Can't properly configure dual monitors on a X800

[ivanv]

Hi,

I just installed Dapper, and I installed the ATI drivers (using apt-get as outlined on the wiki), but I can't seem to configure my monitors properly.

As I mentioned on the subject, I have a Crucial-branded ATI Radeon X800.

I have a Dell M991 (CRT 19") on the primary port, and a Dell E153FP (LCD 15") on the secondary port.

I tried setting the 19" to 1280x1024 and the 15" to 1024x768.

Weird: Instead of getting the native resolution I asked for, I get kind of a"virtual" resolution, in which the screen pans when I put the cursor in the edges (and after it pans all the way to the left, then the cursor goes to the other monitor). I even get this panning (with extremely big fonts and windows) if I set the resolution to 800x600!

I'm sure there must be a simple solution... Maybe I changed something without noticing... I mean, this is a pretty simple problem!

I switched to kubuntu after testing it under VMware for several weeks, and I was sold... I really, really don't want to go back to Windows, please save me!

Any help is really appreciated.

- Ivan V.

[ivanv]

Re: Can't properly configure dual monitors on a X800

So if I turn off the second monitor and setup my display to only one monitor, I can configure the resolution properly. I suppose it will suffice for the moment, as I prefer just one display to going back to Windows.

Even then, Kubuntu is teaching me how to love *and* hate Linux with such passion...

- Ivan V.

[padre999]

Re: Can't properly configure dual monitors on a X800

This dual screen thing is still one of the rough parts of linux...

You are not the only one with this kind of problem:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=185980
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=179853
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=187011
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=840.0
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=188163

You will have to either edit your xorg.conf or use fireglcontrol. "TwinView" as referred to in some threads is a Nvidia thing, so is not for you. It is called differently with ATI.

If you serach in ubuntu or kubuntu forums yourself you will find much more. Hope you will get it working.

[sense]

Re: Can't properly configure dual monitors on a X800

I have played around with other distro's some time ago and if I remember correctly, it had something to do with setting your desktop size to X and your resolution to Y. I might be way off, since I am very new to (k)ubuntu, but this might be worth looking into.

I did something similar in Mandr[ake/iva] when I set my desktop size bigger than my resolution could go and ended up with panning. The part where you lower your resolution does not lower your desktop size hence the panning at any resolution. Like I said, this was true in my case, maybe it's just one of the 'rough edges' as Padre999 mentioned.

Good luck

[ivanv]

Re: Can't properly configure dual monitors on a X800

Hi guys,

Thanks for the help. Using the information you provided and some I got somewhere else, I tried editing the xorg.conf file, but it didn't work the way I edited it, so I was hoping you'd help me out?

My configuration didn't work because the second monitor (the smaller one) didn't accept the resolution. I think it may have tried to mirror the first one instead of extending it, but I wouldn't know. Also, the first one was working weirdly...I can't really explain, so I'll just proceed to post my configuration:

(I got the modeline settings from http://www.dkfz.de/spec/linux/modeline/index.html.en)

Section "Files"
 FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"
 FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
 FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
 FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
 FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1"
 FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"
 FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"
 # path to defoma fonts
 FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
 Load "i2c"
 Load "bitmap"
 Load "ddc"
 Load "extmod"
 Load "freetype"
 Load "int10"
 Load "type1"
 Load "vbe"
 load "glx"
 load "dri"
 load "v4l"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 Identifier "Logitech MX 500"
 Driver "kbd"
 option "CoreKeyboard"
 option "XkbRules" "xorg"
 option "XkbModel" "pc105"
 option "XkbLayout" "es"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 Identifier "Logitech G7"
 Driver "mouse"
 option "CorePointer"
 option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
 option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
 option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
 option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
 identifier "ATI Radeon X800 A"
 boardname "ATI Radeon (fglrx)"
 busid "PCI:1:0:0"
 driver "ati"
 screen 0
 vendorname "ATI"
 option "MergedFB" "off"
EndSection

Section "Device"
 identifier "ATI Radeon X800 B"
 boardname "ATI Radeon (fglrx)"
 busid "PCI:1:0:0"
 driver "ati"
 screen 1
 vendorname "ATI"
 option "MergedFB" "off"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
 identifier "Dell M991"
 vendorname "Dell"
 modelname "Dell M991"
 HorizSync 30.0-96.0
 VertRefresh 50.0-110.0
 modeline "1280x1024@100" 247.5 1280 1408 1712 2272 1024 1024 1028 1089 +hsync +vsync
 gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
 identifier "Dell E153FP"
 vendorname "Dell"
 modelname "Dell E153FP"
 HorizSync 30.0-63.0
 VertRefresh 56.0-75.0
 modeline "1024x768@75" 81.54 1024 1064 1168 1352 768 768 770 804 +hsync +vsync
 gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 Identifier "M991"
 Device "ATI Radeon X800 A"
 Monitor "Dell M991"
 DefaultDepth 24
 SubSection "Display"
  depth 24
  virtual 1280 1024
  modes "1280x1024@100"
 EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 Identifier "E153FP"
 Device "ATI Radeon X800 B"
 Monitor "Dell E153FP"
 DefaultDepth 24
 SubSection "Display"
  depth 24
  virtual 1024 768
  modes "1024x768@75"
 EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
 Identifier "Default Layout"
 screen 0 "M991" 0 0
 screen 1 "E153FP" RightOf "M991"
 InputDevice "Logitech MX 500"
 InputDevice "Logitech G7"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
 Mode 0666
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
EndSection

Thanks!