"xrandr: Configure crtc 0 failed" when trying to change resolution on external monitor

Solution 1:

I found that problem with ATI video drivers, with deactivated driver all works.

Use

xrandr --verbose

to determine your ctrtc number? And try correct output syntax, e.g.:

xrandr --output CRT1 --crtc CRT1 --brightness 0.7

other outputs:

• the Intel driver uses LVDS, VGA, TMDS-1 (TMDS-2, ...), TV
• the ATI driver uses LVDS, VGA-0 (VGA-1, ...), DVI-0 (DVI-1, ...), S-video
• the RadeonHD driver uses PANEL, VGA_1 (VGA_2, ...), DVI-I_1/digital or DVI-I_1/analog (DVI-I_2/digital or DVI-I_1/analog, ...), TV_7PIN_DIN
• the NV driver uses LVDS, VGA0 (VGA1, ...), DVI0 (DVI1, ...), ???
• the MGA driver uses ???, VGA (or VGA1, VGA2, ...), DVI (or DVI1, DVI2, ...), ???
• the Nouveau driver uses LVDS, VGA-1, DVI-I-1, HDMI-1, ???

Solution 2:

xrandr --verbose was very helpful to me. i managed to create a few scripts to help out with my buggy docking station situation. i want docked to be only external display, undocked to mean only laptop.

xrandr -d :0 --output eDP1 --mode 1920x1080 --crtc 1 \
    --output DP1-1 --off \
    --output DP1-2 --off \
    --output DP1-3 --off

and also...

xrandr -d :0 --output DP1-1 --mode 1920x1080 --crtc 1 \
    --output eDP1 --off \
    --output DP1-2 --off \
    --output DP1-3 --off