LinuxQuestions.org - Setting up Dual monitors on one video card

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Setting up Dual monitors on one video card

. could some one help explain how i would get about setting up my dual monitors..

I am running on an MSI FX 5200 Nvidia card, with two ports DVI and a normal 15 pin connector. On my DVI port i have an LCD Benq monitor plugged in and the other i have an old HP Pavilion mx70.

The problem is that when i go to set it up in my yast and SaX2, it says it required two video cards to get up both monitors..

But i can get it set up in windows just fine.

Can someone explain to me how i would go about to setting it up? (I suspose i would like to have it like dual monitors how i have it in windows as like a rama view, where i can click and drag from one screen to the other. Or if i could have one desktop on one screen and another on the other screen. Either way, it doesnt matter, i just want to know how to get it set up)

I think i have to do something in the /etc/X11/ file.. i just dont know where, and what to fix..

Thank you

Just read the README file coming with the nvidia linux drivers, there is a section called Xinerama, thats what you propably want.

Alright this is what it says i should do:

To enable TwinView, you must specify the following options in the Device
section of your X Config file:

Option "TwinView"
Option "MetaModes" "<list of metamodes>"

You must also specify either:

Option "SecondMonitorHorizSync" "<hsync range(s)>"
Option "SecondMonitorVertRefresh" "<vrefresh range(s)>"

or:

Option "HorizSync" "<hsync range(s)>"
Option "VertRefresh" "<vrefresh range(s)>"

You may also use any of the following options, though they are not required:

Option "TwinViewOrientation" "<relationship of head 1 to head 0>"
Option "ConnectedMonitor" "<list of connected display devices>"

Alright thats great... but one problem.. I dont know how to edit X config. Yeah i know how to boot it up in X terminal and all. But i dont know how to edit it. BUTT... i did open up the XF86Config file.. and this is what it says under screens:

Screen sections
# **********************************************************************

# Any number of screen sections may be present. Each describes
# the configuration of a single screen. A single specific screen section
# may be specified from the X server command line with the "-screen"
# option.

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 1"
Device "MSI"
Monitor "My Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024"
ViewPort 0 0

That is what that says.....
((Am i in over my head for someone who has been just running Linux for a couple of weeks now?))

Help please

expanded desktop

Hi
I got it working on gentoo with this file. The second monitor in my case is i TV, but that should'nt matter.

As you can see i have the section "device" "monitor" and "screen" twice in the file. This results is expanding the desktop to the second monitor, i'm not sure if this is what "twin view" is though. but it's what the file does.

I think you ARE a litle over your head if you have never edited conf files in linux before though so be VERY carefull not to blow up one of your monitors, pay especially attention to the "Horisync" and "vertrefresh" settings and adjust to what your monitors manuals say.

also notice the double entries in the "Serverlayout" section.

DONT just copy the entire file into your one, this will surely not work ;).

good luck

Brian

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"

# Identifier    "X.org Configured"

 Identifier    "Simple layout"

 Screen      0  "Screen0" 

 Screen      1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"

 InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"

 InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"

EndSection



Section "Files"

 RgbPath      "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"

 ModulePath  "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules"

 FontPath    "/usr/share/fonts/misc/"

 FontPath    "/usr/share/fonts/TTF/"

 FontPath    "/usr/share/fonts/Type1/"

 FontPath    "/usr/share/fonts/CID/"

 FontPath    "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi/"

 FontPath    "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi/"

EndSection



Section "Module"

 Load  "record"

 Load  "extmod"

 Load  "dbe"

# Load  "dri"

 Load  "glx"

 Load  "xtrap"

 Load  "freetype"

 Load  "type1"

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"

 Identifier  "Keyboard0"

 Driver      "kbd"

 Option      "XkbRules" "xorg"

 Option    "XkbLayout" "dk"

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"

 Identifier  "Mouse0"

 Driver      "mouse"

 Option    "Protocol" "auto"

 Option    "Device" "/dev/mouse"

 Option      "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

EndSection



Section "Monitor"

 Identifier  "Monitor0" #CRT

 HorizSync    30-95

 VertRefresh  50-160

 VendorName  "Monitor Vendor"

 ModelName    "Monitor Model"

 Option      "DPMS"

EndSection



Section "Monitor"

 Identifier  "Monitor1" #TV

 HorizSync    60

 VertRefresh  30-150

 VendorName  "Monitor Vendor"

