Differences Between the USB Type-C and ePort Docking Stations
Summary: Information about USB Type-C and ePort docking station boot behavior.
Symptoms
Cause
No cause information is available.
Resolution
External Display Does Not Show POST Information
The new Dell USB Type-C docks are not capable of displaying video before the Operating System (OS) loads. This is different from the older Dell ePort style docks. This may create challenges with inputting preboot passwords, accessing the BIOS, running ePSA diagnostics, and launching the F12 advanced boot menu. Users should be aware that they must open the laptop to use the integrated LCD for these functions.
Another difference from the ePort docks is that there is no power LED. The LED on the USB Type-C connector dock only indicates that a compatible system is connected. For troubleshooting no video on external monitors Users may need to open the laptop to check its power LED and LCD status.
Working Within The Design Specification
The only way that you can display video before the operating system is loaded on any system is if the system has an integrated video output port on the system (VGA, DVI, DisplayPort, or HDMI) or if using a dell Latitude/Precision docking station.
All USB-based docking stations/graphics adapters require an operating system (Windows, Linux, and so forth), device drivers, and the DisplayLink application in order to output video to a dock/external display. The DisplayLink software takes the video data, converts it to USB, send it out using USB to the USB dock/graphics adapter which then converts it back to HDMI/VGA to the external monitor. Without those drivers and software, the system does not see that an external monitor is connected.