Dual monitor with OLD VGA card

[TheFwGuy]

Hi

I hope somebody can give me some suggestions. I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 that I'm trying to rivitalize with Precise Pangolin and KDE. It works great !
I would love to be able to connect a second monitor, so looking in my junkyard I found an old VGA PCI Trident card.
The card is recognized by the system and apparently is not causing problems to the main monitor.
If I disable from the BIOS the main embedded graphic card, the card is used, so it works.

But the system seems unable to use it for the dual monitor purpose.

The configuration I would like to use, has the main embedded graphic card as default, and the Trident card for the second monitor.
Here some data from lspci (lspci -v) :

.............................................
.............................................
04:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Trident Microsystems TGUI 9660/938x/968x (rev d3) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 11
Memory at df400000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=4M]
Memory at df9f0000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=64K]
Expansion ROM at dfa00000 [disabled] [size=64K]
Kernel modules: tridentfb

Going in the system setting, Display, is not recognized and only the main card is shown.
What can I do, to have the card recognized ?

Many thanks for any hint !!

C'ya
STeve

[oshunluvr]

This can be done. You need to add Device, Monitor, and Screen sections to your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. If you enable xinerama extensions you should be able to pass windows back and forth. If you prefer separate X session, this is the default behavior.

[TheFwGuy]

This can be done. You need to add Device, Monitor, and Screen sections to your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. If you enable xinerama extensions you should be able to pass windows back and forth. If you prefer separate X session, this is the default behavior.

Thanks for the directions !
I generated the xorg.conf (sudo X -configure) and placed in the /etc/X11. Before to continue I have to solve a problem.
With the xorg.conf file present, as generated by command above, the boot ends with a black screen with only the mouse visible.
Not even the user selection appears.
Removing the xorg.conf everything works fine.

Here the xorg.conf file generated.


Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "X.org Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
Screen 2 "Screen2" RightOf "Screen1"
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
FontPath "built-ins"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dri"
Load "dri2"
Load "glx"
Load "dbe"
Load "record"
Load "extmod"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor2"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz",
### <percent>: "<f>%"
### [arg]: arg optional
#Option "DRI" # [<bool>]
#Option "ColorKey" # <i>
#Option "VideoKey" # <i>
#Option "FallbackDebug" # [<bool>]
#Option "Tiling" # [<bool>]
#Option "LinearFramebuffer" # [<bool>]
#Option "Shadow" # [<bool>]
#Option "SwapbuffersWait" # [<bool>]
#Option "TripleBuffer" # [<bool>]
#Option "XvMC" # [<bool>]
#Option "XvPreferOverlay" # [<bool>]
#Option "DebugFlushBatches" # [<bool>]
#Option "DebugFlushCaches" # [<bool>]
#Option "DebugWait" # [<bool>]
#Option "HotPlug" # [<bool>]
#Option "RelaxedFencing" # [<bool>]
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "intel"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz",
### <percent>: "<f>%"
### [arg]: arg optional
#Option "ShadowFB" # [<bool>]
#Option "Rotate" # <str>
#Option "fbdev" # <str>
#Option "debug" # [<bool>]
Identifier "Card1"
Driver "fbdev"
BusID "PCI:4:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz",
### <percent>: "<f>%"
### [arg]: arg optional
#Option "ShadowFB" # [<bool>]
#Option "DefaultRefresh" # [<bool>]
#Option "ModeSetClearScreen" # [<bool>]
Identifier "Card2"
Driver "vesa"
BusID "PCI:4:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 1
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 4
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 8
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 15
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Card1"
Monitor "Monitor1"
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 1
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 4
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 8
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 15
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen2"
Device "Card2"
Monitor "Monitor2"
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 1
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 4
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 8
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 15
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Thanks
STeve

[oshunluvr]

Well, the first thing I see is your add-in card has dual outputs enabled and is using two different drivers. If you are in fact attempting three monitors, this is OK but if not, I would remove one each of the device and monitor sections and edit the server section.

The fact that you saw a mouse but no desktop possibly means the desktop is "sitting" on another monitor (maybe the non-existent one). Does you mouse allow you to move it off the screen (like completely gone) and then back again in any direction?

Since your card is a Trident, try using the trident driver rather than vesa or fbdev. I saw a couple xorg.conf's on line that had

Option "NoAccel"

being used with trident drivers so you may need that option in your device section.

One of the first places to study when you're attempting to manually config xorg is reviewing the log file at /var/log/Xorg.0.log after each failed attempt. This file will have errors and warnings for you to review.

It also appears none of your monitors are being detected by the system. Either the video card(s) or the monitors are not providing EDID information so you'll have to manually retrieve their specs and set correct resolutions and scan fregs. Not really very difficult so don't sweat it.

My methodology:

1. Keep a working xorg.conf saved so you can revert to the GUI when needed. I simply keep a working copy named xorg.conf.1 in /etc/X11 and copy it to xorg.conf when needed.

2. Don't reboot between edits, just jump to a TTY (ctrl-alt-F1) and edit the xorg.conf file and save (I use nano editor). Then just "sudo kdm restart" and see what happens. If (when) it fails, crtl-alt-F1 back to the TTY and edit it again (or revert to previous working version as in #1).

3. Tackle one thing at a time: Get one screen right then start adding in the second screen and so-on until you're satisifed. Too many variations in your testing may lead to confusion or mask a good edit because something else caused a failure.

Keeping the above in mind, I would edit your xorg.conf to see if you can return to normal single-screen behavior while using an xorg.conf. Then, add in the second vga card device and screen and see what happens. Once you have both screens up and running, we can visit how to use them both.

[TheFwGuy]

Well, the first thing I see is your add-in card has dual outputs enabled and is using two different drivers. If you are in fact attempting three monitors, this is OK but if not, I would remove one each of the device and monitor sections and edit the server section.
.......

happens. Once you have both screens up and running, we can visit how to use them both.

Thanks !! A very detailed list of suggestions !!
As you can imagine, so far I didn't play much with Xorg .. this was exactly what I needed now, a guideline.
Yes, I read a lot of other posts and wiki around the net but too many assumes to know "how to start", what methodology to use.

For example I assumed that "generate the xorg.conf" file meant to create a configuration file providing the "same" configuration used by xorg.
i.e. if I have a system working (OK, only one monitor) and I go to generate the xorg.conf file, I would expect that the system "at least" work as before.
The content in the conf file should allow to have the system running normally. But clearly this is not happening.

I noticed the three monitor sections too, but I though that it was a kind of standard generating thig .. so probably somehow the video driver embedded in the Optiplex should be capable to drive two monitor .. but there is no other hardware port for this. Interesting.
Ok, so I need to find info also about this. No I don't want 3 monitors Only two.
So your suggestions are really precious !! I'll start to work on that.
I'll update about my progress (or lack of them ) ... I'm sure soon or later I'll have many other doubts

Thank you again. As soon as I have some time I'll experiment !!

C'ya
STeve