 ModelName    "Monitor Model"

EndSection





Section "Device"

        ### Available Driver options are:-

        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",

        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"

        ### [arg]: arg optional

        #Option    "SWcursor"            # [<bool>]

        #Option    "HWcursor"            # [<bool>]

        #Option    "NoAccel"            # [<bool>]

        #Option    "ShadowFB"            # [<bool>]

        #Option    "UseFBDev"            # [<bool>]

        #Option    "Rotate"              # [<str>]

        #Option    "VideoKey"            # <i>

        #Option    "FlatPanel"          # [<bool>]

        #Option    "FPDither"            # [<bool>]

        #Option    "CrtcNumber"          # <i>

 Identifier  "Card0"

 Driver      "nvidia"

 VendorName  "nVidia Corporation"

 BoardName  "GeForce FX 5900XT"

 BusID      "PCI:1:5:0"

 Screen    0 

EndSection







Section "Device"

 Identifier  "Card1" #TV

 Driver      "nvidia"

 VendorName  "nVidia Corporation"

 BoardName  "GeForce FX 5900XT"

 BusID      "PCI:1:5:0"

 Screen      1

 Option      "TVOutFormat" "Composite"  

 Option      "TVStandard" "PAL-B"  

 Option      "ConnectedMonitor" "Monitor1" 

EndSection











Section "Screen"

 Identifier "Screen0"

 Device    "Card0"

 Monitor    "Monitor0"

 DefaultDepth 24

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    1

# EndSubSection

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    4

# EndSubSection

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    8

# EndSubSection

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    15

# EndSubSection

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    16

# EndSubSection

 SubSection "Display"

  Viewport  0 0

  Depth    24

  Modes "1280x1024"

 EndSubSection

EndSection



Section "Screen"

 Identifier "Screen1"

 Device    "Card1"

 Monitor    "Monitor1"

 DefaultDepth 24

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    1

# EndSubSection

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    4

# EndSubSection

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    8

# EndSubSection

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    15

# EndSubSection

# SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

#  Depth    16

# EndSubSection

 SubSection "Display"

#  Viewport  0 0

  Depth    24

  Modes "800x600"

 EndSubSection

EndSection

First of all, thank you very much for helping me... It is taking me a while, i am slowly doing it..

I sat down with your code and my code using the Kate program in SuSE trying to edit my XF86 It took me a while to find all the information but i found it. The only thing i havn't done is looked up the Specs on my HP CRT monitor.

Here is my XF86Config.Install file:

Code:

Section "Files"

  FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/truetype/"

  FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/URW/"

  FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/uni/"

  FontPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/"

  ModulePath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules"

  RgbPath        "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"

  InputDevices        "/dev/ttyS0"

  InputDevices        "/dev/ttyS1"

  InputDevices        "/dev/ttyS2"

  InputDevices        "/dev/ttyS3"

  InputDevices        "/dev/ttyS4"

  InputDevices        "/dev/ttyS5"

  InputDevices        "/dev/ttyS6"

  InputDevices        "/dev/ttyS7"

  InputDevices        "/dev/ttyS8"

  InputDevices        "/dev/psaux"

  InputDevices        "/dev/logibm"

  InputDevices        "/dev/sunmouse"

  InputDevices        "/dev/atibm"

  InputDevices        "/dev/amigamouse"

  InputDevices        "/dev/atarimouse"

  InputDevices        "/dev/inportbm"

  InputDevices        "/dev/gpmdata"

  InputDevices        "/dev/usbmouse"

  InputDevices        "/dev/adbmouse"

  InputDevices        "/dev/input/mice"

  InputDevices        "/dev/input/event0"

EndSection



Section "ServerFlags"

  Option        "AllowMouseOpenFail"

  Option        "BlankTime"        "0"

EndSection



Section "Module"

  Load                "dbe"

  Load                "extmod"

  Load                "glx"

  # extensions

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"

  Driver        "kbd"

  Identifier        "Keyboard[0]"

  Option        "Protocol"        "Standard"

  Option        "XkbRules"        "xfree86"

  Option        "XkbKeycodes"        "xfree86"

  Option        "XkbModel"        "pc104"

  Option        "XkbLayout"        "us"

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"

  Driver    "mouse"

  Identifier "Mouse[1]"

  Option    "Protocol" "explorerps/2"

  Option    "Device"  "/dev/input/mice"

