Dual Monitors Possible?

**$hogun** · 03-31-2003, 04:47 PM

Hi,

I am using the 3.2 version of Knoppix, which i already installed on my hd. The Grafx card is a Ti4200 running on a monitor which also works fine.

Now the prob: I got another Grafx card (a TNT on a PCI-slot) which is also connectet to a monitor. And i can't do the dual monitor thingy!

Is this possible - better: How do I do that?

**god** · 03-31-2003, 04:52 PM

i believe you need xinerama set up and running. Dont ask ME how....

**RockMumbles** · 03-31-2003, 05:56 PM

You will have to set up xinerama manually, I have done it, and could post the important parts of the XF86Config-4 file once I get home.

rock

**$hogun** · 03-31-2003, 07:00 PM

thank u - that would be extreeeemely nice

**RockMumbles** · 04-01-2003, 03:23 AM

Here is the stuff in pieces, in the order you would find them in a knoppix /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file, I'll document stuff as I go, under the quoted sections...

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "XFree86 Configured"
Screen "Screen0"
Screen "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "PS/2 Mouse" "CorePointer"
Option "xinerama"
# Serial Mouse not detected
# USB Mouse not detected
EndSection
...(snip)

- Two edits in the above section: second screen line for Screen1 and Option "xinerama" line.

...(snip)
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
ModelName "IBM 198e"
# These are the DDC-probed settings and modelines
HorizSync 31-48
VertRefresh 59-75
...(snip)

...(snip)
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
ModelName "IBM 198e"
# These are the DDC-probed settings and modelines
HorizSync 31-48
VertRefresh 59-75
...(snip)

- these are NOT the complete sections, just the parts that were different. I had two virtually identical monitors so I just made a copy of the complete monitor section and on the second monitor section changed monitor0 to monitor1. If your monitors are different you may want to hook up your 2nd monitor to your primary video card and run knoppix from cd and copy the created XF86Config-4 file to your hd or a floppy etc. so that you have the monitor settings for each monitor then just copy and paste the new monitor0 section into your existing XF86Config-4 file and change the monitor0's in that section to monitor1's.

...(snip)
Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
# sw_cursor is needed for some ati and radeon cards
#Option "sw_cursor"
#Option "hw_cursor"
#Option "NoAccel"
#Option "ShowCache"
#Option "ShadowFB"
#Option "UseFBDev"
#Option "Rotate"
##***
Identifier "Card0"
##***
# The following line is auto-generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86config
Driver "nv"
VendorName "All"
BoardName "All"
BusID "PCI:00:08:00"
EndSection
...(snip)

...(snip)
Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
# sw_cursor is needed for some ati and radeon cards
#Option "sw_cursor"
#Option "hw_cursor"
#Option "NoAccel"
#Option "ShowCache"
#Option "ShadowFB"
#Option "UseFBDev"
#Option "Rotate"
##***
Identifier "Card1"
##***
# The following line is auto-generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86config
Driver "ati"
VendorName "All"
BoardName "All"
BusID "PCI:00:09:00"
EndSection
...(snip)

- again these are NOT the complete sections, just the parts that were different. Notice in the above two sections, there are three lines different: Identifier "CardX", Driver "xmodule", and BusID "PCI:xx:yy:zz"
you'll have to get the BusID stuff from either lspci or cat /proc/pci make sure to put it in the form: "PCI

x:yy:zz"

...(snip)
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultColorDepth 16
...(snip)

...(snip)
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Card1"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 16
...(snip)

- these are NOT the complete sections, just the parts that were different. Notice again: two entries, one for Screen0 the other for Screen1, again on my system both sections were identical below these parts since both monitors were the same.

One thing I forgot MAKE SURE to make a backup of your working XF86Config-4 file BEFORE you change anything.

And always remember: if you break it, you get to keep the pieces!

rock

**Rink** · 09-03-2003, 12:57 PM

1. Back up your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
2. Stop X. Use 'xdm stop' or 'kdm stop'
3. Type 'X -configure'
4. Copy the resultant XF86Config.*** file over /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
5. Restart X

Some of the steps need to be as root. The XF86Config.*** file might be in /root/ if you ran step 3 as root.

That should be it, simple

**Simon_Haddad** · 10-27-2003, 06:41 AM

*******Wow, Rink, you sure know how to cut through the B.S.* I had the exact same problem and now I'm running on two screens.* I expected one double-sized desktop and got two singles instead.* I'm sure I can adapt.*
*******If I can impose on you (or anyone who knows more than me) for some help for myself, I have another problem.* How do I change the settings for my individual monitors? X -config set my primary monitor to 1280x1024, true color, and my secondary monitor to 640x480, 256 colors. I want to have two 1024x768.

