[SOLVED] Ubuntu envy -- login screen to external monitor

[KT-GB-12]

Hi, friend saw me login to Mint and now wants to know how to do the same with Ubuntu.

We both have external monitors for laptops and have set the external monitor as the Primary and the laptop as "Off."

When changing Users in Mint I get the full login screen on the external monitor. Great.

When he does that the laptop gets the login (screen turne-off) and he gets a blank purple screen and has to guess where the Cursor is to Arrow-Up or Down and then type.

I figured this must have been asked of Ubuntu before, so we checked AskUbuntu and **lots** of request but no working answers -- mostly just ignored it seems.

So, I am asking here.

How does Mint do this? is there a utility or something he can install that will handle his login screen like Mint?

It's curious that the issue seems totally ignored by Ubuntu as far back as 7-years.
https://askubuntu.com/search?q=external+monitor+login

[valouch]

This should work for gdm3 (ubuntu login screen; mint uses lightdm).

Set your display mode as desired using Settings > Devices > Displays
Open a terminal window by pressing CtrlAltT and then type:
sudo cp ~/.config/monitors.xml /var/lib/gdm3/.config
Hit Enter
Reboot the computer

https://askubuntu.com/questions/1043337 ... y-in-18-04

Or he can install lightdm.

[KT-GB-12]

This should work for gdm3 (ubuntu login screen; mint uses lightdm).

Thanks for the great reply.

The first option did not work but the post in the link you supplied worked perfectly for his laptop.

I suspect your first option may have worked as the link-version also changed /etc/gdm3/custom.conf to uncomment WaylandEnable=false

Above that line in the file it had a comment something like "Force the logon screen to use external ..." I forget exact wording, but it seemed important to get it all working.

Thanks again he is very happy, right beside me going a little crazy, it had been bugging him for a long time.

[SMG]

The first option did not work but the post in the link you supplied worked perfectly for his laptop.

Please go to your first post in this thread, click the pencil icon, and add [SOLVED] to the title so others know there is a solution in this thread.

[valouch]

@KT-GB-12
Glad you resolved it.