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Trouble with Dell D Series Docking Station and ZOS 15

jeffreybruton

Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:55:16 am

Hi Zorin Community,

Trying out ZOS 15 Core and really impressed so far. When using it live off the DVD on my Dell E6430 laptop and the Dell E Series docking station it works perfectly seeing BOTH external monitors connected to the docking station.

When I try to run it live off the DVD on my Dell D630 laptop and the Dell D Series docking station here's what happens:

1. The first text menu comes up on the laptop only.
2. I select the first entry "Try or Install..."
3. Laptop and external monitor both show Zorin logo.
4. Both screens go blank as the system continues to boot and the power LED on the external monitor is blue meaning it is still getting a video signal.
5. After a bit longer (while both screens are still blank) the power LED on the external monitor turns to red meaning it is no longer getting a video signal.
6. Install GUI comes up on the laptop monitor only with the "Try Zorin OS" and "Install Zorin OS" graphic and text...and at this point the external monitor power LED is still red meaning it's not getting a video signal.
7. I select "Try Zorin OS".
8. Start up text comes up on BOTH monitors and then both screens go blank.
9. GUI desktop comes up on laptop monitor only and the external monitor is blank woth a red power LED.
10. When going to Settings - Devices - Displays only the laptop monitor is shown.
11. I then chose Shut Down and the system shuts down and once again BOTH monitors work with the text "Please remove the installation media..." message.

As you can see, the system sees and uses the external monitor often and correctly during the system start up, but then does not use or see it once the GUI desktop is running.

Any help on this would be appreciated since we have a bunch of the Dell D630s and would like to get them working with the external monitors on their docking stations just as well as our E Series Dells do.

If you need any more info just let me know and thanks very much in advance!
Jeffrey Bruton

Swarfendor437

Sat Sep 14, 2019 10:19:42 am

Possible issue on last post here:

https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/ ... be-primary

Not sure if DisplayLink required?

https://support.displaylink.com/forums/ ... untu-18-04

My other suggestion to you is to try the following if you have the spare capacity to do so.

1. Install Zorin OS 15 on one of the Dell D630 while undocked, but is connected to the internet via ethernet during installation so that all downloads/updates get installed at time of installation.

2. After completion install Synaptic Package Manager from Software channel.

3. Search for xrandr and install it - this is a package to support external displays.

4. Next, install gnome-tweaks.

5. After installing gnome-tweaks you can search the Software channel for extensions: Multi-Monitor addons and Multiple Monitor Panels

I also found this thread on AskUbuntu which 'might' offer some assistance with links to other pages:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/963942/ ... ook-and-ex

Please note I am a volunteer moderator - I don't work for Zorin and am using what knowledge I am aware of - I've never had the luxury of having more than one monitor attached to any system. ;)