**Stephen** · 10-27-2003, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by Simon_Haddad

*******Wow, Rink, you sure know how to cut through the B.S.* I had the exact same problem and now I'm running on two screens.* I expected one double-sized desktop and got two singles instead.* I'm sure I can adapt.*
*******If I can impose on you (or anyone who knows more than me) for some help for myself, I have another problem.* How do I change the settings for my individual monitors? X -config set my primary monitor to 1280x1024, true color, and my secondary monitor to 640x480, 256 colors. I want to have two 1024x768.

You have to start playing with the modes and the default depth in the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 and make sure you have set the HorizSync and VertRefresh to the correct values for your monitor(s) X sets very low numbers for these and getting it correct for the second monitor should get a better resolution assuming the card and monitor will support what you want. If you need more help post the XF86Config-4 and details on the monitors and video cards.

My XF86Config-4 for reference:

Code:

  Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "XFree86 Configured"
#	Identifier	"DualHead"
        Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
	Screen      1  "Screen1" LeftOf "Screen0"
	InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
#	Option	       "xinerama" "on"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	RgbPath      "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
	ModulePath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules"
	FontPath     "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/"
	FontPath     "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/"
#	FontPath     "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/"
#	FontPath     "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID/"
	FontPath     "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
	FontPath     "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
        FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
        FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-bitstream-vera"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/truetype/xfree86-nonfree"
        FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ttf/western"
        FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ttf/decoratives"
        FontPath     "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
EndSection


Section "Module"
	Load  "bitmap"
	Load  "dbe"
	Load  "vbe"
	Load  "extmod"
	Load  "glx"
	Load  "record"
	Load  "xtrap"
	Load  "speedo"
	Load  "freetype"
	Load  "type1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Keyboard0"
	Driver      "keyboard"
	Option      "CoreKeyboard"
        Option      "XkbRules"      "xfree86"
        Option      "XkbModel"      "pc101"
        Option      "XkbLayout"     "us"
        Option      "XkbOptions"     "crtl:nocaps"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Mouse0"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option      "CorePointer"
	Option	    "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/psaux"
	Option      "Emulate3Buttons"  "True"
	Option	    "ZAxisMapping"  "4 5"
EndSection

# Acer AcerView 54e
Section "Monitor"
	#DisplaySize	  270   200	# mm
	Identifier   "Monitor0"
	VendorName   "API"
	ModelName    "4536"
	HorizSync       30-54
        VertRefresh     50-120
	Option	    "DPMS"
EndSection

# Daytek DT-1531D
Section "Monitor"
#	DisplaySize	  280   210	# mm
	Identifier   "Monitor1"
	VendorName   "OEC"
	ModelName    "15db"
	HorizSync   30-69
        VertRefresh 40-120
	Option	    "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
       	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "nvidia"
	Option	    "NoLogo" "on"
	Option      "NvAgp"  "1"
	Option      "IgnoreDisplayDevices"  "DFP, TV"
	Option	    "NoBandWidthTest" "1"

	VendorName  "nVidia Corporation"
	BoardName   "NV17 [GeForce4 MX 440-SE]"
	BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
      	Identifier  "Card1"
	Driver      "ati"
	VendorName  "ATI"
	BoardName   "264VT [Mach64 VT]"
	ChipSet     "ati"
	ChipId      0x5654
	ChipRev     0x40
	BusID       "PCI:0:13:0"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Card0"
	Monitor    "Monitor0"
	DefaultDepth 24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth     24
		Modes     "1152x768" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
#	ViewPort  0 0
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen1"
	Device     "Card1"
	Monitor    "Monitor1"
	DefaultDepth  8
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth     8
		Modes     "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
#		ViewPort  0 0
	EndSubSection

EndSection

**Simon_Haddad** · 10-31-2003, 05:35 AM

Okay, Stephen...

I did what you said, using the settings reported by the Knoppix CD (resolutions, color depths, etc.) and my color depths got bumped up to 24 bit on both screens (thank you). Now how do I change my resolutions? I notice a DefaultDepth option but nothing like a DefaultResolution. Now what?

**Stephen** · 10-31-2003, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by Simon_Haddad

Okay, Stephen...

I did what you said, using the settings reported by the Knoppix CD (resolutions, color depths, etc.) and my color depths got bumped up to 24 bit on both screens (thank you). Now how do I change my resolutions? I notice a DefaultDepth option but nothing like a DefaultResolution. Now what?

The default resolution is in the Modes line for the depth selected the first one on the line being used as the default if the monitor and card support it, so on this line 1024x768 is the default:

Code:

Modes     "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"

Have you checked what the resolution you are running at now by opening the Info Center (in the System menu) and going into the Xservers option and checking the screens? If this shows you are still running at the lower resolution post the XF86Config-4 so we can look at it and some information on the cards.