4 monitors + 2x pci-e 2xDVI + Shuttle SX38P2 Pro + Ubuntu 8.04 = All hell breaks lose

[Pastortom]

Hay guis!

This is the second time I write this thread (appearantly firefox cache didnt work when I rebooted after you ubuntuforums.org timedout for 15mins) so I will shorten it down very much..

Ive got a Shuttle SX38P2 with a Intel Core 2 Quad cpu and 4gigs of ram..

2x PCI-Ex cards: Nvidia 7950GTX and Nvidia 9500GT

Ive got 4x Samsung (3x 20" and 1x 22") LCD DVI screens I wanna hook up and I want twinview (landscape) option with expanded gnome menu and compiz working on all 4 screens.. as well as glmatrix background movie running on all 4 screens behind icons (as ive got now on 2x screens)..

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/2972/cimg1511uw7.jpg

Ive tried several methods to make this work, all from Envy-NG, manual editing to nVidia official ubuntu drivers and their Server X Settings..

nVidia Server X Settings manages to find both cards, but seems to have a tiny bit of problem finding all necessary info from the 9500GT card, probably cause its so new..

I managed to get all 4 screens working, I saved the xorg.conf file and rebooted, but I got the annoying "low-resolution" reconfigure menu at bootup.. its like its modules/drivers works sometimes, and other times not.. kinda like it works in realtime, when you change them, but when you reboot it cant understand anything..

This is one of the xorg.conf file I tried manually to edit and setup:

# 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"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Defaultdepth 24
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "card1fp1"
Driver "nvidia"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "card1fp2"
Driver "nvidia"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "card2fp1"
Driver "nvidia"
BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "card2fp2"
Driver "nvidia"
BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
Screen 1
EndSection






Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "no"
EndSection

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

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "center"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "right"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "left"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "leftofleft"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "centerScreen"
Device "card1fp1"
Option "UseDisplayDevice" "DFP"
Monitor "center"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1680x1050"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "rightScreen"
Device "card1fp2"
Option "UseDisplayDevice" "DFP"
Monitor "right"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1680x1050"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "leftScreen"
Device "card2fp1"
Option "UseDisplayDevice" "DFP"
Monitor "left"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1680x1050"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "leftofleftScreen"
Device "card1fp1"
Option "UseDisplayDevice" "DFP"
Monitor "leftofleft"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1680x1050"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Multi-Screen"
Screen 0 "centerScreen" 0 0
Screen 1 "rightScreen" rightof "centerScreen"
Screen 2 "leftScreen" leftof "centerScreen"
Screen 3 "leftofleftScreen" leftof "leftScreen"
Option "Xinerama" "true"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection


At every bootup I get error and the "low-resolution" config menu.. but if I use Envy-NG it installs the correct nvidia driver and gives me a nice fully functional SINGLE-screen.. i wanna use 4x-screens..

Why is this so damn hard for nVidia Server X Settings to handle?

Atm Ive configured twinview with nVidia Server X Settings and this is how it looks like:

[IMG]http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/6949/screenshot1vt3.png


Now, I love Ubuntu and ever since I started playing with it 4 months ago, (after painfully many hours of trying to figure out how GRUB works and the necessary ACPI=OFF command to avoid black screen during bootup) Ive completed disowned Windows Xp, not to mention Vista..

I really wanna get this to work, its like I cant sleep properly if I dont get my computer to work properly, I know.. Im addicted :D

Any help would be greatly appreciated..

[Pastortom]

I managed to get it working somehow now, but Im afraid to reboot :P

Heres a screenshot:

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/145/cimg1513cs5.jpg


Only problem so far is this:

* Compiz gets weird, or atleast I think its compiz, since the gnome menus are getting 1,5 second lag on each click.. which doesnt happen if I choose Metacity instead of Compiz..

* the glmatrix background screensaver/movie only shows on the twinview couple screens to the right (2xdvi 7950GTX) and not on the ones to the left (2xdvi 9500GT).. how can i fix this? Heres the command I run to allow gl-matrix to run as a movie behind the icons with the help of compiz:
nice -n 15 xwinwrap -ni -o 0.20 -fs -s -sp -st -b -nf -- /usr/lib/xscreensaver/glmatrix -root -window-id WID

* I can't move a window from the 2xscreens to the right (twinmode) to the other 2xscreen couple to the left (also twinmode).. it seems like ubuntu acts like its 2 computers with 2 screens each.. that is, not ONE desktop, but 2 with 2screens..

I just want a HUGE desktop landscape on all 4 screens, how can I fix this?

