4 monitors with 2 Nvidia Geforce 710 video cards

[salmanash]

Hello,

This is my first post here but I've been running Linux Mint for a while now. On 18.3 Cinnamon 64 bit now and I'm trying to run 4 monitors but haven't been successful. After trying and reading a lot of stuff, I decided to post here. Honestly, I didn't think it would be this difficult to run 4 monitors. I've got 2 Geforce 710 video cards and I have 2 monitors attached to each card. I have no issues running 2 monitors and I've been doing that for a while. When I try to activate the other 2 monitors in nvidia settings, Cinnamon crashes (goes into failback mode). I've tried changing kernels, using the nouveau drivers, even display managers (tried installing KDE alongside Cinnamon) but nothing works.

I'm running 387.34 after the usual issues of getting the Nvidia drivers to work. After changing drivers back and forth, I reached a point where I had no choice but to restore from a backup because Cinnamon would just keep crashing no matter what I did. Would really appreciate some help. I've read a number of posts on different sites about Cinnamon crashing but they were quite old. I'm amazed this is still an issue. Thanks.

Here's some info:

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System: Kernel: 4.14.11-041411-generic x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
CPU:       Octa core AMD FX-8320 Eight-Core (-MCP-) cache: 16384 KB 
           clock speeds: max: 3500 MHz 1: 1400 MHz 2: 1400 MHz 3: 1400 MHz 4: 2900 MHz 5: 1400 MHz 6: 1400 MHz
           7: 1400 MHz 8: 1700 MHz
Memory:    Array-1 capacity: 32 GB devices: 4 EC: None
Graphics:  Card-1: NVIDIA Device 128b
           Card-2: NVIDIA Device 128b
           Display Server: X.org 1.18.4 driver: nvidia tty size: 166x50

[salmanash]

Would appreciate some help. As this is my first post, would it be better to move it to the monitor and graphics card section?

[ClixTrix]

I'm noticing that your cards are showing with Device ID, and not name. I wondering if that's driver or kernel or both as a problem.

I'm noticing that you are using a Mainline 4.14.11 kernel. I assume you're using ukuu to update.

I'm wondering about some recent problems with nVidia cards and the recent major Kernel changes around Meltdown (PTI fixes).

I checked the changelogs on some of the recent 4.14.x kernel update and found this for 4.14.13 (search graphics).

https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel ... og-4.14.13

See my sig. I'm running 4.14.14 and have been closely watching development and bugs. 4.14.14 implements Retpoline for Spectre mitigation and I'm stable.

I'm not sure which kernels you've tried. I'm a little wary of any PTI induced bugs on the newer Ubuntu 4.13 and 4.4 kernels for those popping out at main. I was pretty stable on the 4.10.x kernels before I updated.

Have you tried kernel 4.14.14? Also, did you try any pre-PTI-fixed kernels from standard Mint/Ubuntu kernel update.

Edit: Here's an interesting idea. Have you tried booting the Live-CD/Flash of Mint 18.3 for a test with all four monitors connected?

I'd also like to know how much memory you have in your system and other devices, so please run the following command from Terminal and post back.

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inxi -Fxz

[salmanash]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I use ukuu to update the kernel. I did try .13 kernel but I don't think I was able to get the Nvidia driver to work so I moved back to .11. Haven't tried .14, yet. If I recall, I went back to 4.10 but had the same problem with Cinnamon in failback mode with 2 X screens. As soon as I active the 2 other monitors, I get these issues but none with just 2 monitors on 1 card. The reading I've done so far suggests this to be some issue with Cinnamon, perhaps, and not kernel related? However, I couldn't get it to work on KDE, either, so who knows?

I did notice the card name not showing in the output. The card names shows up fine in nvidia settings, though. I haven't tried the live CD but I read somewhere that it would use the nouveau drivers and not the Nvidia ones, of course. I couldn't get the nouveau one to work with the 4 monitors, either, but I can try burning a CD and booting with it. Thanks.

