Two video cards, two monitors, darkness on one monitor

Phil Miller · 11-08-2007, 07:15 PM

Hey,

I just installed Fedora Core 7 along side Windows and I've been working on getting my dual-video card setup (one monitor each) working. Before I wasn't even getting signal in the second card, now I get signal but it's very dark. Almost like the monitor is dead. But it's not because I can boot back into windows and use it fine.

edit: To clarify, I can use the second monitor, it's just like the brightness is on 2 or 3 (and I re-calibrated the monitor to make sure it wasn't that).

lscpi:

Code:

00:05.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C51G [GeForce 6100] (rev a2)
04:06.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5500] (rev a1)

Fedora Core 7 Kernel 2.6.23.1-21.fc7

xorg.conf

Code:

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Generic Keyboard"
	Driver      "kbd"
	Option	    "XkbModel" "pc105"
	Option	    "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "GeForce FX 5500"
	Driver      "nvidia"
	BoardName   "GeForce FX 5500"
	BusID       "PCI:4:6:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "GeForce 6100"
	Driver      "nvidia"
	BoardName   "GeForce 6100"
	BusID       "PCI:0:5:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "VA912b"
	VendorName   "ViewSonic"
	ModelName    "VA912b"
	HorizSync    30-82
	VertRefresh  50-85
	Option	    "-pms"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Q9"
	VendorName   "ViewSonic"
	ModelName    "Optiquest Q9"
	#HorizSync    30-75
	#VertRefresh  55-70
	Option	    "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"RIGHT SCREEN"
	Device		"GeForce 6100"
	Monitor		"Q9"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	16
		Modes	"1280x1024" "1024x768"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	24
		Modes	"1280x1024" "1024x768"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"LEFT SCREEN"
	Device		"GeForce FX 5500"
	Monitor		"VA912b"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	16
		Modes	"1280x1024" "1024x768"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	24
		Modes	"1280x1024" "1024x768"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier "Dual Screen"
	Screen	0 "LEFT SCREEN" 0 0
	Screen	1 "RIGHT SCREEN" RightOf "LEFT SCREEN"
	InputDevice "Generic Mouse"
	InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option "Xinerama" "true"
EndSection

Xorg.0.log

evildarknight · 11-09-2007, 12:58 AM

i'm using a dual head geforce4 and had the same problem
my guess is that the nvidia driver is unable to determine the h&v frequencies of the second monitor thus it goes in powersave mode
this is how i resolved it on my pc
launch the nvidia x server settings
then go to x server display configuration
there you can set the resolution and frequency (those that are supported by your monitor check user manual) of each monitor!
this should work!!
usually work out of the box without the nvidia module!!!!
sorry for the crappy english