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**doctordruidphd** · Jun 02, 2011, 07:53 PM

Re: Need help installing dual monitors.

Several people seem to be having trouble with dual monitor setups.

nvidia-glx is a very outdated driver I would suggest getting the latest nvidia driver by installing the x-swat repository using the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install nvidia-current

then reboot.

You can then use the nvidia-settings program to adjust driver parameters. To set up for dual monitors, you would go to
System Settings > Display and Monitor > Multiple Monitors

I don't have multiple monitors, so I'm not sure what the fine points are. You may need to do some tweaking to your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file; others here can probably give you more pointers on that aspect of the setup.

I have also read on another thread that a new nvidia driver has recently been released. It will probably show up in xswat before anywhere else, so that is another reason to set it up.

You can also install the nvidia proprietary driver, but if you do, every time the kernel updates, you will have to reinstall it.. Please see dibl's nvidia-howto for further information:
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3107406.0

**oshunluvr** · Jun 03, 2011, 04:10 PM

Re: Need help installing dual monitors.

In answer to your question, no special package is required to use dual monitors.

Problems usually stem from the fact that there are several ways to use and setup dual monitors.

As a long time nvidia dual monitor user, I suggest the following:

1. Do what docterdruidphd says.
2. You will also need to install the kernel headers matching your kernel to activate the driver.
3. Activate the driver (Jockey) , get your primary display set up and your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file tweaked.
3a. If you don't have a xorg.conf file after enabling your nvidia driver (you should) create one.
4. Post back here with details about your monitors and how you'd like it to be working.

By far the easiest way to dual monitor is to use nvidia's twinview. If your monitors are identical, it's even easier.

**Shabakthanai** · Jun 03, 2011, 08:19 PM

Re: Need help installing dual monitors.

I completed the steps suggested by docterdruidphd. The following resulted:

W: GPG error: http://packages.medibuntu.org natty InRelease: The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY 2EBC26B60C5A2783
W: Failed to fetch cdrom://Kubuntu 11.04 _Natty Narwhal_ - Beta amd64 (20110410)/dists/natty/main/binary-amd64/Packages Please use apt-cdrom to make this CD-ROM recognized by APT. apt-get update cannot be used to add new CD-ROMs

W: Failed to fetch cdrom://Kubuntu 11.04 _Natty Narwhal_ - Beta amd64 (20110410)/dists/natty/restricted/binary-amd64/Packages Please use apt-cdrom to make this CD-ROM recognized by APT. apt-get update cannot be used to add new CD-ROMs

E: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

A while before I attempted this repair, I purchased a new DVDWriter. It works, however, I did nothing to mount it, I simply installed it. Is that what is being discussed in the 'Failed to fetch cdrom' instruction? If it is, what do I do to correct the problem? It says to use apt-cdrom. Is this a command line entry?

When I entered your instruction to 'sudo apt-get install nvidia-current', my computer responded '1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 3 not upgraded.' What do I do about the 3 not upgraded? Are they referring to the problem with the cdrom?

Additionally, further response to the previous command entry resulted in the following:

nvidia-current.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
- Original module
- No original module exists within this kernel
- Installation
- Installing to /lib/modules/2.6.38-8-generic/updates/dkms/

depmod....

DKMS: install Completed.
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
cryptsetup: WARNING: failed to detect canonical device of /dev/sdb1
cryptsetup: WARNING: could not determine root device from /etc/fstab
steven@Yeshuah:~$

I do not understand the ramifications of '-no original module exists within this kernel',and do not know what to do to rectify the problem.

You said: 2. You will also need to install the kernel headers matching your kernel to activate the driver. I don't know how to do this. Also,: 3. Activate the driver (Jockey) , get your primary display set up and your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file tweaked.This too is beyond my understanding. I need baby-step help here. And, 3a. If you don't have a xorg.conf file after enabling your nvidia driver (you should) create one.

Here are the contents of my xorg.conf file:

Section "Device"
Identifier "Default Device"
Option "NoLogo" "True"
EndSection

At this point, I have completed all I am able, without further help. When I booted again, only my primary monitor lit up. I checked the connections on the video card and both are securely connected properly, nonetheless, my secondary monitor does not light up. It continues to stay black screen.

I am old and want to use my secondary monitor to play movies or download or whatever, while working on my primary monitor. I am retired and attempting to learn how to properly use a Linux OS. I hope to create a class at my church in how to use and operate the Linux OS for beginners, even less instructed than myself. A computer keeps the mind active, and multimedia is like having another in the room, for those who spend most of their time alone.