And what is wrong if this doesnt gets saved to xorg.conf and ubuntu gives me resolution error menu when I reboot?

Heres realtime screenshots made inside linux:

2x twinmode (the 2 to the right) 7950GTX: (with Metacity, not compiz enabled)

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/6928/screenshot2oo6.png

2x twinmode (the 2 to the left) 9500GT: (also with Metacity, not compiz, damn compiz goes slow with 4xmonitors, anyway to fix this? perhaps disable fade-function to menus?)

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6501/screenshot3zq0.png

Any help would greatly be apprecaited..

The xorg.conf atm looks like this:

# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings: version 1.0 (buildd@vernadsky) Thu Jun 5 09:26:53 UTC 2008

# 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 "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "no"
EndSection

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

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "Samsung SyncMaster"
HorizSync 30.0 - 81.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 75.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "Samsung SyncMaster"
HorizSync 30.0 - 81.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 75.0
EndSection

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

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "GeForce 7950 GT"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard1"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "GeForce 9500 GT"
BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "1"
Option "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0, DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +1680+0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Videocard1"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "1"
Option "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +1680+0, DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
EndSection

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




Thanks..


UPDATE: The reboot worked!

what I did was as following (after awhole lot of mess back and forth) :

in terminal (Ctrl+Alt+F1) : sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
then : sudo aptitude purge ~nnvidia
then : sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start

then I installed Envy-Ng and installed the necessary drivers and rebooted,
I used nVidia X Server Settings to set up the monitors and then I pushed "Save to Xorg.conf" and then "Preview" , then I copied the entire xorg.conf preview, pushed okey and exited nVidia X Server Settings, went into terminal and "sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf" and then marked all and pasted in and saved.. Then Reboot.. and it got saved properly..

I still have issues with glmatrix not working as it should (I want it on all 4 screens, not just one).. and gnome is acting really slow (compiz) when all 4 screens are active.. also I cant move the windows from one duo-screens (right) to the other duo-screens (left) and other way around.. in other words, same errors like before, except the reboot worked ;)

Any advice?

[Pastortom]

*bump*

[steveneddy]

This guy got 6 monitors working!

Check out the thread. there's some good stuff in there.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=884161&highlight=monitors

[d2globalinc]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=884161&highlight=monitors

Is the original thread I started - I will post a HOWTO from start to finish on the config for Ubuntu 8.04 (I have yet to do anything with 8.10 and Xserver-xgl isn't going to be in it so I may have to find an alt solution).

I'll repost link back here to new howto when I have it ready!

thanks!

Shane Menshik
D2 GLOBAL INC
http://www.d2global.com

[Pastortom]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=884161&highlight=monitors

Is the original thread I started - I will post a HOWTO from start to finish on the config for Ubuntu 8.04 (I have yet to do anything with 8.10 and Xserver-xgl isn't going to be in it so I may have to find an alt solution).

I'll repost link back here to new howto when I have it ready!

thanks!

Shane Menshik
D2 GLOBAL INC
http://www.d2global.com


Thanks mate, really appreciate it.. I thought about upgrading to 8.10, but seeing as it isnt as compatible with these configurations I will stick with 8.04 ;)

Please hurry though, I dont need a full howto, but if you could look through my last xorg.conf and maybe give me some hints on how to get landscape on all 4x screens with 3d renderring support and the possibility of moving windows from duo-screen to duo-screen.. in other words all 4 screens as a horizontal desktop (one HEAVY duty WIDE desktop ^^)..

Thanks again! ;)

[Pastortom]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=884161&highlight=monitors

Is the original thread I started - I will post a HOWTO from start to finish on the config for Ubuntu 8.04 (I have yet to do anything with 8.10 and Xserver-xgl isn't going to be in it so I may have to find an alt solution).

I'll repost link back here to new howto when I have it ready!

thanks!

Shane Menshik
D2 GLOBAL INC
http://www.d2global.com


How's it going mate? Any advice or progress on your how-to?

[Seinfeld]

Hi..

I really appreciate your advice here. I am using two monitors with my dual head nvidia GF Asus 8600 GT. No problems so far.
Now I really need to add one or two monitors to work in TwinView to expand my desktop as one. My motherboard does support dual video cards (Intel DX58SO). Can I add another card to my motherboard and just simply plug the third monitor ?? No xorg.conf editing necessary ?? I am using Maverick..
Also, could I use an Asus 76xxGS or should it be an 8xxx as well ??

Also, what about using sli for 4 monitors ?? I really do appreciate your detailed explanation..

Thanks v. much in advance