Slackware 13.37 64bit - switchable graphics multiple monitors madness
 

Hardware:

HP Probook 4530s, Core i5 2430M, 8GB ram, Intel HD3000 + ATI HD6490M (switchable graphics)

OS:

Slackware 13.37 64bit update to "current" with kernel 3.2.2 (huge),same problems with Slackware 13.37 64bit with 2.6.37.6 kernel.

Drivers:

ATI proprietary Catalyst 12.1 / Driver ver. 8.93 (tried all versions from Catalyst 11.8 same thing)

Problem:

Can't get 2 bloody monitors to run with this setup!!!

Symptoms:

KDE System Settings -> Display and Monitor -> Multiple Monitors says "This module is only for configuring system with a single desktop spread across multiple monitors. bla bla"

AMDCCCLE - does NOT have any monitor/display settings.

Setting resolutions and position from System Settings -> Display and Monitor -> Size & Orientation resets both monitors to 1024x768 OR resets external to 1024x768 and keeps internal OK.

Tried ALL xorg.conf setups I could find, no luck, setting Xinerama On in xorg.conf screws System Settings -> Display and Monitor -> Size & Orientation which displays an error message.

Help!!!

P.S. I have the same setup on a HP Probook 4510s with Slackware 13.37 32bit, custom compiled kernel and Catalyst 11.8 and works like a charm.

Sorry man,
but switchable graphics are not yet supported on linux,
new ATI has the same technology of NVIDIA OPTIMUS

read
http://linux-hybrid-graphics.blogspot.com/

What do you mean by not supported?
Latest AMD driver does support switchable graphics:

http://linux-hybrid-graphics.blogspo...md-hybrid.html

I don't care about switching cards!!!

Everything else works just fine, even WoW ran by wine is working properly I just need to get 2 monitors to work.

What's the output of 'xrandr' when both monitors are plugged in?

Adam

depends from what gpu provide the output, in some notebook the hdmi is connected directly to the ATI/nVIDIA card that is not recognized by the system.

p.s
only a mini-display port is usable to enable (in automatic) secondary output 'couse usually is connected to the intel card

External monitor is connected to the VGA port.
Output of "xrandr -q" below.
No matter what I do and how I set it up it always comes up as 1024 x 768 and "cloned".

What happens if you run 'xrandr --output LVDS1 --mode 1366x768 --output VGA1 --mode 1600x900 --right-of LVDS1' ?

It makes one desktop of 2966 x 900 that spans across both monitors and they both act like a single monitor the image is divided between them.

Which is what's supposed to happen. Is that not what you wanted?

Adam

Why would I want that?

I want laptop LCD to work at it's resolution 1366 x 768 and the monitor at 1600 x 900 and I want them to be SEPARATED, each holding maximized windows, etc, I don't want windows to span across both monitors.

When using xrandr, windows should only maximize to one monitor. The only reason I can think why that wouldn't happen is if your window manager weren't compiled with support for the xinerama extension.

Are you using WindowMaker by chance? Can you try a different window manager?

Adam

I'm using KDE 4.5.5 which is shipped with Slackware64 13.37 and as I said in my inital post:

I can't try with other window manager right now as this is my working box and ... I have to work, coding only on the laptop screen does hurt a lot.

You can run KDE system settings without actually using KDE so, no, you never actually said you were using KDE.

After you position the monitors with the xrandr command I gave, what's the output of 'xdpyinfo -ext XINERAMA' ?

Output of

is prett big so I put it here:

http://pastebin.com/J9EG6Z4v

This is the most important bit:

When using xrandr, you should get something like:

(Which is taken directly from my machine.)

Can you pastebin your Xorg log file and /etc/X11/xorg.conf file?

xorg.conf:

http://pastebin.com/dCHiMzUQ

Xorg.0.log:

http://pastebin.com/igczn8Hk

I'm not completely sure what's going on here. fglrx properly supports xrandr and uses the Xorg XINERAMA extension to describe monitor placement for the window manager. So this is likely due to some quirk of the hybrid graphics, or maybe something with your xorg.conf file. I'd be interested in knowing if this xorg.conf file works correctly for you:

This is basically my xorg.conf file, but with the Identifiers for the monitors changed.

Same thing with your xorg.conf, 1 big freaking desktop with windows stretching everywhere, this is so frustrating. Thanks for you help so far Adam.

Unfortunately, then, I'm not sure what's going on. I know that the fglrx drivers keep some configuration in /etc/ati/amdpcsdb but I don't know of anything in there that would cause your XINERAMA extension to display the wrong information.

Ideas anyone? Upgraded to 4.8.0 no change.

you could try to run
which should result in :0.0 on the first screen and :0.1 on the second one. you should be able to move the mouse between the monitors, but -- at least in fluxbox -- both desktops will act seperately.

You might try

mysql_connect,

amdcccle does have display config in it.

Start it up, click on 'Display Manager' under the 'Pages' section, and both your monitors should be listed.

If you then switch to the 'Multi-Diplay' tab, it should allow you to configure your multiple monitor setup, the default seems to be cloned displays, this might be your problem. Change the selection in the drop down list to switch away from cloned.
It does require a reboot (or restart of X) to enact though.

This is the way I've always done it, never needed to mess with the X configs, hope it helps...

As I state in my previous posts I have tried everything (and posted my xorg conf, X log, etc), amdcccle doesn't show any display options as you can see here:

http://imageshack.us/f/403/amdcccle.jpg/

mysql_connect: Sorry, I obviously misread your first post.

The only other thing I can think is that you are running amdcccle without root privileges, or that you haven't run aticonfig yet (which has already been suggested). I assume there is nothing helpful on the 'Switchable Graphics' screen.

Either way, it doesn't seem like its to do with that utility anyway, more to do with X, and I don't have much experience in that area.

Sorry I couldn't be more help, hope you find a solution soon.