Crash with direct machine HDMI connection to KDE Wayland

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1

Hello. I have an issue where if I connect HDMI directly to my ThinkPad T16 Gen 3, it causes my KDE Wayland to crash. My ThinkPad is a 1920x1200 panel and my external monitor is 1920x1080 in 144Hz. It works perfectly fine on Windows and through my thunderbolt mini dock. The SDDM shows. I don’t have a history of when this happened but all I know is that I tried plugging in the HDMI directly, it causes issues. On openSUSE Tumbleweed 20250630.

It seems to work now only through 1680x1050(16:10) locked at 60 Hz.

What perfectly works:

  • booting into Windows connected to HDMI machine port
  • SDDM login screen connected to HDMI machine port
  • connecting through thunderbolt mini dock with HDMI
  • running KDE Wayland connected to HDMI machine port only in 1680x1050 (16:10) with a scale of 109.167 in 59.88(or 60)Hz.

What isn’t working:

  • connecting HDMI directly to the machine port in 1920x1080 (tried to lower it to 120Hz from 144Hz, same issue…60Hz works surprisingly).
2
3

A good idea to share the pertinent graphics details…
inxi -GSaz

4 
inxi -GSaz
System:
  Kernel: 6.15.3-2-default arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.1.1
    clocksource: tsc avail: acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.15.3-2-default
    root=UUID=8c706080-98c8-42f1-a945-842bc62822d8 splash=silent quiet
    security=apparmor kvm.enable_virt_at_load=0 mitigations=auto
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.4.1 tk: Qt v: N/A info: frameworks v: 6.15.0
    wm: kwin_wayland with: krunner tools: avail: xscreensaver vt: 3 dm: 1: GDM
    v: 48.0 2: SDDM note: stopped Distro: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20250630
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Meteor Lake-P [Intel Graphics] vendor: Lenovo driver: i915
    v: kernel alternate: xe arch: Xe-LPG process: Intel 4 (7nm+) built: 2023+
    ports: active: HDMI-A-1,eDP-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-3, DP-4
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:7d45 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Syntek Integrated Camera driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 3-9:4 chip-ID: 174f:11af
    class-ID: fe01 serial: <filter>
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.15 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.8
    compositor: kwin_wayland driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: vesa
    alternate: fbdev,intel dri: iris gpu: i915 d-rect: 3840x1200 display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 pos: primary,left model: VG279QR serial: <filter>
    built: 2021 res: mode: 1920x1080 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 82 gamma: 1.2
    size: 598x336mm (23.54x13.23") diag: 686mm (27") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  Monitor-2: eDP-1 pos: right model: AU Optronics 0xcaac built: 2023 res:
    mode: 1920x1200 hz: 60 scale: 125% (1.25) to: 1536x960 dpi: 142 gamma: 1.2
    size: 344x215mm (13.54x8.46") diag: 406mm (16") ratio: 16:10
    modes: 1920x1200
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel iris platforms: device: 0 drv: iris
    device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: drv: iris surfaceless: drv: iris wayland:
    drv: iris x11: drv: iris
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 25.1.4 glx-v: 1.4
    direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel Graphics (MTL) device-ID: 8086:7d45
    memory: 45.4 GiB unified: yes display-ID: :1.0
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.313 layers: 7 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu
    name: Intel Graphics (MTL) driver: N/A device-ID: 8086:7d45 surfaces: N/A
    device: 1 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.6 256 bits) driver: N/A
    device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: N/A
  Info: Tools: api: clinfo, eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
    de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor gpu: gputop, intel_gpu_top, lsgpu
    wl: wayland-info x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
5

Try adding to the bootloader’s linu line before next boot (only) video=HDMI-A-1:1920x1080@144 to see if it has any impact. I don’t expect it to, but consider it mere possibility it could help. video= should only impact the vttys, not X, but sometimes it does anyway. If it does help it can be added permanently. If using Grub, edit /etc/default/grub’s GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT= line to permanently include it. For one boot only in Grub, strike X key at Grub menu. If not Grub, I have no idea whether once only or permanently.

Does crash occur if you use X11 instead of Wayland, or IceWM/X11 session instead of Plasma?

6

My screens on X11 become mirrored and I tried to click on the button that changes mode but doesn’t work.120Hz work but 144Hz doesn’t.

