Login screen defaults to secondary monitor

[protargol]

I have a dual monitor setup with the primary on the left and the secondary on the right. When the login screen comes up after a reboot for instance, the login options such as user selection are on the secondary (right) monitor. How can I change this? Thanks.

[miniyak]

I've seen the same thing happen with my friends laptop. His solution is to plug in after login.

That might not make sense with a desktop set-up though

[scouser73]

I have a dual monitor setup with the primary on the left and the secondary on the right. When the login screen comes up after a reboot for instance, the login options such as user selection are on the secondary (right) monitor. How can I change this? Thanks.

You'll need to do this as root, so follow these instructions.

1 - Paste this command into terminal: gksudo nvidia-settings

2 - Click on X Server Display Configuration

3 - Click on the monitor that you wish to make the main monitor

4 - Check the box stating Make This The Primary Display For The X Screen

5 - Click Apply

6 - Click Save To X Configuration File & press Quit

You have now set the login screen to appear on your desired monitor, this will be your main monitor, to change it, just follow the instructions again but this time choosing the other monitor.

[miniyak]

1 - Paste this command into terminal: gksudo nvidia-settings

Would that only be if you are using the nvidia driver?

[shiwen1984]

Hi scouser73.
Actually I have the same problem.
And the other problem is 6 - Click Save To X Configuration File. When I did this, the system informs me that failed to parse existing X config files..........
Could you help me with this?
Thanks a lot

[scouser73]

Hi scouser73.
Actually I have the same problem.
And the other problem is 6 - Click Save To X Configuration File. When I did this, the system informs me that failed to parse existing X config files..........
Could you help me with this?
Thanks a lot

Paste these commands into Terminal to create a new Xorg.conf, that should now have created a new xconfig file.

The first step creates a backup of your currently working xorg.conf file.

sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak

Step 2 runs the NVIDIA utility to generate a new xorg.conf file that the utility can actually read.

sudo nvidia-xconfig

Step 3 runs the graphical NVIDIA setup tool as root, so you can actually save your changes.

sudo nvidia-settings

If this does not work then after step 1, do sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf to delete your current xorg.conf file. Then run sudo nvidia-xconfig and sudo nvidia-settings.

[scouser73]

Would that only be if you are using the nvidia driver?

Yes, that command is for use with nVidia graphics cards only.

[xstnc]

Is there any fixes for Intel onboard cards?
Trying to run multiple monitors on a HP6930p and it's giving me the same problem.

[miniyak]

scouser73's suggestion may work well for me and my panp5 (her nvidia card doest want to properly do dual screens either) but where ive seen this exact problem was on a dell laptop w/ onboard intel stuff

seems that ubuntu prioritizes the monitor of the highest vertical resolution as the main monitor for some odd reason, some how changing all the settings you wanted on start-up.

[protargol]

I'm not sure what's not working, but it treats the left monitor as the default (shows all Ubuntu boot images and text), then switches to the right monitor for login, and then back to left monitor for further Ubuntu initialization. I'm thinking it's not an xorg.conf issue. I could post what my xorg.conf file looks like, but I think the issue is elsewhere