some how to get 2 working (they started off having the same problem) but the other three refuse to work.

The other types of laptops just seem to plug and play with the XPS causing small issue but required manually installing the software first and doing setup that way.

If you want some more logs or would like to get logs from the other working laptop please let me know

Kind Regards

StJohn

[stjohn]

Hello,

Have tried the new usb cable and new usb port and both have not made a difference. It still crashes within 2/3 hours of use.

I have attached another set of log after it crashed.

Could you have a look and let me know if there is something i can try.

Kind Regards

StJohn

[Kirilllv]

The same problem:
Dell MKS14
Dell XPS13
Dell U2417H

Randomly disconnects and connects only after rebooting/
After disconnecting the displayport disapears from Device Manager.

[Kirilllv]

Advanced Log

[AlbanRampon]

Hello StJohn,

Thank you for your patience whilst I was on holidays.
On the latest log you provided, the USB device is NOT connected.
This issue cannot technically come from the host driver.
If you don't care why, skip this reply to TL;DR.

# DETAILS
Here is how it works:
1. You plug a device on the computer
2. The computer USB Host Controller talks with the USB device which introduces itself: Hello, I device 4320 from vendor 17e9. Here are my endpoints... It's called enumeration.
3. The operating system, so Windows here, from the vendor and device ID and the features, choses drivers from its driver store, or goes to Windows Update.
4. Windows has attaches the DisplayLink drivers and it goes.

In your logs, you will see the device is not recognised by Windows. It is absent from Device Manager. If Windows doesn't see the device, it's not even invoking the device drivers... So the issue is elsewhere. It can technically only be at:
A. The OS level. I doubt it, we would have heard more occurrences.
B. The USB Host Controller & driver. That happens if there are some drivers/hardware slightly out of spec, especially with low power modes. Could be.
C. The USB hub inside the docking station. Could be. I don't have logs of that as we don't do hubs.
D. The DisplayLink chip firmware within the docking station. Could happen, but we wouldn't pass USB compliance and we wouldn't be part of the USB known good devices in the gold tree used to test the tester if we were not compliant...
E. The DisplayLink chip hardware. Most unlikely as it works for hours.

When I look in your HOST driver logs, the part on Windows, it says there is a Plug and Play event of device removal. So Windows won't talk to it and the drivers have nothing to talk to. I think Windows throw it off of the bus because of the communication issues. The error code is reported by the USB Host Controller.
When I look in the DisplayLink chip logs, the part within the dock, communication is lost suddenly with the host so we stop getting events from the dock. Other events are captured as USB Disconnects, so they chip doesn't just stop.

# TL;DR
1. Would you please be able to force the device in USB2 mode, by either using a USB2 port, or a USB2 cable?
2. Could you please try to disable USB Selective Suspend to see if the issue happens with low power modes? This could be explaining why it takes a couple of hours to kick in.
3. I see the title of this thread is that the software crash. What led you to believe this was a software crash?
4. What did you do for the 2 docks to suddenly work on these machines? May I get the logs from one so I can see if firmware differs? If so, we can try and force the firmware on the non-working one and see.

Kind regards,
Alban

[AlbanRampon]

Hello Kirilly,
I remove one of your posts as I want to keep the forum professional.

1. Have you tried in a USB port from the opposite side (left or right) of the laptop?
2. Have you tried with another cable?
3. How many docks do you have?
4. Do you also have the issue with USB2?

If it's a single unit, it would be easier to contact Dell and ask for a hardware replacement because the device drops from the USB bus as there are too many USB errors and Windows gives up.
Regards,
Alban