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dummptyhummpty
April 25th, 2008, 10:16 PM
I previously tried Ubuntu 7.10, but could not get my ATI Radeon X300 (I think more specifically: RV370) working correctly. I gave up until I heard about 8.04. I've installed 8.04 and successfully installed ATI's driver. Before I installed it, when I went to "Screen and Resolution", I could uncheck "clone" and see both my monitors identified correctly. Clicking "Apply" did nothing and when I reopened it, "clone" was checked again. Restarting also did nothing.

Now that the different driver is installed, unchecking "clone" just shows an "unknown monitor". I've installed ATI's control panel and setting the mode from "clone" to "big desktop" only works on the screen BEFORE I log in. As soon as I login, everything is cloned again. I even used "Screens and Graphics", but that just messes things up again. It only shows "Screen 1" and then "Screen 1" again, but this one is grayed out. It's not able to detect my monitors correctly.

Please help! I've tried searching, but i'm at a dead end. I'm thinking I might need to specify my monitors in xorg.conf, but i'm not sure the proper way to do this. Thank you!

dummptyhummpty
April 25th, 2008, 11:52 PM
I checked in "Screen and Resolution" and found that I can now select a wider resolution which then spread my desktop on to my two screens. Cloned is still checked, but nothing is cloned anymore, which is good.

However the ATI control panel (or gnome?) has my monitors confused. It says my Hyundai is 1 and my Dell is 2 (which is correct), but when I hit "Identify Monitors" it has them switched, thus everything defaults to the Dell (which is off to my side).

The other issue is my monitors are at different heights. In Windows, I know you can adjust for this, but I can't see how to do that in Ubuntu. Thanks again!

mydeaddog
April 26th, 2008, 05:19 AM
I'm having the same problem as well, except I'm only using one monitor. I think this is affecting my 3d acceleration as well because when I start up Wow all i get is black screen where 3d models/effects should be. I can still see text and the interface though. This is the only game that I've tried so far so this might be an isolated error, but that still leaves the cloned screen question.

Here's my xorg.conf file:

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Defaultdepth 24
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Option "UseFBDev" "true"
Option "VideoOverlay" "on"
Option "OpenGLOverlay" "on"
Driver "fglrx"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
screen "Default Screen"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection



I have tried messing with it (replace it with old xorg file, change values, etc.) but to no avail. Also it seems like its set up diffrently from previous xorg files. Just the way it seems arranged. That's probably progress for you though.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

dummptyhummpty
April 26th, 2008, 06:39 PM
I'm having the same problem as well, except I'm only using one monitor. I think this is affecting my 3d acceleration as well because when I start up Wow all i get is black screen where 3d models/effects should be. I can still see text and the interface though. This is the only game that I've tried so far so this might be an isolated error, but that still leaves the cloned screen question.

Here's my xorg.conf file:


I have tried messing with it (replace it with old xorg file, change values, etc.) but to no avail. Also it seems like its set up diffrently from previous xorg files. Just the way it seems arranged. That's probably progress for you though.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

After I posted, I tried playing with xorg.conf file and it doesn't seem like it really does anything. I'm not sure why its there if it's just going to be ignored. This is my work computer so i'll have to play with it more on Monday.

goldalex
April 27th, 2008, 12:12 AM
I am having the same exact issue. I have tried changing all of the settings in aticonfig. Hopefully someone has a solution, as of now this is a deal breaker for me shifting over to Ubuntu, since everything else seems to work really well for me...

AfterShock6783
June 12th, 2008, 08:51 PM
I previously tried Ubuntu 7.10, but could not get my ATI Radeon X300 (I think more specifically: RV370) working correctly. I gave up until I heard about 8.04. I've installed 8.04 and successfully installed ATI's driver. Before I installed it, when I went to "Screen and Resolution", I could uncheck "clone" and see both my monitors identified correctly. Clicking "Apply" did nothing and when I reopened it, "clone" was checked again. Restarting also did nothing.

Now that the different driver is installed, unchecking "clone" just shows an "unknown monitor". I've installed ATI's control panel and setting the mode from "clone" to "big desktop" only works on the screen BEFORE I log in. As soon as I login, everything is cloned again. I even used "Screens and Graphics", but that just messes things up again. It only shows "Screen 1" and then "Screen 1" again, but this one is grayed out. It's not able to detect my monitors correctly.

Please help! I've tried searching, but i'm at a dead end. I'm thinking I might need to specify my monitors in xorg.conf, but i'm not sure the proper way to do this. Thank you!
I actually have the exact same issue. same card and everything - AT Radeon X300 (PCIE). when I try to use the "ATI catalyst" or whatever it is I can't get dual screens working properly. and then if I enable a monitro it diabels theother one and I have to reset my xorg.conf to get both running (cloned) again. any updates or information on this particular problem would be helpful.

sco01
June 12th, 2008, 10:15 PM
I have the exact same problems with my T43 (X300) and the ATI driver. So far I have figured out that disabling compiz solves most of the problem. This seems to be related to the fact that X can't handle a virtual screen with larger resolution than 2048 x 20048 with compiz loaded. The T43 has a 1400*1050 screen and my syncmaster 245b has a 1920*1200. I guess this explains that the resolutions are ok *before* you log in if compiz is loaded after that. Could that be right?

I've used catalyst control center to configure the screens but it mixes the screens up. disabling the laptop screen disables the syncmaster on DVI and vice versa.

xrandr shows just one output when both screens are displaying and that keeps me confused.

The only solution that actually works for me is to run both screens cloned in 1400*1050 and that is such a shame on a 24in syncmaster...

Any thoughts?

markbuntu
June 13th, 2008, 12:16 AM
You can use aticonfig to configure the fglrx driver. Type

sudo aticonfig --help

and you will get a list of options you can change from the command line.

xorg config changes will do nothing with the flgrx driver unless you use this:

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

to write them to the fglrx config file which cannot be edited by hand.

Be very careful when using the aticonfig command. There are some other threads around here about setting up big desktop so you should also do a search for them to find out how to do what you want.

you can also do a search here:

http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Main_Page

where there is extensive info on using and configuring the ati fglrx driver.

good luck.