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a_flj_

Member

Registered: 2018-07-29

Posts: 5  

Dual monitor setup with two VGA-connected monitors

I have two identical graphics cards with two identical monitors, both connected to the graphics cards via VGA cables. Release is ascii.

X --conigure generates an xorg.conf which contains both graphics cards and both monitors, with the appropriate settings and X server layout, with different and correct BusID values for the two graphics cards.

However, when X starts (with KDE) I only see a black cross as a mouse cursor on the second monitor.

$ cat /etc/issue
Devuan GNU/Linux ascii \n \l

$ xrandr --listproviders
Providers: number : 1
Provider 0: id: 0x64 cap: 0x7, Source Output, Sink Output, Source Offload crtcs: 2 outputs: 3 associated providers: 0 name:nouveau

$ xrandr --listmonitors
Monitors: 1
0: +*VGA-1 1920/531x1080/299+0+0  VGA-1

How can I get the second monitor working/being used by X? What other info would help solve this problem?

Last edited by a_flj_ (2018-07-29 07:40:28)

Andre4freedom

Member

Registered: 2017-11-15

Posts: 174  

Re: Dual monitor setup with two VGA-connected monitors

Hello,
why not just log in to the display that works, let the desktop come up and then configure the display settings? You should be able to configure the second display there, define if they are mirrored or independent and select the primary display.
Does it possibly behave differently when using 2 separate graphics cards?
In Cinnamon: Menu - System Settings - Hardware - Display
XFCE4: it's very similar: Menu - Settings - Display
Good luck

a_flj_

Member

Registered: 2018-07-29

Posts: 5  

Re: Dual monitor setup with two VGA-connected monitors

Obviously I tried this too. But in the KDE system settings, under "Display", I also only see a single display, and there are no buttons for detecting additional displays or configuring any additional display.

I had this working with the nvidia proprietary driver before, on the same hardware configuration, with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, but that driver doesn't compile the kernel module on devuan ascii - seems a regression bug in the nvidia driver.

a_flj_

Member

Registered: 2018-07-29

Posts: 5  

Re: Dual monitor setup with two VGA-connected monitors

An update: if I start xfce instead of plasma, both monitors are used.

Andre4freedom

Member

Registered: 2017-11-15

Posts: 174  

Re: Dual monitor setup with two VGA-connected monitors

I'm happy you got lucky. I'm sure KDE will come up with a fix for that issue too.
Good luck.

a_flj_

Member

Registered: 2018-07-29

Posts: 5  

Re: Dual monitor setup with two VGA-connected monitors

I did not get lucky. I want to run KDE, not XFCE. I just added the update because it is IMO relevant - X does provide two screens, it's KDE that can't make use of both.

golinux

Administrator

Registered: 2016-11-25

Posts: 3,316  

Re: Dual monitor setup with two VGA-connected monitors

@a_flj_ . . . does the same thing happen on Debian Stretch?  If so, please file a bug upstream.  If it's Devuan specific, feel free to provide a patch.

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a_flj_

Member

Registered: 2018-07-29

Posts: 5  

Re: Dual monitor setup with two VGA-connected monitors

AN update: managed to install the nvidia proprietary driver after fetching the most up to date version. With both xinerama and twinview enabled I get two perfectly usable screens. Problem now is that maximizing a window will maximize it across both screens.

Have posted in the KDE forums about my problem: https://forum.kde.org/viewtopic.php?f=6 … 40#p402040