second monitor not working. Debian GNU/Linux 8.2 (jessie) ( Radeon HD 8670 / R7 250 AND Xeon E3-1200 )

1redto · 01-20-2016, 12:57 AM

ok. rebooted.
just like the "monitors" program (to change resolution and position of monitors) located in control center, only detects 1 monitor,
ArandR only has one "output" I can select called "HDMI2" and it is active.

1redto · 01-20-2016, 06:28 AM

OK something interesting happened. I just booted and I still only have 1 monitor, but it is the hdmi on the card. So they are swapped, now the onboard one is the black one. now ArandR outputs are VGA-0, DVI-0, and HDMI-0.

HDMI-0 is the only one that can be selected. vga and dvi are gray. HDMI-0 is active.

I have been reading alot and running codes to display settings. awhile ago i remember that I copied something into the terminal that ended in something like 0 1 or 1 0 or mabee it was 1, 0 or 0, 1

well i switched the position of the 1 and the 0 and ran the command and then my screen logged off. I logged back in, and things where still same ol, same ol. even rebooted and was still same as always.

However this last boot the screens are switched now. the 1 an 0 was at the end of the command sentence. I wish I could remember what is was I will try and go back through the sites and threads I was reading and find it. I don't know if it is related or just a coincidence. I will also try booting with one screen off vs the other one off and see if that makes any difference.

something else interesting is when the other screen was on it was called HDMI2 in ArandR, and this screen it's called HDMI0

1redto · 01-20-2016, 06:55 AM

May have been isolated event now booting the original way, regardless if the screens are on or off.

1redto · 01-20-2016, 08:59 AM

If I run ArandR in ubuntu/mate (both screens working)

Outputs for both screens are available...
HDMI2 and HDMI-1-0

seen in screenshot

but in debian only one hdmi is available

oldtechaa · 01-20-2016, 04:30 PM

Have you run arandr from the terminal with a verbose flag set, if there is one? That might help us to see what arandr is seeing different.

1redto · 01-20-2016, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldtechaa

Have you run arandr from the terminal with a verbose flag set, if there is one? That might help us to see what arandr is seeing different.

Code:

root@debian:/home/pawn57# arandr -Verbose
Usage: arandr [savedfile]

arandr: error: no such option: -V
root@debian:/home/pawn57# arandr --randr-display=D
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/arandr", line 42, in <module>
    main()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/screenlayout/gui.py", line 318, in main
    force_version=options.force_version
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/screenlayout/gui.py", line 157, in __init__
    self.widget = widget.ARandRWidget(display=randr_display, force_version=force_version)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/screenlayout/widget.py", line 48, in __init__
    self._xrandr = XRandR(display=display, force_version=force_version)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/screenlayout/xrandr.py", line 40, in __init__
    version_output = self._output("--version")
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/screenlayout/xrandr.py", line 56, in _output
    raise Exception("XRandR returned error code %d: %s"%(status,err))
Exception: XRandR returned error code 1: Can't open display D

root@debian:/home/pawn57#

1redto · 01-20-2016, 06:00 PM

if I type xrandr in terminal...

Code:

root@debian:/home/pawn57# xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 8192 x 8192
VGA2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI2 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 1600mm x 900mm
   1920x1080     60.00*+  60.00    59.94    30.00    24.00    29.97    23.98  
   1920x1080i    60.00    59.94  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1360x768      60.02  
   1152x864      59.97  
   1280x720      60.00    59.94  
   1024x768      60.00  
   800x600       60.32  
   720x480       60.00    59.94  
   640x480       60.00    59.94    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
root@debian:/home/pawn57#

From this I think that xrandr sees my internal video graphics and sees that I have a monitor pluged into the hdmi2, that is currently set at 1920x1080. and that I have no monitor plugged into the VGA2 or DP1

I'm not sure what DP1 is?

I don't think it sees my monitor plugged into the other HDMI on my card, since I don't see it listed?

oldtechaa · 01-21-2016, 07:31 AM

Try "arandr -h" or "arandr --help".

1redto · 01-21-2016, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldtechaa

Try "arandr -h" or "arandr --help".

Code:

pawn57@debian:~$ arandr --help
Usage: arandr [savedfile]

Another XRandrR GUI

Options:
  --version          show program's version number and exit
  -h, --help         show this help message and exit
  --randr-display=D  Use D as display for xrandr (but still show the GUI on
                     the display from the environment; e.g. `localhost:10.0`)
  --force-version    Even run with untested XRandR versions
pawn57@debian:~$ arandr -h
Usage: arandr [savedfile]

Another XRandrR GUI

Options:
  --version          show program's version number and exit
  -h, --help         show this help message and exit
  --randr-display=D  Use D as display for xrandr (but still show the GUI on
                     the display from the environment; e.g. `localhost:10.0`)
  --force-version    Even run with untested XRandR versions
pawn57@debian:~$ arandr --randr-display=`localhost:10.0`
bash: localhost:10.0: command not found
pawn57@debian:~$

1redto · 01-22-2016, 05:53 AM

One thing I have noticed is if I plug only 1 monitor into either hdmi debian boots and uses that monitor and that hdmi port.
If I plug both monitors into both the hdmi ports, debian boots on only one monitor, the other is black, and all the tools seem to only have otions for the ports on that card.