  Option    "Buttons" "10"

  Option    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

EndSection



Section "Monitor"

  Identifier        "Monitor0" #LCD

  HorizSync        31-81        

  ModelName        "Initial"

  VendorName        "Initial"

  VertRefresh        56-76

  UseModes        "Modes[0]"

EndSection



Section "Monitor"

  Identifier        "Monitor1" #CRT

  HorizSync        25-40        

  ModelName        "Initial"

  VendorName        "Initial"

  VertRefresh        47-75

  UseModes        "Modes[0]"

EndSection





Section "Modes"

  Identifier        "Modes[0]"

  Modeline        "640x480" 31.5  640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 # 6. Try

  Modeline        "640x480" 31.5  640 680 720 864 480 488 491 521 # 5. Try

  Modeline        "640x480" 28    640 664 760 800 480 491 493 525 # 4. Try

  Modeline        "640x480" 28.32  640 664 760 800 480 491 493 525 # 3. Try

  Modeline        "640x480" 25.18  640 664 760 800 480 491 493 525 # 2. Try

  Modeline        "640x480" 25.175 640 664 760 800 480 491 493 525 # 1. Try

EndSection



# Screen Section for module X support

# -------------------------------------

Section "Screen"

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        16

    Modes        "640x480" 

  EndSubSection

  

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        24

    Modes        "640x480" 

  EndSubSection

  

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        32

    Modes        "640x480" 

  EndSubSection

  

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        8

    Modes        "640x480" 

  EndSubSection

  Device        "Device[0]"

  Identifier        "Screen[0]"

  Monitor        "Monitor[0]"

EndSection



# Screen Section for fbdev support

# ----------------------------------

Section "Screen"

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        16

    Modes        "default"            

  EndSubSection

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        15

    Modes        "default"            

  EndSubSection

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        15

    Modes        "default"            

  EndSubSection

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        24

    Modes        "default"  

  EndSubSection

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        32

    Modes        "default"  

  EndSubSection

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        8

    Modes        "default"  

  EndSubSection

  Device        "Device[fbdev]"

  Identifier        "Screen[fbdev]"

  Monitor        "Monitor[0]"

EndSection



# Screen Section for vga support

# ----------------------------------

Section "Screen"

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        4

    Modes        "640x480"

  EndSubSection

  Device        "Device[vga]"

  Identifier        "Screen[vga]"

  Monitor        "Monitor[0]"

EndSection



# Screen Section for vesa support

# ----------------------------------

Section "Screen"

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        16

    Modes        "default"            

  EndSubSection

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth        8

    Modes        "default"  

  EndSubSection

  Device        "Device[vesa]"

  Identifier        "Screen[vesa]"

EndSection



Section "Device"

  Driver        "nvidia"

  Identifier        "GeForce FX5200 1"

  BusID                "1:0:0"

  # device_options

  Screen        0

  Option        "sw_cursor"        "on"

EndSection



Section "Device"

  Driver        "nvidia"

  Identifier        "GeForce FX5200 2"

  BusID                "1:0:0"

  # device_options

  Screen        1

  Option        "sw_cursor"        "on"

EndSection





Section "Device"

  Driver        "fbdev"

  Identifier        "Device[fbdev]"

  BusID                "1:0:0"

  # fbdev_options

  Option        "ShadowFB"        "off"

EndSection



Section "Device"

  Driver        "vga"

  Identifier        "Device[vga]"

  BusID                "1:0:0"

  # vga_options

  Option        "KGAUniversal"

  Option        "VGAClocks"

EndSection



Section "Device"

  Driver        "vesa"

  Identifier        "Device[vesa]"

EndSection



Section "ServerLayout"

  Identifier        "Layout[all]"

  Screen    0  "Screen0"

  Screen    1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"

  InputDevice        "Keyboard[0]"        "CoreKeyboard"

  InputDevice  "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"

  Option        "Xinerama"        "Off"

  Screen        "Screen[fbdev]"

EndSection

I thought i would copy the whole code. I don't want to start it up and copy it until it is checked. Like you said, i dont want to mess around with this! or BOOOM! there is my new LCD monitor gone..

I can work out the Vertical and horizal srcy stuff.. Could you just scan through the code quickly or as long as you want to check everything..

Thankx alot again...

When i get your reply, if i need to change things i will.. if not.. even better.. Then ill copy it and test it..

Thank you