Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

nikinbaidarr · 2026-01-17 06:27:55

I am running into this weird issue on my laptop that when I have an external monitor plugged in during boot (or reboot for that matter) both my displays (monitor and laptop's internal display) are black. My laptop keyboard does not work (hitting caps lock does not turn on/off the indicator). However, if I turn on my laptop without the external monitor the laptop display works, and afterwards I get prompted for the password. If I connect the external display at this point, it will work.
Then if, for example, I must reboot my computer I need to disconnect my monitor (and all my other peripherals as I am connecting everything through a hub). This gets annoying over time.

The graphics on my laptop is

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N [Intel Graphics]

I have in my mkinicpio.conf

MODULES=(i915)
HOOKS=(base udev autodetect modconf kms keyboard keymap encrypt consolefont block filesystems)

What else am I missing? Or the OEM's BIOS is to be blamed here? Please shed some light.

seth · 2026-01-17 09:29:26

as I am connecting everything through a hub

external monitor plugged in during boot … laptop keyboard does not work

It's probably the dock, try to connect the monitor directly to he notebook.
Does any external keyboard work or can you ssh into the system when booting w/ the dock?
(We'll ideally need to see some journal from that situation to see what might be going wrong here)

nikinbaidarr · 2026-01-17 15:37:41

It's probably the dock, try to connect the monitor directly to he notebook.

It was. Connecting just the monitor worked.

Does any external keyboard work or can you ssh into the system when booting w/ the dock?

External keyboard (which was connected through the dock too) didn't work.

$ lsusb 
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0bda:0129 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTS5129 Card Reader Controller
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 1bcf:1249 Sunplus Innovation Technology Inc. PC Camera
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 8087:0026 Intel Corp. AX201 Bluetooth
Bus 001 Device 012: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 001 Device 013: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 001 Device 014: ID 2109:2815 VIA Labs, Inc. USB2.0 Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 008: ID 05e3:0626 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 002 Device 009: ID 05e3:0749 Genesys Logic, Inc. SD Card Reader and Writer
Bus 002 Device 010: ID 05e3:0626 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 002 Device 011: ID 0bda:8153 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8153 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
Bus 002 Device 012: ID 2109:0815 VIA Labs, Inc. USB3.0 Hub

and output from

dmesg # with the hub plugged in

https://0x0.st/PKXs.txt.

I also tried to add xhci_hcd kernel module but that didn't help either.

Also, the output of

journalctl -b

https://0x0.st/PKXb.txt

Last edited by nikinbaidarr (2026-01-17 15:43:09)

angrypig555 · 2026-01-17 16:00:13

Does grub or the bios logo show on the displays? Does the dock use USB 3.0?

nikinbaidarr · 2026-01-17 16:05:56

Does grub or the bios logo show on the displays? Does the dock use USB 3.0?

I use systemd-boot. And no the logos don't show. Nothing does. I just get a black screen.

And yes the dock hub uses 3.0.

seth · 2026-01-17 16:19:36

The journal is from a boot w/ the dock attached but nothing really attached to it?
(There're keyboard and mouse, but they're attached to a USB 2.1 hub)

External keyboard (which was connected through the dock too) didn't work.

Is it strictly the monitor, ie. things break even if it's the only thing attached to the dock?

I also tried to add xhci_hcd kernel module but

Boot w/o the dock, run "dmesg -W", attach the dock, post the dmesg output - but I don't expect this to be some missing module.

nikinbaidarr · 2026-01-17 18:53:43

seth wrote:

The journal is from a boot w/ the dock attached but nothing really attached to it?
(There're keyboard and mouse, but they're attached to a USB 2.1 hub)

No all of my peripherals are attached to the usb hub.

External keyboard (which was connected through the dock too) didn't work.
Is it strictly the monitor, ie. things break even if it's the only thing attached to the dock?

I have another arch system on a dell laptop and on it whether I connect the hub (monitors and all my peripherals attached) or not it boots all right. I am using the same HOOKS in both systems. And they are both the same kernel version viz. 6.18.5-arch1-1
Here's the output of

journalctl -b

on my DELL system https://0x0.st/PKKm.txt.

seth · 2026-01-17 19:53:20

No all of my peripherals are attached to the usb hub.

