2nd Monitor Not Detected on Docking Station

Hardware Support
1

I have a Thinkpad Universal Docking station that connects to two external monitors. Both monitors work just fine when connected to my two Windows 11 machines, but when I connect my Asus Vivobook X512DAP- F512DA with Zorin OS 17 Pro on it, only one of the monitors works.

Zorin OS detected a system update for the docking station, which I have installed, but it did not resolve the issue.

2

Displays 2
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If you have 2 monitors, and Zorin is sensing them both, but you can only use one display, it could be because you are running in single display mode.

Set your display mode to "Join Displays" or "Mirror" mode, depending on what you need. Additionally, make sure the refresh rate is set properly for both displays.

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4

Zorin is not detecting the 2nd display at all.

Screenshot from 2025-09-01 18-47-14
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5

Try unplugging the monitor HDMI data cable, and re-plugging it in, see if Zorin auto negotiates it. Unplugging monitor power cable and re-plugging might help too.

When I last had a problem like this, it was due to a bad cable. Since however you said it worked on Windows, I'm less likely to blame the cable in your case.

I looked up your computer's specs, found online...

General Specifications

  • Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 5 3500U (4-core/8-thread, up to 3.7 GHz Boost)
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon™ Vega 8 Graphics
  • Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), LED Backlit, 60Hz, Anti-glare, with an 88% screen-to-body ratio
  • Memory: Typically 4GB or 8GB DDR4 RAM (onboard, with an additional SO-DIMM slot for expansion)
  • Storage: Options like a 512GB or 1TB NVMe SSD, sometimes paired with a SATA HDD
  • Operating System: Windows 10 Home (64-bit)

Key Features

  • Keyboard: Backlit Chiclet Keyboard with an ergonomic design
  • Security: Fingerprint sensor with Windows Hello support
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) (Dual band), Bluetooth® 5.1
  • Ports: Includes USB-C (data only in some models), USB 3.0/3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0, HDMI, and a micro SD card reader
  • Weight: Approximately 1.68 kg (3.70 lbs)

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6

I have tried unplugging the HDMI cables from the dock and monitor and plugging them back in. I even switched the HDMI cable from the monitor that is working and the problem persists.

The monitor that's not working is an ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q 23.8” Monitor. I also cannot find any Linux-specific drivers for this monitor. The one that is working is a Samsung 34" curved monitor.

7

Will the Monitors be detected when You connect them directly to Your Laptop? When You don't have enough Plugs try each one seperately.

8

Possibly you can only use mirror mode in display settings? Are the monitors detected then? I'm not sure if those informations on lenovos site are right:

https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht516021-linux-support-on-lenovo-thinkpad-docks

Here is shown:

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https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/w6v2a1/anyone_get_a_lenovo_dock_working_on_ubuntu_22/?tl=de#lightbox

In reddit the solution is to install displaylink drivers.

Does your graphicscard support three displays?

Maybe switching to DP can help.

10

What do you mean by switching to DP?

11

If you have a DisplayPort, you could try using that instead of HDMI.

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