Thanks to you both for the help. Your continued patience is appreciated.

**doctordruidphd** · Jun 03, 2011, 08:50 PM

Re: Need help installing dual monitors.

OK, one step at a time:

1.

W: GPG error: http://packages.medibuntu.org natty InRelease: The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY

For some reason, the medibuntu repository didn't get its key installed properly. this is the repository where you download most of your multimedia software, so it's important.

sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 2EBC26B60C5A2783

You should get several lines, ending with an "OK".

Then sudo apt-get update and it should be OK.

2.

W: Failed to fetch cdrom://Kubuntu 11.04 _Natty Narwhal_

Take your install CD out of the drive before running apt-get update and you should be OK. Just a nuisance message, not a critical failure.

I am assuming the nvidia-current package did download and install.

3. You would need to tell us which packages did not update, but it's probably part of a mroe general update that didn't go through because you just specified the nvidia-current package to install. Worry about the update later, just get the video driver running for now.

4.

nvidia-current.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
- Original module
- No original module exists within this kernel
- Installation
- Installing to /lib/modules/2.6.38-8-generic/updates/dkms/

depmod....

DKMS: install Completed.
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic

This is as expected for the nvidia-current installation.

The "no original module exists" part is because you are doing a new install of nvidia-current. This is what is expected, no problem.

cryptsetup: WARNING: failed to detect canonical device of /dev/sdb1
cryptsetup: WARNING: could not determine root device from /etc/fstab

Not sure what this is all about. Are you running from a usb drive, or something other than where your system was installed?

5.

You will also need to install the kernel headers matching your kernel to activate the driver.

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`
Note the ` is usually the key to the left of the 1! key.

You may need to run
sudo apt-get install --reinstall nvidia-current
after doing this.

6.

If you don't have a xorg.conf file after enabling your nvidia driver (you should) create one.

If you don't have an /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, then run
sudo nvidia-xconfig and it will generate one automatically. What it generates my not properly support your second monitor, it may need later tweaking. But it should get you up and running.

Let us know what the reboot does.

**oshunluvr** · Jun 04, 2011, 09:00 AM

Re: Need help installing dual monitors.

To continue the discussion regarding the final setup (You need to take the steps doctordruidphd says first!), here are the relevant contents of my xorg.conf file for review. Until you have the driver installed and we know more about your monitors we can't do the edits yet.

Code:

Section "Device"
  Identifier   "Device0"
  Driver     "nvidia"
  VendorName   "NVIDIA Corporation"
  BoardName   "GeForce 8800 GT"
  BusId     "PCI:1:0:0"
  Option "TripleBuffer" "True" #Enables triple buffering. "Decreases the time an application stalls while waiting for vblank events, but increases latency slightly" (NVIDIA Readme) 
  Option "UseCompositeWrapper" "True" #Enables the X server's composite wrapper instead of the builtin one. 
  Option "BackingStore" "True" #Cache overlayed areas in case they get redisplayed later 
  Option "OnDemandVBlankInterrupts" "True" #only fire VBlank interrupts in modes where they are needed 
EndSection

The above section defines your video card and sets options for it. We'll need to research your exact card a bit to determine which options you need for best performance.

Code:

Section "Screen"
  Identifier   "Screen0"
  Device     "Device0"
  Monitor    "Monitor0"
  DefaultDepth  24
  Option     "DPI" "100x100"
  Option     "TwinView" "1"
  Option     "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
  Option     "DynamicTwinView" "false"
  Option     "TwinViewOrientation" "LeftOf"
  Option     "MetaModes" "1280x1024,1280x1024; 1280x1024"
  SubSection   "Display"
    Depth    24
  EndSubSection
EndSection

If you use twinview and your monitors are identical, you need only have one screen and one monitor section. Here, you can see my #2 monitor is "LeftOf" my primary monitor. Also notice I've locked my resolution to 1280x1024. LCD monitors only look good at their native resolution and scan frequencies. I always set my resolutions correctly and then enlarge screen fonts if I can't read everything.

Code:

Section "Extensions"
  Option "Composite" "Enable"
  Option "RENDER" "Enable"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option     "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

These sections are required for 3D effects with kwin, or at least are for my card. Again, your card may require/support different settings.

**Shabakthanai** · Jun 05, 2011, 01:01 PM

Resolved Re: Need help installing dual monitors. Thanks!

Thanks to you both, I think it is working the way I want. You are incredible.

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Resolved Need help installing dual monitors. Thanks!

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