But then they're attached via a USB 2.1 hub (or the dock shows up w/ two different USB hubs?)

on my DELL system

won't really help much here - we need to figure what's failing on the affected system and how (I suspect it's related to powering up the dock, powers supply to the bus or overall current during the boot)

nikinbaidarr · 2026-01-18 07:32:50

But then they're attached via a USB 2.1 hub (or the dock shows up w/ two different USB hubs?)

There's only a single hub I am using. I don't what what's going on under the hood. If it could shed some light the hub is a UGREEN USB-C Multifunction Adapter Model CM179.

I run into the same problem even when only the hub (and no peripherals attached to the dock) is connected to my laptop.

dmesg output when just the hub is connected https://0x0.st/PKck.txt

Last edited by nikinbaidarr (2026-01-18 07:34:08)

seth · 2026-01-18 09:25:44

[  219.233707] usb 1-4: new high-speed USB device number 5 using xhci_hcd
[  219.362690] usb 1-4: New USB device found, idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0610, bcdDevice= 6.56
[  219.362699] usb 1-4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[  219.362701] usb 1-4: Product: USB2.1 Hub
[  219.362704] usb 1-4: Manufacturer: GenesysLogic
[  221.084663] usb 1-4.1: new high-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
[  221.189507] usb 1-4.1: New USB device found, idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0749, bcdDevice=15.39
[  221.189517] usb 1-4.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=4, SerialNumber=5
[  221.189520] usb 1-4.1: Product: USB3.0 Card Reader
[  221.189522] usb 1-4.1: Manufacturer: Generic
[  221.189524] usb 1-4.1: SerialNumber: 000000001539
[  221.278616] usb 1-4.2: new high-speed USB device number 7 using xhci_hcd
[  221.382159] usb 1-4.2: New USB device found, idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0610, bcdDevice= 6.56
[  221.382168] usb 1-4.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[  221.382171] usb 1-4.2: Product: USB2.1 Hub
[  221.382173] usb 1-4.2: Manufacturer: GenesysLogic
[  221.473319] usb 1-4.3: new high-speed USB device number 8 using xhci_hcd
[  221.572786] usb 1-4.3: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8153, bcdDevice=31.00
[  221.572795] usb 1-4.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=6
[  221.572797] usb 1-4.3: Product: USB 10/100/1000 LAN
[  221.572799] usb 1-4.3: Manufacturer: Realtek
[  221.572801] usb 1-4.3: SerialNumber: 0013000001
[  541.567087] usb 1-4: USB disconnect, device number 5
[  541.567094] usb 1-4.1: USB disconnect, device number 6
[  541.627523] usb 1-4.2: USB disconnect, device number 7
[  544.898866] usb 2-4: new SuperSpeed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[  544.915145] usb 2-4: New USB device found, idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0626, bcdDevice= 6.56
[  544.915154] usb 2-4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[  544.915156] usb 2-4: Product: USB3.1 Hub
[  544.915158] usb 2-4: Manufacturer: GenesysLogic
[  546.692301] usb 2-4.1: new SuperSpeed USB device number 3 using xhci_hcd
[  546.709324] usb 2-4.1: New USB device found, idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0749, bcdDevice=15.39
[  546.709334] usb 2-4.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=4, SerialNumber=5
[  546.709336] usb 2-4.1: Product: USB3.0 Card Reader
[  546.709338] usb 2-4.1: Manufacturer: Generic
[  546.709340] usb 2-4.1: SerialNumber: 000000001539
[  546.957832] usb 2-4.2: new SuperSpeed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
[  546.971762] usb 2-4.2: New USB device found, idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0626, bcdDevice= 6.56
[  546.971774] usb 2-4.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[  546.971777] usb 2-4.2: Product: USB3.1 Hub
[  546.971780] usb 2-4.2: Manufacturer: GenesysLogic
[  547.040773] usb 2-4.3: new SuperSpeed USB device number 5 using xhci_hcd
[  547.053625] usb 2-4.3: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8153, bcdDevice=31.00
[  547.053634] usb 2-4.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=6
[  547.053637] usb 2-4.3: Product: USB 10/100/1000 LAN
[  547.053639] usb 2-4.3: Manufacturer: Realtek
[  547.053641] usb 2-4.3: SerialNumber: 0013000001

Looks like after 3½ minutes you attached it to a USB2 port and 5½ minutes later re-attached it to a USB3 port?

