Not displaying to external monitors through USB C

Question

Not displaying to external monitors through USB C

Paul Davies 0

I have an HP Zbook using an HP docking station (G5) which connects to the Zbook using a USB C cable. All of a sudden Zbook stopped extending to external monitors, but when connecting the docking station to other PC's, works just fine. HP support have no solution other than Motherboard replacement. The docking station is still talking to the PC because ethernet is fine, and also driver updates from the PC to the docking station have worked. It is just the external monitors for this Zbook.

Paul Davies 0 Reputation points

2025-09-21T22:25:28.16+00:00

One other odd thing happened at the same time. HP Support Assist, when opened, also automatically opened two browsers to HP's support page. And then periodically, if the Zbook is on, an nothing but Outlook open, it will open a ton of browsers, the first four are HP support pages, and then perhaps another 20 browsers with:

You don't have permission to access "http://support.hp.com/us-en/error/404?" on this server.

Reference #18.4fb6d117.1758492442.4dc629d

https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.4fb6d117.1758492442.4dc629d

1 answer

Your answer

Paul Davies 0 Reputation points

2025-09-21T22:25:28.16+00:00

One other odd thing happened at the same time. HP Support Assist, when opened, also automatically opened two browsers to HP's support page. And then periodically, if the Zbook is on, an nothing but Outlook open, it will open a ton of browsers, the first four are HP support pages, and then perhaps another 20 browsers with:

You don't have permission to access "http://support.hp.com/us-en/error/404?" on this server.

Reference #18.4fb6d117.1758492442.4dc629d

https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.4fb6d117.1758492442.4dc629d

Answer 1

Hello Paul, I am Henry and I want to share some thoughts about your issue.

From your described, I see the issue appears to be related to software or firmware glitch on the ZBook's Thunderbolt/USB-C controller, not a hardware failure. The port's data function is working, but the video signal (called DisplayPort Alternate Mode) has failed. The strange browser pop-ups are a symptom of this driver corruption.

You may consider these following solutions:

Perform a Thunderbolt Controller Hard Reset

Shut down the ZBook and unplug everything, including the power adapter and dock.
Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds to drain all residual power.
Plug in the power adapter (directly to the laptop) and boot up.
Once logged into Windows, reconnect the dock.

Reinstall Critical Drivers

First, uninstall HP Support Assistant, as its behavior indicates it's part of the problem.
Go to the official HP support website for your ZBook model.
Download and install fresh copies of these drivers in order: BIOS, Chipset, and most importantly, the Thunderbolt Controller Driver. Restart after each installation.

Check BIOS Security Settings

Restart the computer and enter the BIOS setup (usually by pressing F10).
Find the Thunderbolt Security Level setting.
Temporarily set it to a lower security level, such as "No Security" or "DisplayPort and USB Only", to ensure the dock isn't being blocked.

Hope one of these works for you. If you find this guidance helpful, feel free to hit “Accept Answer” so others can benefit too.