Dual Head woes

[thesun]

Okay, I updated the system and for some funky reason my dual head monitor stuff stopped working -- again. I had this problem going from FC4 to FC5 and a helping hand posted a nice Xorg.conf file for me which solved the problem. Anyone out there have a working dual head system on FC5? The old one doesn't work this time. I'll post what I have below.

I would also love some pointers on how to get this to actually work in the future, too. Here's my hardware/info:

Fedora Core 5 (yum updated as of a few hours ago)
Dell Dimension 2400
Nvidia GeForce 5500fx
Sony SDM-HS53
Samsung SyncMaster 151v

I have an intel card in there too but don't need it. I do notice that in the startup messages the nvidia-glx driver is not loaded because an appropriate nvidia.ko module isn't being found (and I believe there was a message about pkg-config not finding the location of the libs...or something...?). Do I need to export the path to somewhere...? And if so, what command should I use?

Here's my xorg.conf file. The "system-config-display" program appears in both screens (so it clearly can figure out that the screen exists), but the Syncmaster 151v isn't listed, and the program doesn't seem to understand that the Nvidia card has _two_ jacks which I want to use, instead of the built-in Intel 845. It assumes I want to run one monitor off the Intel and the other off the Nvidia. But I want both monitors running off the Nvidia card, as I had it before this kernel upgrade. I am happy to hand edit the xorg.conf file with emacs, but I just don't know what's wrong...or where to start fixing it.

Many thanks for help/suggestions, and a happy New Year 2007 to all!! A round of cyber-brew is on me. ~<|:-D <----party hat smiley?


# Xorg configuration created by system-config-display

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
Option "Xinerama" "on"
Option "Clone" "off"
EndSection

Section "Files"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
FontPath "unix/:7100"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "fbdevhw"
Load "record"
# Load "xtrap"
Load "freetype"
Load "type1"
Load "glx"
Load "dri"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "SONY"
ModelName "Sony SDM-HS53"

### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
HorizSync 28.0 - 52.0
VertRefresh 57.0 - 63.0
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Samsung"
ModelName "SyncMaster 151v"
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
HorizSync 30.0 - 61.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 75.0
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nv"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "NV34 [GeForce FX 5500]"
Option "TwinView"
Option "MetaModes" "1280x1024,1280x1024"
BusID "PCI:1:4:0" #note...I am not sure about this
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 16
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 16
EndSection

[thesun]

I should add that it "almost" works: It boots into X, but only the left screen is usable. The right side is flashing blocks of color reminiscent of my ancient TRS-80 CoCo displaying its whopping 8 colors. The left (working screen) is clearly compressed -- it is squeezing 2048 pixels into a single screen instead of stretching them across the two.

[thesun]

I further played around with my Xorg.conf and got things working. I also removed and reinstalled the Livna.org Nvidia rpms, which this time added a path to the proper nvidia modules. So...all's well that ends well, even if I don't quite know why things weren't working before...

[LeFou]

Mind if I join you in this thread? I have FC5 on a Dell laptop, with a Samsung second head.

X launches fine but second head doesn't light up or do anything. To test I tried
DISPLAY=":0.1" gnome-terminal

and got
(gnome-terminal:2868): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:

What does your conf look like now? Mine's


# Xorg configuration created by system-config-display

Section "ServerLayout"

# Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
# Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
# Screen "Screen0" LeftOf "Screen1"
# Screen "Screen1" 0 0
Identifier "dual head configuration"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Synaptics" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Mouse0" "AlwaysCore"
Option "Xinerama" "on"
Option "Clone" "off"
EndSection

Section "Files"

# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, a font server independent of the X server is
# used to render fonts.
FontPath "unix/:7100"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "fbdevhw"
Load "glx"
Load "record"
Load "freetype"
Load "type1"
Load "synaptics"
Load "dri"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

# Specify which keyboard LEDs can be user-controlled (eg, with xset(1))
# Option "Xleds" "1 2 3"
# To disable the XKEYBOARD extension, uncomment XkbDisable.
# Option "XkbDisable"
# To customise the XKB settings to suit your keyboard, modify the
# lines below (which are the defaults). For example, for a non-U.S.
# keyboard, you will probably want to use:
# Option "XkbModel" "pc102"
# If you have a US Microsoft Natural keyboard, you can use:
# Option "XkbModel" "microsoft"
#
# Then to change the language, change the Layout setting.
# For example, a german layout can be obtained with:
# Option "XkbLayout" "de"
# or:
# Option "XkbLayout" "de"
# Option "XkbVariant" "nodeadkeys"
#
# If you'd like to switch the positions of your capslock and
# control keys, use:
# Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:swapcaps"
# Or if you just want both to be control, use:
# Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:nocaps"
#
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "yes"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Synaptics"
Driver "synaptics"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "yes"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Dell 1280x1024 Laptop Display Panel"
DisplaySize 340 270
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
HorizSync 31.5 - 90.0
VertRefresh 59.0 - 75.0
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Samsung SyncMaster 711N/712N"
DisplaySize 340 270
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
HorizSync 30.0 - 81.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 85.0
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "i810"
VendorName "Videocard vendor"
BoardName "Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device"
Option "MonitorLayout" "CRT, CRT+LFP"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard1"
Driver "i810"
VendorName "Videocard Vendor"
BoardName "Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Group 0
Mode 0666
EndSection

[itsthescottdog]

I would strongly recommend that you attempt to get dual monitor working without Xinerama first; turn the Clone option on. In my very frustrating experience with two nVidia cards, I found it was much easier to get the cards working without Xinerama.