Did you post any journal of any boot where the dock was supposed to be attached from the get-go?

nikinbaidarr · 2026-01-18 09:31:52

Looks like after 3½ minutes you attached it to a USB2 port and 5½ minutes later re-attached it to a USB3 port?

Yeah I have two type C ports on the laptop. If I connect it to the USB2 port my peripherals are not detected even after booting successfully. With the other port at least everything works after managed to boot.

Did you post any journal of any boot where the dock was supposed to be attached from the get-go?

https://0x0.st/PKXb.txt

seth · 2026-01-18 09:52:34

Hub shows up, its ethernet device appears and gets used by NM to obtain a lease, you reach the graphical target and log in on the console (blindly? Automatically?)

Jan 17 21:25:19 limitless systemd[1]: Reached target Graphical Interface.
Jan 17 21:25:19 limitless systemd[1]: Startup finished in 1min 35.526s (firmware) + 529ms (loader) + 10.096s (kernel) + 2.176s (userspace) = 1min 48.329s.
Jan 17 21:25:19 limitless dbus-broker-launch[606]: Activation request for 'org.freedesktop.home1' failed: The systemd unit 'dbus-org.freedesktop.home1.service' could not be found.
Jan 17 21:25:19 limitless login[676]: pam_unix(login:session): session opened for user nikin(uid=1000) by nikin(uid=0)
Jan 17 21:25:20 limitless systemd-logind[617]: New session '1' of user 'nikin' with class 'user' and type 'tty'.

there two keyboards and a mouse

Jan 17 21:25:19 limitless systemd-logind[617]: Watching system buttons on /dev/input/event11 (SINO WEALTH Gaming KB  Keyboard)
Jan 17 21:25:19 limitless systemd-logind[617]: Watching system buttons on /dev/input/event6 (USB GAMING MOUSE  Keyboard)
Jan 17 21:25:19 limitless systemd-logind[617]: Watching system buttons on /dev/input/event3 (AT Translated Set 2 keyboard)

Nothing in that journal really indicates any problems…

1. is this an autologin
2. would you then implicitly start some display server (X11 or wayland session)?
3. Can you ssh into the system at this point? Ctrl+alt+F3 doesn't work? Spamming ctrl+alt+del doesn't reboot? Does the https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Keyboa … el_(SysRq) still work?

nikinbaidarr · 2026-01-18 10:09:21

seth wrote:

Hub shows up, its ethernet device appears and gets used by NM to obtain a lease, you reach the graphical target and log in on the console (blindly? Automatically?)
there two keyboards and a mouse

Nothing in that journal really indicates any problems…

This is when I boot without connecting the dock and later plug it in. Otherwise, there is never any graphics or console to begin with. I don't understand why it lists two keyboards, perhaps one of them be my laptop's keyboard?

1. is this an autologin
2. would you then implicitly start some display server (X11 or wayland session)?

Yeah. I am encrypting my root and once the root is decrypted I auto start X.

Can you ssh into the system at this point? Ctrl+alt+F3 doesn't work?

Ctlr+alt+F3 works all right. My peripherals work.

Spamming ctrl+alt+del doesn't reboot?

No.

Does the https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Keyboa … el_(SysRq) still work?

Does not work.

seth · 2026-01-18 14:22:36

This is when I boot without connecting the dock and later plug it in.

There might be a linguistic barrier, https://deepl.com/

What we need to see is the journal from a boot of the affected system where the dock was already connected during the boot.
This also puts into question the contexts of

Ctlr+alt+F3 works all right. My peripherals work.
No. [ctrl+alt+del]
Does not work. [sysrq]

because that doesn't fit together.

Arch Linux

#1 2026-01-17 06:27:55

Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#2 2026-01-17 09:29:26

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#3 2026-01-17 15:37:41

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#4 2026-01-17 16:00:13

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#5 2026-01-17 16:05:56

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#6 2026-01-17 16:19:36

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#7 2026-01-17 18:53:43

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#8 2026-01-17 19:53:20

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#9 2026-01-18 07:32:50

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#10 2026-01-18 09:25:44

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#11 2026-01-18 09:31:52

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#12 2026-01-18 09:52:34

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#13 2026-01-18 10:09:21

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

#14 2026-01-18 14:22:36

Re: Acer Aspire: Black screen on boot when external monitor plugged in

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