External Monitor prompt flashing all the time

[meetdilip]

I have 20.04 and 18.04 as dual boot. In both of them, the external monitor selection prompt flashes annoyingly. It doesn't matter which one I select, the option to choose which monitor does not go away. In short, I cannot work at all if I attach a monitor through HDMI to my laptop. This issue is only when I use an external monitor, which I cannot avoid at this moment. Is there any method to kill it ? I have the same issue when using KDE Plasma, which goes away when I stoop Kscreen2 through settings > background services . Is there any similar kill switch that I can use to make this flashing prompt go away ? Thanks

[CelticWarrior]

Is your intention to use both monitors or just the external when the external is connected?

[meetdilip]

Thanks for the reply

External will be fine. But I do not want to lose the laptop's built-in monitor gone forever.

[CelticWarrior]

It can be either way and there's no reason for the thing you allude to (I don't really know what you're talking about).
In standard Ubuntu (Gnome) multi-monitor desktop is set in System Settings > Screens. There you can select mirrored or extended desktop, the relative position of different screens and, if you want only the external monitor you can also disable the internal one. This settings will persist unless changed to something else but, obviously, will only take effect if and when an external monitor is connected. Meaning: The internal always work if nothing else is connected but will turn off when the external monitor is connected.

All of this is pretty simple and basic. I feel you're kind of clueless and, again, I have no idea about what you're actually complaining about, the external monitor selection prompt ​[that] flashes annoyingly.

[meetdilip]

Let me explain.

1. I start Ubuntu 20.04 laptop with an external monitor plugged in through HDMI
2. At some point, mostly after logging in, the screen starts flashing between black and normal monitor output
3. A short while after the prompt to select options appear.
4. This prompt in my case is useless. No matter what I select,

a. The prompt comes back flashing and won't let me work on Ubuntu
b. Screen blinks between black and normal monitor output

5. I tried selecting my choice through Settings and press Apply
6. I won't be recorded, the whole saga of blinking and prompt flashing continues


What I am looking for

a. Please help me get a stable laptop and monitor display
b. Through settings whatever choice I Apply stays
c. Please make the flashing prompt go away after display is stable

Thanks.

[CelticWarrior]

Please post your hardware specifications, particularly the graphics.

[meetdilip]

I used Neofetch

OS: Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS x86_64

Kernel: 5.4.0-54-generic
Uptime: 36 mins
Packages: 2723 (dpkg), 12 (snap)
Shell: bash 5.0.17
Resolution: 1366x768, 1366x768
DE: GNOME
WM: Mutter
WM Theme: Adwaita
Theme: Yaru-Orange [GTK2/3]
Icons: Froze [GTK2/3]
Terminal: gnome-terminal
CPU: Intel i5-2430M (4) @ 3.000GHz
GPU: AMD ATI Radeon HD 6630M/6650M/6
GPU: Intel 2nd Generation Core Proce
Memory: 1784MiB / 3841MiB

Thanks for your time

[meetdilip]

If I may, is there any way to kill this prompt ? Because without it flashing and choosing by its own, everything is fine.

[CelticWarrior]

Again, I have no idea what that prompt is, never seen it in spite of having used hundreds of multi-monitor configurations.

[meetdilip]

I see. This prompt is my main villain. It is a small strip in the middle of the screen with 4 options ( icons )

------------------------------------
Mirror | Join | External | Built-in
------------------------------------

If only I can kill it after login, I will be able to use Ubuntu without trouble. It flashes too much that I barely had time to fetch the Neofetch details. Thanks.