Dual Monitor in 12.04 - Sort of works

Solution 1:

This is my first post, so let me know if I do something wrong.

It took about an hour, but I ended up getting it to work.

This assumes that you have the propriety driver.

Step 1: Set the resolution correctly of your first monitor using the AMD Catalyst Control Center.

Note: Although it may seem like everything can be solved using this, it can't.

Step 2: Restart your computer.

Step 3: Go to System Settings > Display and activate your second monitor.

Note: Even though it will be detected in the AMD Catalyst Control Center, the only settings that stick are the resolution settings.

Step 4: Restart your computer.

Step 5: Go to the AMD Catalyst Control Center and make sure the display is set up correctly.

For example, I changed it to Multi-display desktop(s) with 2 displays.

Step 6: Restart your computer.

Step 7: Go to System Settings > Display and set the resolution of your second monitor.

Note: I also disabled Sticky edges.

Step 8: Restart your computer.

All of the display settings should now be saved correctly.

_{Incidentally, I have no idea why all of this works. It just does.}

Solution 2:

Try change virtual size in your xorg.conf.

Go to:

gksu gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Find Section "Screen" and there should be SubSection "Display" and there you should paste your virtual size....

Mine looks like this:

Section "Screen"

    Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
    Device     "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
    Monitor    "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
    DefaultDepth     24
    SubSection "Display"
        Viewport   0 0
        Depth     24
        Virtual         3400 1200
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Save it and than run in terminal:

sudo aticonfig --input=/etc/X11/xorg.conf --tls=1

I had the same problem but set up virtual size (more than is my resolution = monitor + notebook (1920 + 1366 = 3286 = I set up 3400 and 1200) solve this problem :). Hope it will help.

Solution 3:

Seems like there is some sort of limit on the maximum size, when combining the two displays. 1600x1600. When you stack your two monitors side by side, they exceed this limit. I tried putting one below other and it worked. Its not the ideal config for me but it works.

Please try and let me know how you like it.

Solution 4:

Catalyst tools are your best bet.

I have an Intel gfx adapter on my laptop and routinely connect to an external monitor. I am using KDE4.9 on kubuntu 12.04 desktop. When an external monitor is (dis)connected, KDE Daemon brings up a "Monitor has changed" dialog, from where I can configure the monitors.

I also use xrandr to configure from command line.

$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1366 x 768, maximum 8192 x 8192
LVDS1 connected 1366x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 344mm x 193mm
   1366x768       60.0*+
   1360x768       59.8     60.0  
   1024x768       60.0  
   800x600        60.3     56.2  
   640x480        59.9  
VGA1 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1280x1024      60.0 +   75.0  
   1152x864       75.0  
   1024x768       75.1     70.1     60.0  
   832x624        74.6  
   800x600        72.2     75.0     60.3     56.2  
   640x480        72.8     75.0     66.7     60.0  
   720x400        70.1  
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

I use a scripts such as:

xrandr -q
xrandr  --output VGA1 --auto
xrandr  --output LVDS1 --primary
xrandr  --output VGA1 --left-of LVDS1
xrandr  --output LVDS1 --primary

and later,

# we can also turn off the LCD panel
xrandr --output VGA1 --off

Hope that helps.