Screen Resolution 1440 x 900 + Dual Screen setup, Xorg.conf

[stuartornum]

Hi,

I have just installed LinuxMint, and I must say, its the best desktop distro I have used so far..

Right my problem...

I came from Win XP and had a dual screen setup running off 2 video cards, however I cannot seem to get the resolution on the screen right and getting the second screen to span has proven to be very difficult in all distro's I have used in the past.

The hardware....

1 x nVidia GeForce FX5200
1 x nVidia RIVA TNT2 Model 64
2 x Acer AL1916w (19in Widescreen TFT's, 1440x900)

Here is my xorg.conf

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Section "Files"
   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"
   # path to defoma fonts
   FontPath   "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

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

Section "InputDevice"
   Identifier   "Generic Keyboard"
   Driver      "kbd"
   Option      "CoreKeyboard"
   Option      "XkbRules"   "xorg"
   Option      "XkbModel"   "pc105"
   Option      "XkbLayout"   "gb"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Identifier   "Configured Mouse"
   Driver      "mouse"
   Option      "CorePointer"
   Option      "Device"      "/dev/input/mice"
   Option      "Protocol"      "ImPS/2"
   Option      "ZAxisMapping"      "4 5"
   Option      "Emulate3Buttons"   "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Driver      "wacom"
   Identifier   "stylus"
   Option      "Device"   "/dev/input/wacom"
   Option      "Type"      "stylus"
   Option      "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"      # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Driver      "wacom"
   Identifier   "eraser"
   Option      "Device"   "/dev/input/wacom"
   Option      "Type"      "eraser"
   Option      "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"      # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Driver      "wacom"
   Identifier   "cursor"
   Option      "Device"   "/dev/input/wacom"
   Option      "Type"      "cursor"
   Option      "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"      # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "nVidia Corporation NV5M64 [RIVA TNT2 Model 64/Model 64 Pro]"
   Driver      "nv"
   BusID      "PCI:0:10:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
   Identifier   "Acer AL1916W"
   Option      "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Default Screen"
   Device      "nVidia Corporation NV5M64 [RIVA TNT2 Model 64/Model 64 Pro]"
   Monitor      "Acer AL1916W"
   DefaultDepth   24
   Option "metamodes" "1440x900 +0+0; 1024x768 +0+0"
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      16
      Modes      "1440x900" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
   EndSubSection
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      24
      Modes      "1440x900" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
   EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
   Identifier   "Default Layout"
   Screen      "Default Screen"
   InputDevice   "Generic Keyboard"
   InputDevice   "Configured Mouse"
   InputDevice     "stylus"   "SendCoreEvents"
   InputDevice     "cursor"   "SendCoreEvents"
   InputDevice     "eraser"   "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
   Mode   0666
EndSection

And here is the command lspci

Code: Select all

$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8377 [KT400/KT600 AGP] Host Bridge (rev 80)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 PCI Bridge
00:0a.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV5M64 [RIVA TNT2 Model 64/Model 64 Pro] (rev 15)
00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: National Semiconductor Corporation DP83815 (MacPhyter) Ethernet Controller
00:0c.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet (rev 10)
00:0f.0 RAID bus controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VIA VT6420 SATA RAID Controller (rev 80)
00:0f.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:10.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
00:10.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
00:10.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
00:10.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
00:10.4 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 86)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 ISA bridge [KT600/K8T800/K8T890 South]
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 60)
00:12.0 Ethernet controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] (rev 78)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200] (rev a1)

Any help would be great, as many of you probably have found out, you bounce from linux back to windows when you get fed up trying to get something to work..

Thanks again

[Izo]

I think Husse is your man here, he really helped to get my screen resolution working!


However, I do have one suggestion: you have no refresh rates in your "monitor" section.

If you still have the manual for your monitors (or just find them on the 'net), the manual should tell you what refresh rates the monitors can handle.

For example, the relevant section of my xorg.conf reads thusly:

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Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Generic Monitor"
    HorizSync       28.0 - 74.0
    VertRefresh     43.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Note the HorizSync rates and the VertRefresh rates?

Try that but for your monitors.

/izo\

[stuartornum]

Thanks lzo,

I have managed to get the screen resolution on the only working monitor at the moment, thank you so much.

Now I'll just wait to see about the dual screen.

Thanks

[stuartornum]

Hi,

I have managed to get the other monitor and video card working by itself, however I am still stuck on the spanning.

I can change the "ServerLayout" section to swap between using either screen 1 or screen 2, but not both at the same time.

Also I have install nvidia-glx, in xorg,conf there is the line

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   Load   "glx"

But not sure how to ensure it has loaded..?

