#! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

Vamps · 2011-11-21 00:06:22

ok all.. so here the skinny.
I finally got the nvidia stuff installed and setup for #!, all is running smooth as silk.
when i log in and use the OpenBox session i can only use 1 monitor, and when using Xfce i'm able to use both monitors. The Nvidia Settings manager isnt accessible thru open box. and is thru xfce. openbox i know uses grandr, but when i open that.. i only see 1 of my 2 monitors.
is this due to a incorrect xorg.conf or something to do with the version of the installed nvidia driver?
and on a side note, what is the newest nvidia driver for the GT220
lspci prints : VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GT216 [GeForce GT 220] (rev a2)
Subsystem: eVga.com. Corp. Device 1226
Kernel driver in use: nvidia
lemme know what i can do .. i'd like to use both monitors in all sessions available.
Thanks.
Vamps

xaos52 · 2011-11-21 10:04:27

Here is where you can find out which driver your card should be using:http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

You can always start nvidia-settings from a terminal window, no matter what window-manager you are using.

mynis01 · 2011-11-21 15:34:17

Just open a terminal and run

sudo nvidia-settings

configure everything the way you like, then click the button that says "Save To X Configuration File".

Vamps · 2011-11-22 04:31:05

Thanks for the responses guys. SO i did just as suggested and ran nvidia-settings as sudo, locked in all the options i wanted, and when i went to apply them, the screens distorted, random image slices all over the place. after the 15 secs to confirm, one would hope that it would go back to normal, but it doesnt. So how exactly can i fix?

mynis01 · 2011-11-22 04:36:12

Try hitting alt+f2 to switch to a tty. Stop gdm to kill your X session with

sudo service gdm stop

and then try running

sudo nvidia-xconfig

to see if that fixes it then start gdm again with

sudo service gdm start

machinebacon · 2011-11-22 04:39:01

Welcome to #!, Vamps!

1) Which model & make of monitors do you use? Maybe they don't send the correct EDID.

2) Also post the output of xorg.conf:
- open a terminal
- enter: cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
- copy and paste the output here, and use the [ code ] tags
The icon to set code tags in the reply window looks like [ <-> ]

Thanks!

Edit: If you have already done what mynis said, ignore the posting of xorg.conf smile Else, post it.

Last edited by machinebacon (2011-11-22 04:40:27)

Vamps · 2011-11-22 08:57:14

Machine here we go
Xorg.conf Output

Section "Module"
    Load        "glx"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Video Card"
    Driver              "nvidia"
EndSection

Make and Model
Monitor 1 Asus 23.6in 1080 HD 1920x1080 max res (in many of the linux distro's i've installed the EDID shows up)
Monitor 2 Dell 17 in 1280x1024 max res ( EDID rarely show up for this monitor.)
As of writing this, I havent yet followed mynis guide, let me know if you want me to try it first, or wait a bit.
I can also provide you with the model numbers of the monitors if you need them. i would list them now, but that would require moving things around and unpluggin and .. well ya .. at 3am.. not a wise idea.. lol. let me know if you need the Model #'s and i'll get them.

Last edited by Vamps (2011-11-22 09:00:38)

machinebacon · 2011-11-22 09:33:54

lol It's okay when we have the 'not working' xorg.conf here, I was just curious if there's something inside about Modelines, xinerama or whatever smile
You can try the idea of mynis and let the xorg be written by nvidia-xconfig. Let's see what it produces.

Vamps · 2011-11-22 12:14:04

after tryin mynis's suggestion, i got 4 warning about coremouse and corekeyboard, but in the end still creates the new xorg.conf and backs up the old one.
then when i open terminal in #! and

sudo nvidia-settings

i set the 2nd monitor to auto res and twinview. i still get the garbled images over both monitors.
so lets find out what we can do next.

machinebacon · 2011-11-22 12:19:58

Then let's see the output of cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf and apt-cache policy nvidia-glx
smile

mynis01 · 2011-11-22 15:27:58

By the way when I change resolutions/display modes and stuff I get garbled images too but it's just the wallpaper not redrawing correctly. Usually I can just open nitrogen and re apply the wallpaper and it fixes it. You sound like your having a different issue but I thought I'd point that out. Try using xinerama first and manually setting the monitors to the lowest resolution /color bits they each support and see what happens.

