How to Extend Monitor to Dual Monitor?

**Toshibawarrior** · July 4th, 2008

Hmmm...now that i think of it no...that's a good idea!

I saw the hidden menu inside Applications>Other that's called "Screens and Graphics"...But I read on another post that xorg configurations are needed for it to work

...is that true?...

**Paddy Landau** · July 4th, 2008

Originally Posted by Toshibawarrior

I don't know...it looks dangerous...

You don't have any choice, if you want your dual screen.

Here... look at this post:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...86#post1288786

Do not follow all the instructions in that post! (You'll spend days on something that's deprecated.) However...

Scroll down to the "Tips" section. Specifically, follow the instructions in the first four tips (in green, blue, purple and brown).

When I was attempting to extend my desktop, before I found out about RandR, I made lots of mistakes. Those four tips were all I needed to help me work faster... and recover my xorg.conf when it was a total hash.

Just follow the instructions; there's nothing dangerous. Unlike Windows, Ubuntu seems to be very reasonable and tolerant.

The very first step is to make a backup. Go to Accessories->Terminal and enter this command:

Code:

cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf ~/Desktop

(That backs up your config file into your Desktop.)
If you have to restore the config file, this is how: Go to Accessories->Terminal again and enter:

Code:

sudo cp ~/Desktop/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf

You'll be safe with that.

**Toshibawarrior** · July 4th, 2008

Originally Posted by qrwe

Have you searched for Intel in 'Add/Remove'? Might be a manager there.

Thanks a lot, but it didn't work...there's only a 915resolution program that works with intel card's resolutions, but it has to be run each time you restart the computer and anyways it didn't say anything about options or settings...

Originally Posted by Paddy Landau

You don't have any choice, if you want your dual screen.

Here... look at this post:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...86#post1288786

Do not follow all the instructions in that post! (You'll spend days on something that's deprecated.) However...

Scroll down to the "Tips" section. Specifically, follow the instructions in the first four tips (in green, blue, purple and brown).

When I was attempting to extend my desktop, before I found out about RandR, I made lots of mistakes. Those four tips were all I needed to help me work faster... and recover my xorg.conf when it was a total hash.

Just follow the instructions; there's nothing dangerous. Unlike Windows, Ubuntu seems to be very reasonable and tolerant.

The very first step is to make a backup. Go to Accessories->Terminal and enter this command:

Code:

cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf ~/Desktop

(That backs up your config file into your Desktop.)
If you have to restore the config file, this is how: Go to Accessories->Terminal again and enter:

Code:

sudo cp ~/Desktop/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf

You'll be safe with that.

Thanks man, I'll try this then. I hope i don't crash anything since I've been working on my "perfect system" for three months now...just to have just the way I like it!

**Paddy Landau** · July 4th, 2008

Originally Posted by Toshibawarrior

Thanks man, I'll try this then. I hope i don't crash anything since I've been working on my "perfect system" for three months now...just to have just the way I like it!

As far as I know, the only thing you change with this is xorg.conf. As long as you've made a backup, you won't have a problem.

BTW, I find that RandR forgets my changes when I reboot, so I've put a launcher on my panel with the (single) command that I need to make it work. I just press it each time I reboot; in about two seconds, the extended desktop is working.

If your system is "perfect", have you made a full backup?

**Toshibawarrior** · July 4th, 2008

Originally Posted by Paddy Landau

If your system is "perfect", have you made a full backup?

I'm still looking for a satisfactory way of backing up configurations and CLI-based settings...I've successfully backed up every package/app/program I have installed...

As far as configurations go, I haven't found a way...that's why I'm paranoid about this...I don't want to spend 3 more months reconfiguring everything...

It's "perfect" to me...I have everything working as i want it to, except the dual-monitors...

So I guess I'll proceed with caution anyways...

BTW, I should follow the tips on the last thread you quoted (the ones in colors) and follow the wiki that you posted earlier...where it explains a lot of dangerous-looking (to me) things about xorg.conf and stuff?...I just want to make 200% sure before proceeding...

**kolisikepu** · July 4th, 2008

Hi All,

Thank you for your suggestions. I have heard of RandR, so I'll give that a go. But... to the first reply to my post, that was the first place I checked.... THE MENU! I'm not that much of a noob. lol

**Paddy Landau** · July 4th, 2008

Originally Posted by Toshibawarrior

I'm still looking for a satisfactory way of backing up configurations and CLI-based settings...I've successfully backed up every package/app/program I have installed...

Here we are:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...981#post175981

Originally Posted by Toshibawarrior

BTW, I should follow the tips on the last thread you quoted (the ones in colors) and follow the wiki that you posted earlier...where it explains a lot of dangerous-looking (to me) things about xorg.conf and stuff?...I just want to make 200% sure before proceeding...

200% sure? There's no way you'll ever get even 100% sure. Not on Linux, not on Windows, not on Mac, ...

**Toshibawarrior** · July 4th, 2008

Originally Posted by Paddy Landau

Here we are:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...981#post175981

Thanks for that! Anyways, i still don't get how can I make the xorg configurations with the terminal text only console...

This is so confusing to me...I hate the terminal...

**Toshibawarrior** · September 1st, 2008

I finally got around to this, and i managed to get a huge desktop between my tv and my laptop's screen...It's a mess...

This was so much easier in Windows...ugh!...

I followed another tutorial, and it helped me get the desktop extended...literally...

the gnome panel is on one screen, the icons on another, Cairo Dock is clipped in half between both screens, and the wallpaper is streched across both screens...this sucks!.

Can anyone help me on this?!...

I made some changes to xorg.conf and they're completely ignored by Ubuntu and xrandr...sometime my laptop's screen doesn't even turns on.

Please help me!