Here is my updated xorg.conf

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Section "Files"
   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"
   # path to defoma fonts
   FontPath   "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

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

Section "InputDevice"
   Identifier   "Generic Keyboard"
   Driver      "kbd"
   Option      "CoreKeyboard"
   Option      "XkbRules"   "xorg"
   Option      "XkbModel"   "pc105"
   Option      "XkbLayout"   "gb"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Identifier   "Configured Mouse"
   Driver      "mouse"
   Option      "CorePointer"
   Option      "Device"      "/dev/input/mice"
   Option      "Protocol"      "ImPS/2"
   Option      "ZAxisMapping"      "4 5"
   Option      "Emulate3Buttons"   "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Driver      "wacom"
   Identifier   "stylus"
   Option      "Device"   "/dev/input/wacom"
   Option      "Type"      "stylus"
   Option      "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"      # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Driver      "wacom"
   Identifier   "eraser"
   Option      "Device"   "/dev/input/wacom"
   Option      "Type"      "eraser"
   Option      "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"      # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Driver      "wacom"
   Identifier   "cursor"
   Option      "Device"   "/dev/input/wacom"
   Option      "Type"      "cursor"
   Option      "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"      # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

############################################################################################
####### Video Cards Setup

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "NV FX5200"
   Driver      "nv"
   VendorName   "nVidia"
   BoardName   "nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200]"
   BusID      "PCI:01:00:0"
   Option      "MetaModes"         "1440x900,1024x768"
EndSection

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "NV RIVA"
   Driver      "nv"
   VendorName   "nVidia"
   BoardName   "nVidia Corporation NV5M64 [RIVA TNT2 Model 64/Model 64 Pro]"
   BusID      "PCI:0:10:0"
   Option         "MetaModes"             "1440x900,1024x768"
EndSection


############################################################################################
####### Monitors Setup

Section "Monitor"
   Identifier   "Acer AL1916W 1"
   VendorName   "Acer"
   ModelName   "AL1916w"
     HorizSync       30.0 - 82.0
     VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
   Option      "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
   Identifier   "Acer AL1916W 2"
   VendorName   "Acer"
   ModelName   "AL1916w"
     HorizSync       30.0 - 82.0
     VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
   Option      "DPMS"
EndSection

############################################################################################
####### Setup Video card on Monitor

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Screen FX5200"
   Device      "NV FX5200"
   Monitor      "Acer AL1916W 1"
   DefaultDepth   24
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      16   
      Modes      "1440x900" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
   EndSubSection
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      24
      Modes      "1440x900" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
   EndSubSection

EndSection

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Screen RIVA"
   Device      "NV RIVA"
   Monitor      "Acer AL1916W 2"
   DefaultDepth   16
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      16   
      Modes      "1440x900" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
   EndSubSection
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      24
      Modes      "1440x900" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
   EndSubSection
EndSection

############################################################################################
############################################################################################

Section "ServerLayout"
   Identifier   "Default Layout"
   Screen      "Screen FX5200"
   InputDevice   "Generic Keyboard"
   InputDevice   "Configured Mouse"
   InputDevice     "stylus"   "SendCoreEvents"
   InputDevice     "cursor"   "SendCoreEvents"
   InputDevice     "eraser"   "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
   Mode   0666
EndSection


Thanks again

[Husse]

You probably don't have glx working with the nv driver

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glxinfo

should return

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direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation


if glx is enabled
You have a really odd setup - I don't think I've seen two different video cards for two monitors ever before
As nv works you should probably be able to install the "nvidia" driver - only needed if you want 3D
Check in Nvidia Settings and XServer-Xorg (both from the menu)
Be very careful with Nvidia Settings, it will overwrite your xorg.conf
You need sudo for it to be sticky

[stuartornum]

Hi Husse,

I ran glxinfo.. and..

direct rendering: No
server glx vendor string: 1.2

I have quite an old machine, hence the odd setup..

I dont have nVidia Setting in the menu, im not too bothered about 3D.

So what do you reckon I should do to get glx working?

Thanks again

[stuartornum]

Right,

I think I have glx working.. (had to install the nvidia drivers from their website)

Now

glxinfo produces

direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
server glx version string: 1.4

What do you think is the next step.

Thank you

[Husse]

Just bumping this for my self

[Husse]

This is a bit beyond the problems I usually solve
How do you use the monitors?
I mean what's shown on the one and not the other?
Think I need that to figure out what to do

[stuartornum]

Hi Husse,

Its just an extra screen space. In windows I had the FX5200 card power my main screen (right side), and the RIVA powered the left, it was just spanned across, so I could drag windows / apps from one screen to another easily.

I have actually had dual screen working before, but years ago on FC4 probably, but I cannot find the post in their forums anymore, so lost the xorg.conf

Thanks

[Husse]

It should work I think, see no reason why not. Could you make it easier for me and summarize your status. This is about post # 50 for today and yesterday

[stuartornum]

Hi Husse,

I do know it can work, its just getting the right xorg.conf, at the moment I havne't even attempted to use xinerama or twinview as to be honest, dont know what Im doing...

In regards to my status, sorry I dont understand what you mean by that, if you mean have I got it working, then no.

Thanks again

[stuartornum]

also here is an interesting thing found in /var/log/xorg.0.log

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(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Mon Oct 29 15:23:02 2007
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(==) ServerLayout "Multihead layout"
(**) |-->Screen "Screen RIVA" (0)
(**) |   |-->Monitor "Acer AL1916W 2"
(**) |   |-->Device "NV RIVA"
(EE) Screen Screen FX5200 doesn't exist: deleting placement
(**) |-->Input Device "Generic Keyboard"
(**) |-->Input Device "Configured Mouse"
(**) |-->Input Device "stylus"
(**) |-->Input Device "cursor"
(**) |-->Input Device "eraser"
(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic" does not exist.
   Entry deleted from font path.

[Husse]

Yeah, status - simply summarize where you are so I don't have to read through it all again...
And you most definitely have found something interesting in error (EE)
Now, do you have a working screen form the old card?
I'm not used to twin screens so I'm a bit in the dark....