Vamps · 2011-11-22 21:26:27

Machine here's the outputs you wanted to see
cat xorg

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (pbuilder@windlord)  Sun Jun 13 06:03:17 UTC 2010

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       28.0 - 33.0
    VertRefresh     43.0 - 72.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    Option         " NoLogo" "true"
    Option         "DPI" "96 x 96"
    Option         "OnDemandVBlankInterrupts" "1"
    Option         "Coolbits" "1"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

And the Apt-Cache

richie@VampsLinuxCB:~$ apt-cache policy nvidida-glx
N: Unable to locate package nvidida-glx

ok , wow. now that's odd. when i followed the nvidia install how to i rmember install that package. but its not showing on the system. that's weird.

machinebacon · 2011-11-23 02:13:44

^ should be nvidia-glx ; check the spelling wink
run this command from terminal: sudo nvidia-xconfig --twinview maybe the parameter adds the second screen.

Last edited by machinebacon (2011-11-23 02:17:22)

Vamps · 2011-11-23 14:00:37

Ok, after that misspelling (wow i cant believe i missed that) here's the new outputs.

richie@VampsLinuxCB:~$ apt-cache policy nvidia-glx
nvidia-glx:
  Installed: 195.36.31-6
  Candidate: 195.36.31-6
  Version table:
 *** 195.36.31-6 0
        100 http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/ squeeze/non-free i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
richie@VampsLinuxCB:~$ sudo nvidia-xconfig --twinview
[sudo] password for richie: 

Using X configuration file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf".
Option "TwinView" "True" added to Screen "Screen0".
Backed up file '/etc/X11/xorg.conf' as '/etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup'
New X configuration file written to '/etc/X11/xorg.conf'

i will test the 2 screen setup after i post this, as i would rather have this posted first then tell you it did or didnt work.
here goes nothing, something, and everything. hmm

Edit : ok, after running the sudo nvidia-xconfig --twinview i was able to get both monitors working.
only thing thats missing is the bar/panel at the bottom (the bar with my desktop selector and systray)
so we have duals now. yaaayy

Last edited by Vamps (2011-11-23 14:10:39)

bkanuka · 2011-11-23 23:44:22

You may be interested in "disper" http://willem.engen.nl/projects/disper/
It magically detects all plugged in monitors and sets them to the "best" setting and works best (only?) with nvidia.

The package isn't in debian stable, but the mavrick package works fine. https://launchpad.net/~disper-dev/+arch … /+packages

good luck

Vamps · 2011-11-26 22:48:19

BKanuka, thanks for the suggestion, i'll definitely look in to it.
so i did a reinstall of #! after something went goofy system wide.
i got nvidia installed and twinview setup. but as like the last time, i am still without tint2 (bottom panel) on my desktop. any thougth on how to get it back?
I'm willing to trouble shoot it so let me know.

mynis01 · 2011-11-26 23:39:54

I've noticed on my twinview setup that if I resize my monitors or disable/enable one tint2 crashes. I would try starting it manually (just open a terminal and type tint2) and if that works you might just need a sleep timer in ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh

bkanuka · 2011-11-27 00:37:02

So for what it's worth, have in my rc.xml the following:

</keybind>
    <keybind key="W-0x35">
      <action name="Execute">
        <execute>sh -c "disper -C --cycle-stages='-s:-S:-e' &amp;&amp; (sleep 2s &amp;&amp; nitrogen --restore &amp;&amp; tint2)"</execute>
      </action>
    </keybind>

which does a few things. The key W-0x35 is my "change display" button on my laptop (it will be different for you. Then is cycles through display configurations using disper, then waits for things to settle, restores my desktop (so that it till looks nice after a resolution change) and then restarts tint2 if it died.

Vamps · 2011-11-27 00:48:47

if that works you might just need a sleep timer in ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh

something like this

## Launch panel
(sleep 3s && tint2) &

Last edited by Vamps (2011-11-27 00:50:18)

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#1 2011-11-21 00:06:22

#! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#2 2011-11-21 10:04:27

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#3 2011-11-21 15:34:17

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#4 2011-11-22 04:31:05

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#5 2011-11-22 04:36:12

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#6 2011-11-22 04:39:01

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#7 2011-11-22 08:57:14

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#8 2011-11-22 09:33:54

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#9 2011-11-22 12:14:04

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#10 2011-11-22 12:19:58

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#11 2011-11-22 15:27:58

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#12 2011-11-22 21:26:27

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#13 2011-11-23 02:13:44

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#14 2011-11-23 14:00:37

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#15 2011-11-23 23:44:22

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#16 2011-11-26 22:48:19

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#17 2011-11-26 23:39:54

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#18 2011-11-27 00:37:02

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

#19 2011-11-27 00:48:47

Re: #! Nvidia OpenBox and Dual Monitors

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