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System:    Kernel: 4.14.11-041411-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 7.2.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   Mobo: ASUSTeK model: M5A97 LE R2.0 v: Rev 1.xx
           Bios: American Megatrends v: 2701 date: 03/24/2016
CPU:       Octa core AMD FX-8320 Eight-Core (-MCP-) cache: 16384 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm) bmips: 56189
           clock speeds: max: 3500 MHz 1: 1400 MHz 2: 1700 MHz 3: 1400 MHz
           4: 1400 MHz 5: 1400 MHz 6: 2900 MHz 7: 1700 MHz 8: 1400 MHz
Graphics:  Card-1: NVIDIA Device 128b bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Card-2: NVIDIA Device 128b bus-ID: 05:00.0
           Display Server: X.org 1.18.4 driver: nvidia
           tty size: 80x24 Advanced Data: N/A for root
Audio:     Card-1 2x NVIDIA GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intelsnd_hda_intel bus-ID: 05:00.1
           Card-2 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:14.2
           Sound: ALSA v: k4.14.11-041411-generic
Network:   Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: d000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (16.4% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD5000AAKS size: 500.1GB temp: 41C
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: WDC_WD5000AAKS size: 500.1GB temp: 43C
Partition: ID-1: / size: 345G used: 59G (18%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 16.38GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 27.9C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:73C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 0
Info:      Processes: 269 Uptime: 3:16 Memory: 5918.6/24002.8MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35

[salmanash]

I burned a Mint Cinnamon CD and booted with it. It would only boot X in compatibility mode and showed the Cinnamon fallback message right away. The nouveau graphics driver showed 3 monitors but not 4. This is the same thing I saw when I used the nouveau driver on my desktop. I don't think it's a kernel thing, I think the issue lies with Cinnamon.

[ClixTrix]

I'm not favoring the "Cinnamon" only as problem, because KDE also failed.

I'm puzzled over the lack of card recognition and whether there is a hardware, kernel, driver, or combo problem as the root cause. This is an example (not your cards) of what I would expect to see from inxi for at least one nvidia card and the nvidia driver...

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Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GM206 [GeForce GTX 950] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nvidia (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau)

With only the nouveau, I'd expect something similar to this...

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Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G98 [GeForce 9300 GE] bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:06e0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)

Did you install the nvidia driver from Menu - Administration - Driver Manager when you first tried from Kernel 4.10.38 (base Mint 18.3 install)? Does it show the second example (nouveau only) when you boot from Live-CD and run inxi -Fxz from Terminal?

I'm going to suggest some simple hardware 101 testing/troubleshooting. I've checked your motherboard specs and see it has 2x PCIe 16x slots. I see you have the most recent BIOS. Have you tried using only one slot at a time with a single card, i.e. establish that both cards and both slots are independently working?

Also, curious if any hardware problems are logged. Checking dmesg for problems might help. You can scan from Terminal using dmesg, or look for specific text of error using.....

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dmesg | grep error

Edit:
I'd also like to get a dump on PCI devices. Please run the following command from Terminal and post back the results. FYI...using sudo to get extra capability details...and sudo requires password.

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sudo lspci -v

[salmanash]

Last night, I downloaded and burned to CDs Ubuntu 17.10.1, Fedora 27, and ElementaryOS (which I did not burn). Ubuntu CD did not boot properly into the graphical installer and I killed it after it went into a loop. Fedora CD booted up fine and, after setting up the monitors in the display settings, I was able to have ALL 4 monitors working and was able to move windows across all of them. Unless I can resolve this fast, I'm thinking Fedora is likely going to end up as my distro of choice but I'd rather stay with Mint because I've used it for so long.

I install Nvidia drivers one of 2 ways: either through the driver manager or with apt. I've had mixed results with both but I think I used the driver manager with 4.10 but I can't be 100% sure. I don't think hardware is an issue because all 4 monitors show up in nvidia settings as do both cards and Fedora was able to set them up with the live CD. I'm not sure why the video card name doesn't appear. I had an existing EVGA GeForce 710 and an GT 9500. The only Nvidia driver I could use with both was 340 so I bought a new MSI 710 because I thought that may help fix the issue so I could use 4 monitors. I read somewhere that having identical cards helps. Anyway, I was able to use the 387 driver with the 2 Geforce 710 cards. I did remove the GT 9500 and booted with just the 710 and that worked fine. I don't think I moved it between both slots but I think it's obvious both work. dmesg doesn't show any errors.