I know my machine is capable of using the hdmi on both the integrated and the card at the same time because if I boot windows 10, or ubuntu/mate both screens are automatically detected and come on and work great. the desktop is extended to both screens, I can have things open on each screen, drag things back and forth from one screen to the other. everything is smooth and mouse and curser works great on each screen. since ubuntu/mate is a linux os, this would seem to indicate that it is possible for a linux os to work on my system and use both hdmi outputs at the same time. Debian is a linux os, this would indicate to me that it is possible to use debian and both hdmi at the same time.

I have read on some threads about people use testing version of debian and some say it is good and works better sometimes. Is it possible if I learn about testing and how to switch my debian over to testing that it will detect and display both my monitors at the same time. Is this a good idea?

Is it possible debian/testing could work with both my monitors, but debian/normal cant?

Is it more probable that either debian/normal and debian/testing could both work with both my monitors, and I just don't know how to make it work? (I have spent many hours searching and reading and haven't found a solution.)

rokytnji · 01-22-2016, 06:14 AM

Probably not. You still have to manually dial in Debian.
If you get frustrated running Debian vanilla on a partition.
You can experiment and install MX-15 Linux in it's place. It will not be as strict as Debian when it comes to Debian philosophy.
Based on Debian Jessie. Uses XFCE 4.12. Has smxi script. You can install smxi in Debian vanilla by the way. Though purist Debian users frown on it. But since you are learning. I see no harm in it. http://smxi.org/site/install.htm
http://smxi.org/docs/sgfxi-manual.htm

Quote:

Script Features

Sgfxi currently supports ATI fglrx and Nvidia drivers. It also supports converting from or to xorg free drivers like ati, intel, or nv. Smxi uses sgfxi as its graphics driver installer engine, but simply adds some option support for users.

Sgfxi supports the following distros: Debian Stable, Debian Testing, Debian Sid. Current Ubuntu is supported. Arch Linux should also now be working. Not all features or options work for every distro, and Fglrx support tends to vary distro to distro and time to time.

The default driver is the driver that is installed if no arguments are used to override it. Unless your card is too old, and requires a legacy driver, in which case the script will it determine for you. For Nvidia, it will merely build a new kernel module for the kernel, and not remove or uninstall nvidia from other kernels. This only happens when the driver being installed is the same as already has been installed at least once on the system.

When you run the script, it will stop, and tell you what driver it is going to install. You can accept that, or exit and redo it with an override option if you want something differen

Plus, the forum members there at Mepis may teach you a few things.
They taught me a few things.

I also wonder why you have not tried finding a answer at http://forums.debian.net/
But I wonder about a lot of things , so no biggy.

Anyways. I do not think Debian testing will bail you out of this dilemma. Debian vanilla can be like Slackware when it comes to not holding your hand.
As you are finding out.

Maybe run Debian Vanilla in Virtual Machine instead and tweak to your hearts content.
Up to you though. As always.

1redto · 01-22-2016, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

Probably not. You still have to manually dial in Debian.

Thank you. I will explore your suggestions.

I just installed inxi with...
aptitude install inxi

Now reading the manual at ...
http://smxi.org/docs/inxi-man.htm

I read that -G Show Graphic card information. Card(s), Display Server (vendor and version number)

Code:

root@deb:/home/pawn57# inxi -G
Graphics:  Card-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller
           Card-2: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Oland XT [Radeon HD 8670 / R7 250]
           Display Server: X.org 1.16.4 drivers: ati,radeon,intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           tty size: 80x24 Advanced Data: N/A for root
root@deb:/home/pawn57#

My journey continues...

oldtechaa · 01-23-2016, 07:37 AM

Try just using your Radeon and post the output of xrandr.

1redto · 01-23-2016, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldtechaa

Try just using your Radeon and post the output of xrandr.

Ok. this is it...

Code:

pawn57@deb:~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
HDMI-1 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 1600mm x 900mm
   1920x1080     60.00*+  60.00    59.94    30.00    24.00    29.97    23.98  
   1920x1080i    60.00    59.94  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1360x768      60.02  
   1152x864      59.97  
   1280x720      60.00    59.94  
   1024x768      60.00  
   800x600       60.32  
   720x480       60.00    59.94  
   640x480       60.00    59.94    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
DVI-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VGA-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
pawn57@deb:~$

oldtechaa · 01-23-2016, 10:09 PM

Is firmware-linux-nonfree installed?