How do I configure a dual-monitor - my laptop/27" View Sonic?

[Shabakthanai]

Occasionally, my laptop is used as a backup for my PC in repair. It is much easier to work from the 27" monitor, however the default setup has only the right half of a screen image showing on the monitor, and that on the left side of the screen. The right half of the screen is black.

Previous to a recent installation of a new OS, both screens appeared normally. System Settings does not seem to provide options to correct the problem, and my google search has failed. I connected the monitor using a serial port.

My laptop is a:

Toshiba Satelite A505-S6965, Intel dual-core 2mhz, with 8GB RAM.

Thanks

[NoWorries]

If I have trouble with dual monitors, I have installed and used arandr. It is a graphical interface for Xrandr and it provides setting the resolution and applying the results for multiple monitors.

[Shabakthanai]

I would like my two screens to mirror each other. I can't seem to find out how to use the arandr application. The example I found did not want mirrored screens. That would be just fine with me, just as long as I can move the mouse from screen to screen.

Arandr recognized my aspect ratio perfectly, however my on screen image for the 27" monitor appears to be much larger. I tried to make a screen print of what I see, but the screen printed what I wanted to see, not what appears when you look at the monitor.

I will try to describe what I am seeing. If you accept my description, you will have an image in your mind of what I see.

The 'left' 55 to 60% of the screen shows the right 55 to 60% of my default desktop image. The right 40 to 45% of my desktop is black.

My laptop retains my normal default desktop image.

Looking through 'System Settings' or any other packages that might help with the desktop image orientation isn't provided, at least that I can find. I haven't been able to find any search results that explain a similar problem.

Do you know of a way to use 'arandr' to move the image to the right on the 27" monitor? With that, I believe my problem would be solved. Thanks!

If I have trouble with dual monitors, I have installed and used arandr. It is a graphical interface for Xrandr and it provides setting the resolution and applying the results for multiple monitors.

[NoWorries]

I have decided to show some examples from my system and I hope this helps. The first shows my system as it is at the moment.


By placing the mouse over the LVDS1 it can be dragged over to the VGA1 and overlayed on it as shown below.



You can also change the resolution of either display. I have just shown on example of where to do this below.



Once you are happy with the layout, you can apply this by go to Layout > Apply. Once you have a configuration that you are happy with it can be saved as a shell script by Layout > Save As. You can store the script in .screenlayout as "mylayout".sh. You can then run this file when you want to have the layout that you have set-up.

Hope this is of some help.

[Shabakthanai]

When I drag one over the other, am I instructing it to be a mirror image. And, what do I do after I drag one over the other, select Enter? I am confused with no experience and little understanding. Sorry

[luckyone]

After you stop dragging it should be what you want.

[Shabakthanai]

Mine looks like your example. I dragged the smaller image over the larger, centered as well as I am able. It is what I want if it makes them appear as the same image, and I am able to drag work from one to the other. I guess I don't know how to explain myself very well.

I don't care if they are above or below each other or if they are side by side, but I do want to be able to move documents and applications from one screen to the other, and I would prefer they both showed the exact same desktop screen prior to opening any documents or applications. Like mirror images at open.

If by putting one image over the other, it displays both images on the same or each screen, that would be unusable.

I really do not understand what has happened; in the past, just prior to replacing the damaged HDD, dual monitors worked fine, one being the laptop screen, and the other being one of my two desktop monitors.

Additionally, when using arandr, there is no 'apply' to confirm the desired change has been made. Is there something I should be doing to get a change applied? Thanks for your patience with my lack of understanding.

After you stop dragging it should be what you want.

[NoWorries]

Additionally, when using arandr, there is no 'apply' to confirm the desired change has been made. Is there something I should be doing to get a change applied? Thanks for your patience with my lack of understanding.

I find it unusual that you do not have an "apply" option. I have three systems, 14.04, 14.10 and 15.04 and all these have the "apply" option. The attached graphic illustrates this.



I always operate my screens side by side and I drag applications to the screen I want them on. I find this useful when I have several windows open that that I want to reference. It is also handy with Libreoffice when I do presentations as the control is on one screen and the projected image on the adjacent screen.

[Shabakthanai]

I get to embarrass myself a lot. I guess I expected an "Apply" to appear on the screen where the change was made, like when making changes in the Kubuntu System Settings. I will take this new information and try again. I am a

[Shabakthanai]

Dear NoWorries,

I have been trying to learn how to use 'arandr'. It is a very interesting application, but I am sure there is much to learn yet.

If you were able to image in your mind what I describe as what I see when I have the 27" monitor connected, perhaps you could guide me how to use arandr. One thing I notice is that when I connect the additional monitor, and the Monitor screen has the right ?55% or so on the left side of the screen, the screen on the laptop changes the size of the panel Icons. They become very much smaller and some disappear.

I hope you are still following the post, because you seem the only one with any interest.

Of course, I can live without use of the monitor, but quite frankly, I have trouble reading the small print of my laptop anymore, at least without eye strain, so using the larger monitor allows me to set font sizes larger and still have sufficient information on the screen to not have to scroll so much. Thanks for trying.

[NoWorries]

I am beginning to suspect that you have a hdmi connection to the 27" monitor. If it has a vga connection, I would recommend that you use that as I have not been successful in using a hdmi connection to my laptop which has a NVIDIA GeForce card.

Also, it would be useful to know what video card you are using.

[Shabakthanai]

I also have HDMI problems, so I suspect my setup is probably like yours. When I open Monitor in System Devices, the laptop screen is identified as Seiko Epson Corporation LVDS.

steven@steven-Yeshuah:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Memory Controller Hub (rev 07)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset PCI Express Graphics Port (rev 07)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 03)
00:1a.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 03)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 5 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 93)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation ICH9M LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801IBM/IEM (ICH9M/ICH9M-E) 4 port SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RV710/M92 [Mobility Radeon HD 4530/4570/545v]
01:00.1 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RV710/730 HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 4000 series]
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 03)
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation WiFi Link 5100
04:00.0 SD Host controller: Ricoh Co Ltd MMC/SD Host Controller (rev 01)
04:00.1 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5U2xx (R5U230 / R5U231 / R5U241) [Memory Stick Host Controller] (rev 01)
04:00.3 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 PCIe IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 01)
steven@steven-Yeshuah:~$

What do you recommend for a next step?

I am beginning to suspect that you have a hdmi connection to the 27" monitor. If it has a vga connection, I would recommend that you use that as I have not been successful in using a hdmi connection to my laptop which has a NVIDIA GeForce card.

Also, it would be useful to know what video card you are using.

[Teunis]

Yes VGA is a more mature system but I've never had problems using HDMI on this laptop with nVidia.

[NoWorries]

I am wondering if you have installed drivers for your AMD/ATI card. I have found that the open source drivers that are installed by default need to be replaced by drivers for my video card. I found the following reference here and I hope it is of use to you.