I noticed in the Xorg.conf file that the video card was using the "nv" driver - have you tried using the proprietary nvidia driver from livna or nvidia.com? This helped with my Geforce fx 5500 and getting the S-video out to work.

[LeFou]

I would strongly recommend that you attempt to get dual monitor working without Xinerama first; turn the Clone option on. In my very frustrating experience with two nVidia cards, I found it was much easier to get the cards working without Xinerama.

yeah, i've tried both... i wonder, did you say two video cards? My video card can drive two monitors; I know because this all works fine in (ick) XP.

I noticed in the Xorg.conf file that the video card was using the "nv" driver - have you tried using the proprietary nvidia driver from livna or nvidia.com? This helped with my Geforce fx 5500 and getting the S-video out to work.

I'm not sure what you mean. My xorg.conf says
Driver "i810"
not "nv"

If you're recommending this:
http://www.fedorafaq.org/#nvidia

I just tried that, despite the fact that I don't think I have an nvidia card. No change. Don't have much clue what I'm doing though.

Then I went to
http://rpm.livna.org/livna-switcher.html

but although "yum install kmod-nvidia" seemed to work, " yum install kernel-module-nvidia-$(uname -r)" does not
No Match for argument: kernel-module-nvidia-2.6.18-1.2257.fc5

before I regress kernels I better make sure I'm not barking up the wrong tree...

[thesun]

Here's my current Xorg.conf, but I'm not sure that it will help if you're not using an Nvidia card (and if you're not, you need to make sure you're using the right driver for your card first, and that it's properly installed -- if it's not, then no tweaking of xorg.conf will help). But in my case, I think
1) reinstalling the Nvidia driver may have done something,
2) getting the correct module path (note that now there are two entries, one going to the right nvidia driver folder), and
3) commenting out Xinerama and Clone (in the Server Layout section, at the top) may have done it.

Now I have 2 screens, side by side, each with a 1024x768 size...if I want to move a window from one to the other I can drag it, but if I maximize, it only goes to the max of one screen, not both (i.e. not to 2048x768), so Xine and mplayer aspect ratios stay normal. I can drag a window wider if I wish, but it doesn't automatically do that, the way it does if Xinerama is on.

So here's the Xorg.conf file (I removed extraneous stuff like the mouse and keyboard info):

# Xorg configuration
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
#Uncomment these to alter to a seamless 2048x768 screen.
# Option "Xinerama" "on"
# Option "Clone" "off"
EndSection

Section "Files"
# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, a font server independent of the X server is
# used to render fonts.
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/nvidia"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
FontPath "unix/:7100"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "fbdevhw"
Load "record"
# Load "xtrap"
Load "freetype"
Load "type1"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
# HorizSync 28.0 - 52.0
# VertRefresh 57.0 - 63.0
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "SONY"
ModelName "Sony SDM-HS53"
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
# HorizSync 30.0 - 61.0
# VertRefresh 56.0 - 75.0
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "SyncMaster 151v"
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "NV34 [GeForce FX 5500]"
Option "TwinView"
Option "MetaModes" "1024x768,1024x768"
BusID "PCI:1:4:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
EndSection

Good luck...hope this helps!

[LeFou]

Me again. I've sorta isolated the problem. Here is the second of my "Screen" sections.

Section "Screen"
# Device "Videocard1"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024"
EndSubSection
EndSection

I uncommented so that the second on uses "Videocard1" instead of Videocard0 X will not start right. I get a bright screen and no interaction. I can't even get a console. So I have to reboot the machine to another partition/OS, edit it back, and reboot into FC5.

Here are the two Videocard sections. Basically pasted from This guy
http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-x11/2006-April/002810.html
'cause he's using i810 driver too

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "i810"
VendorName "Videocard vendor"
BoardName "Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
Option "MonitorLayout" "CRT, CRT+LFP"
Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard1"
Driver "i810"
VendorName "Videocard Vendor"
BoardName "Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
Screen 1
EndSection

My first question is obviously still "someone fix my xorg.conf for me" but I realize it'll take some experimenting. My better question is: how can I get a console so that I can do this experimenting myself? The double-reboot process is killing me. I'd like to be able to try-to-start x in a way I can easily kill in case it doesn't work...

[LeFou]

Awesome! Progress! I found this thread
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?t=513492

and realized that I also can get the second head going if I hit Fn-F8. If I hit it again, I get them both, "clone style". This is what my xorg.conf defines, so I'm going to switch those options, cross my fingers, and ...

[LeFou]

Meh. Still cloning even though

Option "Xinerama" "on"
Option "Clone" "off"

I was able to get

Device "Videocard1"
Identifier "Screen1"
Monitor "Monitor1"

to work okay, by having the "Videocard1" section just be an exact copy o f Videocard0

...xinerama is installed, just can't get it to do what it does