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# lspci -v
00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (external gfx0 port B) (rev 02)
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (external gfx0 port B)
	Flags: fast devsel
	Capabilities: [f0] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+
	Capabilities: [c4] HyperTransport: Slave or Primary Interface
	Capabilities: [40] HyperTransport: Retry Mode
	Capabilities: [54] HyperTransport: UnitID Clumping
	Capabilities: [9c] HyperTransport: #1a
	Capabilities: [70] MSI: Enable- Count=1/4 Maskable- 64bit-

00:02.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI express gpp port B) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
	DeviceName:  Onboard IGD
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 25
	Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0
	I/O behind bridge: 0000e000-0000efff
	Memory behind bridge: fd000000-fe0fffff
	Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000d0000000-00000000d9ffffff
	Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [58] Express Root Port (Slot+), MSI 00
	Capabilities: [a0] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
	Capabilities: [b0] Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI express gpp port B)
	Capabilities: [b8] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+
	Capabilities: [100] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=010 <?>
	Capabilities: [190] Access Control Services
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp

00:04.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI express gpp port D) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 25
	Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=02, sec-latency=0
	I/O behind bridge: 0000d000-0000dfff
	Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000da100000-00000000da1fffff
	Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [58] Express Root Port (Slot+), MSI 00
	Capabilities: [a0] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
	Capabilities: [b0] Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI express gpp port D)
	Capabilities: [b8] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+
	Capabilities: [100] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=010 <?>
	Capabilities: [190] Access Control Services
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp

00:07.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI express gpp port G) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 24
	Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=03, sec-latency=0
	Memory behind bridge: fe200000-fe2fffff
	Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [58] Express Root Port (Slot+), MSI 00
	Capabilities: [a0] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
	Capabilities: [b0] Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI express gpp port G)
	Capabilities: [b8] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+
	Capabilities: [100] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=010 <?>
	Capabilities: [190] Access Control Services
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp

00:11.0 SATA controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 40) (prog-if 01 [AHCI 1.0])
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 19
	I/O ports at f040 [size=8]
	I/O ports at f030 [size=4]
	I/O ports at f020 [size=8]
	I/O ports at f010 [size=4]
	I/O ports at f000 [size=16]
	Memory at fc10b000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
	Capabilities: [70] SATA HBA v1.0
	Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features
	Kernel driver in use: ahci
	Kernel modules: ahci

00:12.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 18
	Memory at fc10a000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Kernel driver in use: ohci-pci

00:12.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 17
	Memory at fc109000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
	Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2
	Capabilities: [e4] Debug port: BAR=1 offset=00e0
	Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci

00:13.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 20
	Memory at fc108000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Kernel driver in use: ohci-pci

00:13.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 21
	Memory at fc107000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
	Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2
	Capabilities: [e4] Debug port: BAR=1 offset=00e0
	Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci

00:14.0 SMBus: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev 42)
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 SMBus Controller
	Flags: 66MHz, medium devsel
	Kernel driver in use: piix4_smbus
	Kernel modules: i2c_piix4, sp5100_tco

00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) (rev 40)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
	Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 32, IRQ 16
	Memory at fc100000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
	Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
	Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
	Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel

00:14.3 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller (rev 40)
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 0

00:14.4 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge (rev 40) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
	Flags: bus master, VGA palette snoop, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64
	Bus: primary=00, secondary=04, subordinate=04, sec-latency=64

00:14.5 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI2 Controller (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI2 Controller
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 18
	Memory at fc106000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Kernel driver in use: ohci-pci

00:15.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB700/SB800/SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 0) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
	Bus: primary=00, secondary=05, subordinate=05, sec-latency=0
	I/O behind bridge: 0000c000-0000cfff
	Memory behind bridge: fb000000-fc0fffff
	Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000c0000000-00000000c9ffffff
	Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [58] Express Root Port (Slot-), MSI 00
	Capabilities: [a0] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [b0] Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB700/SB800/SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 0)
	Capabilities: [b8] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+
	Capabilities: [100] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=010 <?>
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp

00:16.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 22
	Memory at fc105000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Kernel driver in use: ohci-pci

00:16.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
	Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 23
	Memory at fc104000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
	Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2
	Capabilities: [e4] Debug port: BAR=1 offset=00e0
	Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci

00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 0
	Flags: fast devsel
	Capabilities: [80] HyperTransport: Host or Secondary Interface

00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 1
	Flags: fast devsel

00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 2
	Flags: fast devsel

00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 3
	Flags: fast devsel
	Capabilities: [f0] Secure device <?>
	Kernel driver in use: k10temp
	Kernel modules: k10temp

00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 4
	Flags: fast devsel
	Kernel driver in use: fam15h_power
	Kernel modules: fam15h_power

00:18.5 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 5
	Flags: fast devsel

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation Device 128b (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 8c93
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 39
	Memory at fd000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
	Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
	Memory at d8000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=32M]
	I/O ports at e000 [size=128]
	[virtual] Expansion ROM at 000c0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
	Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [78] Express Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
	Capabilities: [128] Power Budgeting <?>
	Capabilities: [600] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=024 <?>
	Kernel driver in use: nvidia
	Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nouveau, nvidia_387_drm, nvidia_387

01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller (rev a1)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 38
	Memory at fe080000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
	Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
	Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
	Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel

02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 09)
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. P8 series motherboard
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 36
	I/O ports at d000 [size=256]
	Memory at da104000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Memory at da100000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=16K]
	Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [70] Express Endpoint, MSI 01
	Capabilities: [b0] MSI-X: Enable- Count=4 Masked-
	Capabilities: [d0] Vital Product Data
	Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
	Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel
	Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 10-00-00-00-68-4c-e0-00
	Kernel driver in use: r8169
	Kernel modules: r8169

03:00.0 USB controller: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1042A USB 3.0 Host Controller (prog-if 30 [XHCI])
	Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. ASM1042A USB 3.0 Host Controller
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 26
	Memory at fe200000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32K]
	Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/8 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [68] MSI-X: Enable+ Count=8 Masked-
	Capabilities: [78] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [80] Express Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
	Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd

05:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation Device 128b (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
	Subsystem: eVga.com. Corp. Device 2716
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 40
	Memory at fb000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
	Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
	Memory at c8000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=32M]
	I/O ports at c000 [size=128]
	[virtual] Expansion ROM at fc000000 [disabled] [size=512K]
	Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [78] Express Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
	Capabilities: [128] Power Budgeting <?>
	Capabilities: [600] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=024 <?>
	Kernel driver in use: nvidia
	Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nouveau, nvidia_387_drm, nvidia_387

05:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller (rev a1)
	Subsystem: eVga.com. Corp. GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
	Memory at fc080000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
	Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
	Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
	Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
	Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
	Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel

[ClixTrix]

Sounding more and more like a Ubuntu bug. Mint is based upon Ubuntu. Ubuntu 17.10 uses the 4.13 kernel. If that's a Ubuntu bug, it might not be a quick fix.

I think Fedora 27 uses Kernel 4.13 (or maybe updated to 4.14). I assume you used the same nvidia driver with Fedora.

On the thought that it "might" be a bug introduced in a more recent kernel, it might be worth trying old kernel 4.4 for a test.

[salmanash]

I didn't use any Nvidia driver with Fedora because it was just the live CD I booted up with to check it out. Didn't check much more than being able to use all 4 monitors. Whatever driver comes with Fedora on the CD is what was running. I just checked the GNOME desktop or whatever it comes with. I can check on the kernel and other info when I boot it up with the CD one more time. There are posts from several years ago about Cinnamon going to fallback mode with multiple X screens on multiple video cards. I thought it would have been resolved by now.

I could try the 4.4 kernel just for kicks.

[salmanash]

BTW, I do appreciate your help and feedback.

[ClixTrix]

If you have IOMMU Disabled in BIOS as default, Enable and test. And, you're welcome.