xrandr doesn't detect laptop DVI output [SOLVED]

[caudata]

I just did a clean install of 9.04 on a macbook pro (3,1) with a Nvidia 8600M GT. I am trying to choose my external 22" lcd when I'm at home and connected to it, and then switch back to the laptop display when I'm away. Apparently this isn't that simple. Xrandr does not detect my DVI output. I've read about the use xinerama or twinview as solutions, but they wind up disabling the desktop effects. When I use Screen Resize and Rotate the "identify outputs" button also does not detect my 22" monitor connected to the DVI output. So far xrandr -q, xrandr --auto, xrandr --output DVI0 --auto commands or using DVI1 have not worked. I've tried to force xrandr to see the DVI (Option "Enable" "true") by modifying the xorg.conf and so far nothing has worked. Any help would be appreciated, and thank you in advance.

This is my xorg.conf file with the external monitor disabled. If I disable the laptop monitor and enable the external monitor then restart xserver both screens will be blank.

 # nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings: version 1.0 (buildd@palmer) Sun Feb 1 20:21:04 UTC 2009


Section "ServerLayout"
  Identifier   "Layout0"
  Screen   0 "Screen0" 0 0
  InputDevice  "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
  InputDevice  "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Module"
  Load      "dbe"
  Load      "extmod"
  Load      "type1"
  Load      "freetype"
  Load      "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option     "Xinerama" "0"
  Option     "DontZap" "True"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Identifier   "Mouse0"
  Driver     "mouse"
  Option     "Protocol" "auto"
  Option     "Device" "/dev/psaux"
  Option     "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
  Option     "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

	# generated from default
  Identifier   "Keyboard0"
  Driver     "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
  Identifier   "Monitor0"
  VendorName   "Unknown"
  ModelName   "Apple Color LCD"
  HorizSync    30.0 - 75.0
  VertRefresh   60.0
  Option     "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
  Identifier   "Monitor1"
  VendorName   "Unknown"
  ModelName   "Samsung SyncMaster"
  HorizSync    30.0 - 81.0
  VertRefresh   56.0 - 75.0
  Option     "DPMS"
	# HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
EndSection

Section "Device"
  Identifier   "Device0"
  Driver     "nvidia"
  VendorName   "NVIDIA Corporation"
  BoardName   "GeForce 8600M GT"
EndSection

Section "Device"
  Identifier   "Device1"
  Driver     "nvidia"
  VendorName   "NVIDIA Corporation"
  BoardName   "GeForce 8600M GT"
  BusID     "PCI:1:0:0"
  Screen     1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
  Identifier   "Screen0"
  Device     "Device0"
  Monitor    "Monitor0"
  DefaultDepth  24
  Option     "TwinView" "0"
  Option     "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
  SubSection   "Display"
    Depth    24
  EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
  Identifier   "Screen1"
  Device     "Device1"
  Monitor    "Monitor1"
  DefaultDepth  24
  Option     "TwinView" "0"
  Option     "metamodes" "DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
  SubSection   "Display"
    Depth    24
  EndSubSection
EndSection

[caudata]

xrandr doesn't detect laptop DVI output-a clue to the problem

I've managed to find a clue and I think it points to the drivers. If I go into the xorg.conf and specify the driver as "nv" instead of "nvidia" and when I restart Xserver from the login prompt onward I get widgets, some windows, and panels that are proportional to my screen but the windows and font are huge and way out of proportion to the screen making it very hard to read anything. Anyway I'm barely able to tell what I'm doing, but I was able to see that xrandr does properly detect my DVI and external display with the "nv" driver and the font sizes are listed properly etc. I'll see what I can do about posting a screenshot of my desktop under "nv". I have the nvidia 180.44 proprietary drivers loaded. I've also used the previous drivers and still no dice. I haven't compiled the drivers from source yet, but that might be my next step.

here is a photo of my desktop when the "nv" driver is loaded and krandr detecting the DVI1 port and external display:

[img width=400 height=250]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3491846982_d609b890b5_b.jpg[/img]

[caudata]

Re: xrandr doesn't detect laptop DVI output [SOLVED]

Looks like the solution for me was to update to the latest Nvidia drivers (180.51) off of their website. When I use nvidia-settings it will now allow me to disable the laptop display and show on my external display. I leave the xorg.conf at that setting and if I ever disconnect and restart the laptop it will default to the laptop display. When I reconnect the external display and restartx it will show on the external display. I can't say it's the best solution but it works. Hopefully they will get xrandr or the driver issues fixed soon.