7

inxi -GSaz on thunderbolt. (Perhaps this is a driver issue with HDMI rather than DisplayPort hence the “DP-3”)

inxi -GSaz
System:
  Kernel: 6.15.3-2-default arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.1.1
    clocksource: tsc avail: acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.15.3-2-default
    root=UUID=8c706080-98c8-42f1-a945-842bc62822d8 splash=silent quiet
    security=apparmor kvm.enable_virt_at_load=0 mitigations=auto
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.4.1 tk: Qt v: N/A info: frameworks v: 6.15.0
    wm: kwin_wayland with: krunner tools: avail: xscreensaver vt: 3 dm: 1: GDM
    v: 48.0 2: SDDM note: stopped Distro: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20250630
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Meteor Lake-P [Intel Graphics] vendor: Lenovo driver: i915
    v: kernel alternate: xe arch: Xe-LPG process: Intel 4 (7nm+) built: 2023+
    ports: active: DP-3,eDP-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-4, HDMI-A-1
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:7d45 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Syntek Integrated Camera driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 3-9:4 chip-ID: 174f:11af
    class-ID: fe01 serial: <filter>
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.15 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.8
    compositor: kwin_wayland driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: vesa
    alternate: fbdev,intel dri: iris gpu: i915 d-rect: 3840x1200 display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: DP-3 pos: primary,left model: VG279QR serial: <filter>
    built: 2021 res: mode: 1920x1080 hz: 144 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 82 gamma: 1.2
    size: 598x336mm (23.54x13.23") diag: 686mm (27") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  Monitor-2: eDP-1 pos: right model: AU Optronics 0xcaac built: 2023 res:
    mode: 1920x1200 hz: 60 scale: 125% (1.25) to: 1536x960 dpi: 142 gamma: 1.2
    size: 344x215mm (13.54x8.46") diag: 406mm (16") ratio: 16:10
    modes: 1920x1200
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel iris platforms: device: 0 drv: iris
    device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: drv: iris surfaceless: drv: iris wayland:
    drv: iris x11: drv: iris
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 25.1.4 glx-v: 1.4
    direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel Graphics (MTL) device-ID: 8086:7d45
    memory: 45.4 GiB unified: yes display-ID: :1.0
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.313 layers: 7 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu
    name: Intel Graphics (MTL) driver: N/A device-ID: 8086:7d45 surfaces: N/A
    device: 1 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.6 256 bits) driver: N/A
    device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: N/A
  Info: Tools: api: clinfo, eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
    de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor gpu: gputop, intel_gpu_top, lsgpu
    wl: wayland-info x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
8

Yes, generally driver related, not an issue with the graphics hardware port itself, hence the request. What needs to be captured is the session logs upon switching to the problematic display refresh rate.

sudo journalctl -b | grep -EiA2 'kwin|wayland|drm|i915'

When the desktop crashes, can you get back to the login manager, or do you need to reboot?

9

Just speculating a bit… I wonder if using the Xe driver combined with the latest firmware might offer better support for higher display refresh rates? Hopefully, others using recent Intel graphics hardware can chime in here.

I think it’s just a matter of blacklisting the i915 driver by creating a custom modprobe file eg “/etc/modprobe.d/xe-prefer.conf” containing blacklist i915

Then rebuild the initrd with sudo dracut --force and reboot.

Might be worth a shot.

10

Are you able to take HDMI totally out of the circuit, using only USB-C and DisplayPort, or DisplayPort only?

1 Like
11

I missed this from earlier - so using Thunderbolt (DisplayPort Alt Mode) connectivity works. Why not stay with using this?

1 Like
12

Yes but that’s when I connect the HDMI to my Anker “thunderbolt adapter hub thing”(has HDMI, SD card, two USB-A, another USB-C).

For now I am. But if ever do need to plug in to machine directly via HDMI, it’s gonna cause issues. I just want to know if there’s ever going to be a fix/patch for this or if this is intended.

13

It just freezes entirely. I had to force restart or just use Ctrl + Alt + F1 to bring up the tty window and use sudo reboot or sudo shutdown now.

Oh ok…hope there’s going to be a patch then.

14

Hmm…interesting.

15

Well it’s just that if I really needed to use it and it doesn’t work, then welp.

16

Not if no one is aware of an issue. Sometimes facts have to be collected and a bug report submitted. :wink:

17

Give it a shot and report back.

18

Wait…no one is aware of this issue? But then again, I’m probably the only few that has a laptop with no dGPU that also happens to utilize a multi-monitor setup on Tumbleweed that also happens to run KDE Wayland (excluding NVIDIA optimus users probably).

19

@ENTPRESTIGIOUS Try switching to the xe driver. Just add i915.force_probe=!7d45 xe.force_probe=7d45 to the kernel boot options, rebuild grub, reboot and test.

Support is better with the 6.15 series, even better with the 6.16 RC’s… especially for sensor support.

Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel DG2 [Arc A380] vendor: ASRock driver: xe v: kernel
    arch: Xe-HPG pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 ports: active: DP-1,DP-2,DP-3
    empty: HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2, HDMI-A-3, HDMI-A-4 bus-ID: 04:00.0
    chip-ID: 8086:56a5
20

Will there be any trade-offs for doing so? Like will it cause videos to not play or make my battery drain faster…?