Unable to use twin monitors.

makem · 10-29-2021, 09:13 AM

My hardware:

Code:

makem@makems-TUF:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:	Ubuntu
Description:	Ubuntu 21.04
Release:	21.04
Codename:	hirsute
makem@makems-TUF:~$ update-pciids
/usr/share/misc/pci.ids is read-only, exiting.
makem@makems-TUF:~$ sudo update-pciids
[sudo] password for makem: 
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100  272k  100  272k    0     0   847k      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:--  845k
Done.
makem@makems-TUF:~$ lspci | grep -i --color 'vga\|3d\|2d'
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation RocketLake-S GT1 [UHD Graphics 750] (rev 04)
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Device 43d2 (rev 11)
makem@makems-TUF:~$ lspci -v -s 00:02.0 00:02.0
VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation RocketLake-S GT1 [UHD Graphics 750] (rev 04) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller]) 
             DeviceName: Onboard - Video Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 8694
             Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 159
             Memory at 6000000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
             Memory at 4000000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
             I/O ports at 4000 [size=64]
             Expansion ROM at 000c0000 [virtual] [disabled] [size=128K]
             Capabilities: <access denied>
             Kernel driver in use: i915
             Kernel modules: i915
makem@makems-TUF:~$

Monitor 1:

MSI Optix G241 Esports Gaming IPS Monitor

2x HDMI (1.4b)
1x Display Port (1.2a)

This monitor is attached to the Display Port

Monitor 2:

ASUS VS248HR

Signal Input : HDMI, D-Sub, DVI-D
AV Audio Input : HDMI

This monitor is attached to the HDMI port

On boot, Display in xubuntu applications shows:

Microstep 24"
Resolution: 1920x1080

Monitor 2: Report - HDMI No Signal. The cables have been checked and the HDMI cable replaced

pan64 · 10-29-2021, 09:27 AM

can you use that monitor alone? does it work at all?

makem · 10-29-2021, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

can you use that monitor alone? does it work at all?

Now I feel rather foolish

It is a long while since I tried this and in the meantime two things have happened:

1. Somebody removed the HDMI cable from the computer.
2. The GPU drivers have been updated.

Ok, correct symptoms now are:

The Display panel now shows both monitors and I can choose Monitor 2 as the Primary. However, the xubuntu panel is on Monitor 1.

pan64 · 10-29-2021, 09:45 AM

probably you need to restart your X session for that (I mean if you reconfigured those settings).

makem · 10-29-2021, 09:55 AM

Monitor 2 worked when I plugged in the HDMI cable whilst the computer was running. However, when I restarted the computer with both monitors connected grub hung.

I turned off Monitor 2 and rebooted with same result. I removed the HDMI connection from the monitor and grub booted correctly.

I tried using Windows and again it hung after it booted to the desktop when both monitors were connected.

I seem to remember that I had this problem weeks ago when I was using 20.04. I have not tried since, even while I was using the kernel from 21.04. Having updated to 21.04 I thought I would try again.

I will look at the Bios to see if there is anything there that needs changing for 2 monitors. It may be that I need to specify the order of the monitors as Monitor 2 became primary. Or It could be the drivers as the GPU is quite new.

makem · 10-29-2021, 10:47 AM

I found this help which tells you how to set up the monitors:

https://www.instructables.com/How-to...tors-in-linux/

I would give it a try except for the fact that my xorg.conf file is not at /etc/X11/xorg.conf but instead is at /usr/share/doc/xserver-xorg-video-intel/ and it only contains:

Code:

Section "Device"
        Identifier "Intel"
        Driver "intel"
#       Option "AccelMethod" "uxa"
EndSection

It may explain why the system does not know which monitor is primary.

I am wondering if it would work?

boughtonp · 10-29-2021, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makem

I would give it a try except for the fact that my xorg.conf file is not at /etc/X11/xorg.conf but instead is at /usr/share/doc/xserver-xorg-video-intel/ and it only contains:

Files in /usr/share/doc are not configuration files - the are documentation files.

(The purpose of paths in Linux is described in Filesystem Hierarchy Standard - if you don't want to read the full thing, Wikipedia has a summary.)

