@cthugha, there are some things you can try more:
Ensure that your external monitor is main monitor in display settings and your laptop monitor is disabled
the other things in bios you may affect are:
1) power - battery configuration (primary ac use)
2) integrated devices - USB configuration (enable external, enable usb)
3)power - USB wake support - wake on Dell USBc dock(on)
4) system management- wake on ac (on)
5) preboot behavior- fast boot (minimal)
Notice that I also have updated bios to version 1.7.1, you may do this also via support tab on Dell website
To do: Create my signature with system and expected eGPU configuration information to give context to my posts. I have no builds.
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Thank you for the suggestions.
External monitor is the primary, and the only one active when I have my laptop connected.
1) I changed this from adaptive but no effect.
2) This was already enabled (default)
The USB devices connected to the Core X Chroma are enabled before login.
3) This was already enabled (default)
This worked well with my Dell WD19TB dock which have a power button.
4) I've tested this to be able to turn the laptop on without opening it up, but since I get no output to my external monitor I have to open it anyway 🙁
5) This was already enabled (default)
I got the new v1.7.1 Dell BIOS one or two days ago via Windows Update. It made no difference with my issues 🙁
It feels like my Core X Chroma need a firmware update to resolve these issues, but Razer says it doesn't have that (it's supposed to be "plug and play" according to their support). And I haven't found any updates for it...
Quick update regarding the issue with my external monitor not activating before Windows login.
The setting at the end of this article solved it for me
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/kernel-dma-protection-for-thunderbolt
It's a GPO setting, and I set it to "allow all"
Administrative Templates\System\Kernel DMA Protection\Enumeration policy for external devices incompatible with Kernel DMA Protection
The cause is most likely bad drivers that do not support Kernel DMA Protection and "DMA-remapping". In my case it's either Razer or Nvidia...