External monitor through HDMI does not display image on XPS 15.

[joanimato]

Distribution (run cat /etc/os-release):

NAME="Pop!_OS" VERSION="20.04 LTS" ID=pop ID_LIKE="ubuntu debian" PRETTY_NAME="Pop!_OS 20.04 LTS" VERSION_ID="20.04" HOME_URL="https://system76.com/pop" SUPPORT_URL="http://support.system76.com" BUG_REPORT_URL="https://github.com/pop-os/pop/issues" PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://system76.com/privacy" VERSION_CODENAME=focal UBUNTU_CODENAME=focal LOGO=distributor-logo-pop-os

Related Application and/or Package Version (run apt policy $PACKAGE NAME):

"Join Displays" option in the Displays setting

Issue/Bug Description:

I installed a fresh copy of Pop!_OS on a Dell XPS 15 (2019 model: intel i7 6-core processor, 6 GB ram, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650). The secondary display I'm trying to connect is a "BenQ EW2780Q 27-Inch 2K QHD HDRi IPS" monitor.

When I connect the secondary monitor to the HDMI port, my laptop detects the monitor successfully, but no image is displayed on it if I pick the "Join Displays" option. Mirroring the displays works fine. It also works fine if I connect the display through the thunderbolt port (all display options). It's only the HDMI port that seems unable to have a secondary display in a non-mirrored option.

I'm using the "Hybrid Graphics" option, but the issue persists regardless of which graphics card I'm using.

Steps to reproduce (if you know):

Connect external monitor through HDMI port.

Expected behavior:

Second monitor should display image of extended desktop.

[herriojr]

I'm having similar issues w/ an Oryx Pro.

NVidia detects my monitor as seen in the nvidia x server configs. I can look in xrandr to see the display and I can explicitly set the monitor to mirror/or on the side of my laptop's screen. However, when I do this, there are lots of issues such as no background, etc or the resolution w/ mirroring is really bad.

Gnome Display Settings DOES NOT detect that I even have another monitor.

I am using the NVIDIA Graphics Setting.

Edit: I tried to go into recovery and do a system refresh and that did not correct it.

[cfindlayisme]

I have a 2020 model XPS 15 (XPS 7590, similar specs to you) with a fairly fresh install and just tried using the NVidia graphics option to the HDMI port instead of thunderbolt. It worked okay in my case for extended display.

What shows up when you run dmesg after plugging it in? I'm wondering if it is being detected properly.

[herriojr]

I was able to resolve the issue myself. It seems that somehow apt decided to install some old version of nvidia which caused problems. I uninstalled and reinstalled the popos nvidia drivers and everything is okayish now.