This is the top result for "ubuntu missing /etc/X11/xorg.conf":

Quote:

Originally Posted by https://askubuntu.com/questions/25746/etc-x11-xorg-conf-doesnt-exist

You COULD create your own xorg.conf by typing in a tty (not running gdm) the following:

X -configure

That will create a file called xorg.conf.new

To test the file type X -config xorg.conf.new

If you can load X and see the mouse and a good resolution then you can press CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE to quit.

Copy then xorg.conf.new to the new location

cp xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Run startx to test.

Also the file does not exist since X.org does not needed anymore for some video cards (as i understand) only some Video cards have xorg.conf because of specific configurations (Like Nvidia and Ati). The rest of the X.org configuration options are in /usr/share/X11 like synaptics.

makem · 10-29-2021, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boughtonp

Files in /usr/share/doc are not configuration files - the are documentation files.

(The purpose of paths in Linux is described in Filesystem Hierarchy Standard - if you don't want to read the full thing, Wikipedia has a summary.)

This is the top result for "ubuntu missing /etc/X11/xorg.conf":

Thank you but the post you refer to is 10 years old so I don't think I should try that. However, thank you for pointing out the obvious, if I had looked closely - these are docs.

pan64 · 10-30-2021, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makem

Thank you but the post you refer to is 10 years old so I don't think I should try that. However, thank you for pointing out the obvious, if I had looked closely - these are docs.

That is just wrong. vi is also more than 10 (20) years old and still in use....

boughtonp · 10-30-2021, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makem

Thank you but the post you refer to is 10 years old so I don't think I should try that.

Age doesn't make things wrong.

But if we assume X has broken backwards compatibility in such a way that those instructions are wrong, all you have to do is remove is remove/rename the file you copied.

Also, have you checked the Ubuntu Wiki - it has a bunch of pages on X troubleshooting and X.org config, including an example dual monitor ("multihead") example config.

Although, re-checking the thread, it seems your current issue is no longer getting the monitors working, but that XFCE is treating the wrong monitor as primary?
That might be an XFCE issue rather than an X one - have you checked whether XFCE has its own config relating to this?

makem · 10-30-2021, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boughtonp

Age doesn't make things wrong.

But if we assume X has broken backwards compatibility in such a way that those instructions are wrong, all you have to do is remove is remove/rename the file you copied.

Also, have you checked the Ubuntu Wiki - it has a bunch of pages on X troubleshooting and X.org config, including an example dual monitor ("multihead") example config.

Although, re-checking the thread, it seems your current issue is no longer getting the monitors working, but that XFCE is treating the wrong monitor as primary?
That might be an XFCE issue rather than an X one - have you checked whether XFCE has its own config relating to this?

I have 2 problems currently: failure to complete boot and wrong monitor chosen as primary when the HDMI is connected AFTER booting the Display Port monitor.

I believe I have checked the wiki you refer to but will read again.

I think the driver which has now been fixed (it failed to load) is still the problem and have referred it as a bug to:

https://github.com/DisplayLink/evdi/issues/317

That was where it was discovered the driver was not loading and they have corrected it.

mrmazda · 10-30-2021, 06:32 PM

Have you tried not using the Intel DDX? The Modesetting DIX is generally the display driver recommended by Intel developers for any but antique IGPs.

Have you tried a WM startup script designating the primary display with xrandr?

Have you tried on the kernel command line appending video=HDMI-1?

makem · 10-31-2021, 05:29 AM

I think before I try to fix the wrong monitor being chosen I need to fix the boot problem. If I cannot use the machine when both monitors are connected, I cannot make any changes.

Why does grub not complete and hangs when the HDMI cable is connected, whether the second monitor is switched or not? This also affects Windows similarly except that it does boot to the desktop but is unusable, hanging, waiting for something.

pan64 · 10-31-2021, 05:40 AM

for me that looks like a hardware error. you may try a live CD too.

makem · 10-31-2021, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

for me that looks like a hardware error. you may try a live CD too.

Yes, that is a great idea. I will do that today.

Edit: With the ASUS BIOS I am using it is not possible to easily boot from USB. It has a secure boot facility involving keys which I have never come across. I am going to have to investigate that at some stage to be able to boot from a USB in the future.