second graphic card

LuckyMe · 10-24-2006, 05:54 PM

Hi there,

I am installing FC5 "default" installation. Meaning I install Gnome. With Gome (based on X11) I would like to make use of my second screen connected via an old PCI graphic card.

The tricky question is how do I do that?

Some how I can work on the card if the X Server fails to start because than I get a console on the second screen with the error message that the X server could not be started and can log in to via the console. On the main screen (Nvidia 5950 Ultra) I can still see the last lines of the boot messages.

After a reinstallation of my Linux box I got the X server up and running again - I don't know yet how to change graphic card driver when I change from an ATI card to an Nvidia card.

So basically I have three questions:

1. How to chagne the graphic card driver in Linux (FC5)?

2. How do I get my old PCI graphic card activated in Gnome so that I can use an extended desktop. NOT dual head - it is a second graphic card!

3. If I would decide to use use dual head would a game under wine expand over both screens or only one and the other one could still be used for other applications?

Cheers
... LuckyMe

Simon Bridge · 10-26-2006, 03:51 AM

Quote:

The tricky question is how do I do that?

You enable "dual head". There are plenty of threads on how to set this up.

Quote:

Some how I can work on the card if the X Server fails to start because than I get a console on the second screen with the error message that the X server could not be started

... this is because the x server isn't used by the regular console. Bet you cannot get a gui on either screen.

Quote:

1. How to chagne the graphic card driver in Linux (FC5)?

All the settings are in /etc/x11/xorg.conf ... it's pretty self-explainatory. If you want dual boot, there will be an entry for each of your cards.

Quote:

2. How do I get my old PCI graphic card activated in Gnome so that I can use an extended desktop. NOT dual head - it is a second graphic card!

Nope - that is dual head. The x server supports dual head through a single graphics card or though two cards. In fact, I understand, one may have multi-head configurations depending on the number of graphics cards you have.

Quote:

3. If I would decide to use use dual head would a game under wine expand over both screens or only one and the other one could still be used for other applications?

depends how you set up your dual head. Depends on the game.

LuckyMe · 10-26-2006, 11:22 AM

Hej Simon,

thanks a lot for the explanation. I will check out the config file and play around with it.

Now that I know what to look out for I am sure it will be fine.
If not be sure I'll be back.

Cheers
... LuckyMe

LuckyMe · 12-08-2006, 04:03 PM

Hej Folks,

I have been playing with the dual head function in FC5 and in FC6 and I can't seem to get it working.

I tried with FC5 on an "old" AMD 2800+ with a Radeon X700 AGP and a Matrox graphic card.
And I tried with FC6 on a AMD A2 5000 with a Nvidia 7900 PCI-E and a Radeon 7000 VE.

I have been changing the primary screen in the BIOS and I don't get it running.

I tried to modify the xorg.conf file directly as well as the GUI tool within GNOME, but no success with either of them.

Here is my current xorg.conf file.

Any help is highly appreciated.

Thanks
... LuckyMe

Code:

# Xorg configuration created by system-config-display

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "Multihead layout"
	Screen      0  "Screen0" LeftOf "Screen1"
	Screen      1  "Screen1" 0 0
	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
	Option	    "Xinerama" "off"
	Option	    "Clone" "on"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Keyboard0"
	Driver      "kbd"
	Option	    "XkbModel" "pc105"
	Option	    "XkbLayout" "se"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

 ### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
 ### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
	Identifier   "Monitor1"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "LCD Panel 1280x1024"
 ### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
	HorizSync    31.5 - 67.0
	VertRefresh  50.0 - 75.0
	Option	    "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

 ### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
	Identifier   "Monitor1"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "LCD Panel 1024x768"
 ### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
	HorizSync    31.5 - 48.5
	VertRefresh  40.0 - 70.0
	Option	    "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Videocard0"
	Driver      "radeon"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Videocard1"
	Driver      "nv"
	VendorName  "Videocard Vendor"
	BoardName   "nVidia Corporation GeForce 7900 GTX"
	BusID       "PCI:3:0:0"
	Screen      1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Videocard0"
	DefaultDepth     24
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen1"
	Device     "Videocard1"
	Monitor    "Monitor1"
	DefaultDepth     24
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
		Modes    "1024x768"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

sleepindawg · 12-08-2006, 04:42 PM

at home i am running mandy10 w/two video cards just fine. i dont know if it will help you, but if you wish i can post my config file. it may help some.... I'll check for your reply when i get home. i dont know for sure if your two cards will play nice together, my two are both nvida...

LuckyMe · 12-08-2006, 06:05 PM

Yeah, sure... please post or PM me your config file. I am would be glad to have a look at them.

Cheers
... LuckyMe

sleepindawg · 02-06-2007, 03:38 AM

# File generated by XFdrake.

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"
# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
FontPath "unix/:-1"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
#DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't
work
#DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx" # 3D layer
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard1"
Driver "Keyboard"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "en_US"
Option "XkbOptions" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor0"
VendorName "Samsung"
ModelName "Samsung SyncMaster 21GLs"
HorizSync 30.0-82.0
VertRefresh 50.0-120.0

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync
-vsync

# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630

# 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Acer"
ModelName "Acer 56e"
HorizSync 30.0-69.0
VertRefresh 50.0-110.0

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync
-vsync

# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630

# 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device0"
BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce4 (generic)"
Driver "nv"
BusID "PCI:0:11:0"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "RIVA TNT2"
Driver "nv"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen0"
Device "device0"
Monitor "monitor0"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Virtual 1024 768
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Virtual 1024 768
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Virtual 1024 768
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1024 768
EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Virtual 800 600
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Virtual 800 600
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Virtual 800 600
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 800 600
EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "layout2"
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
Screen "screen0" 0 0
Screen "screen1" Rightof "screen0"
Option "Xinerama" "On"
EndSection