Does MCNlive support dual monitors, e.g. using a laptop screen with an external TFT as one combined large desktop (like one can do under Windows)? I googled around but couldn't find much... Under the KDE desktop - screen menu there is a pulldown menu to choose screens but it is blanked out.

I suggest you first find and load a graphics driver that is capable of doing so, and if it works, remaster MCNLive so that next time you boot, you have the right driver loaded.
I have no experience with dual monitor support in linux, so I would not know what drivers support this.
Good luck!

Ok, a new graphics driver....so where would I start looking for that? Would it be a specific Mandriva driver?

Are you sure that this is a driver issue, because I am not even sure where a second screen could be activated and configured in the MCC?

What is your graphical card?

@davo: Adrian is running a live system, not an installed MCNLive. All needed drivers are included, but no *commercial* drivers for nvidia (and no, they can't be installed easily on a live system)

It's a ATI Radeon Mobility M6

A, I am not a video card expert. I better let it to others to answer you.
I have no clue about dual monitors etc

(Almost) All hardware configuration is done with the Mandriva Control Center --> hardware, not with KDE. KDE is to configure some desktop settings.

Shutdown your laptop.
Connect the second display. Power: on.
Start MCNLive

It should discover and configure it.
If not: MCC --> hardware --> setup graphical server --> ....somewhere there must be something like multi head config/ Xinerama (that's what you are looking for)

Please post your exact hardware here, by doing the following. Click up a terminal, type:



Post (copy & paste) the result here.

Let me make sure i understand the question.

you have a laptop running MCNL, you have an external monitor, plus you have the built in LCD.

Do you want to run 2 external monitors and have one continous desktop,

or

do you want to have one continuous desktop spread across the LCD and the external screen?

#1 shouldnt be that difficult, however you may need to get a PCMCIA video card thats a twinhead (that could be expensive)

#2 i've never seen happen even under windows. If its working for you WOW, thats erally cool, and even I'd be interested in that answer.

The infor from the ATI/AMD site on that display chipset doesnt seem to indicate it is capable of dual monitor support, but i only sent a minute looking

Hi guys,

Under Windows I can set up an extended desktop where my laptop screen is on the right and the external 17" TFT on the left. You can seamlessly move apps between the two. Your one graphics card does that, it can address two screens that way. You set it up in the graphics properties where you adjust screen resolution, color depth etc. I can't find any place in the graphical server setup where you can set up a second monitor, so it maybe Mandriva doesn't support this...or it has to be manually configured.

Below are the lspcidrake results:

intel-agp : Intel Corp.|82855PM Processor to I/O Controller [BRIDGE_HOST] (vendor:8086 device:3340 subv:1014 subd:0529)
unknown : Intel Corp.|82855PM Processor to AGP Controller [BRIDGE_PCI] (vendor:8086 device:3341)
uhci-hcd : Intel Corp.|82801DB USB Controller [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:8086 device:24c2 subv:1014 subd:052d)
uhci-hcd : Intel Corp.|82801DB USB Controller [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:8086 device:24c4 subv:1014 subd:052d)
uhci-hcd : Intel Corp.|82801DB USB Controller [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:8086 device:24c7 subv:1014 subd:052d)
ehci-hcd : Intel Corp.|82801DB USB Enhanced Controller [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:8086 device:24cd subv:1014 subd:052e)
hw_random : Intel Corp.|82801 Hub Interface to PCI Bridge [BRIDGE_PCI] (vendor:8086 device:2448)
i8xx_tco : Intel Corp.|82801DBM LPC Interface Bridge [BRIDGE_ISA] (vendor:8086 device:24cc)
piix : Intel Corp.|82801DBM IDE Controller (UltraATA/100) [STORAGE_IDE] (vendor:8086 device:24ca subv:1014 subd:052d)
i2c-i801 : Intel Corp.|82801DB SMBus Controller [SERIAL_SMBUS] (vendor:8086 device:24c3 subv:1014 subd:052d)
snd-intel8x0 : Intel Corp.|ICH4 845G/GL Chipset AC'97 Audio Controller [MULTIMEDIA_AUDIO] (vendor:8086 device:24c5 subv:1014 subd:0534)
snd-intel8x0m : Intel Corp.|82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Modem Controller [COMMUNICATION_MODEM] (vendor:8086 device:24c6 subv:1014 subd:0524)
Card:ATI Radeon : ATI Technologies Inc.|Radeon Mobility M6 LY (AGP) [DISPLAY_VGA] (vendor:1002 device:4c59 subv:1014 subd:052f)
yenta_socket : Ricoh Co Ltd.|RL5c476 II [BRIDGE_CARDBUS] (vendor:1180 device:0476 subv:4000 subd:0000)
yenta_socket : Ricoh Co Ltd.|RL5c476 II [BRIDGE_CARDBUS] (vendor:1180 device:0476 subv:4800 subd:0000)
ohci1394 : Ricoh Co Ltd.|R5C552 IEEE 1394 Controller [SERIAL_FIREWIRE] (vendor:1180 device:0552 subv:1014 subd:0533)
ipw2100 : Intel Corp.|PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3B Mini PCI Adapter [NETWORK_OTHER] (vendor:8086 device:1043 subv:8086 subd:2551)
eepro100 : Intel Corp.|82801BD PRO/100 VE (MOB) Ethernet Controller [NETWORK_ETHERNET] (vendor:8086 device:103d subv:1014 subd:0522)
ohci-hcd : NEC|USB [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:1033 device:0035 subv:1631 subd:0035)
ohci-hcd : NEC|USB [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:1033 device:0035 subv:1631 subd:0035)
ehci-hcd : NEC Corp.|PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:1033 device:00e0 subv:1631 subd:5020)
hub : Linux 2.6.17-8mdv ehci_hcd|EHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
hub : Linux 2.6.17-8mdv ohci_hcd|OHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
hub : Texas Instruments|TUSB2036 Hub [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0451 device:2036)
usbhid : Logitech|Desktop USB stand [Human Interface Devices|No Subclass|None] (vendor:046d device:abd0)
usbhid : Logitech|USB Receiver [Human Interface Devices|Boot Interface Subclass|Keyboard] (vendor:046d device:c50c)
hub : Linux 2.6.17-8mdv ohci_hcd|OHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
hub : Linux 2.6.17-8mdv ehci_hcd|EHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
usb-storage : LaCie|LaCie DVDRW USB [Mass Storage|SFF-8070i] (vendor:059f device:0343)
usb-storage : Genesys Logic, Inc.|Card Reader [Mass Storage|SCSI|Bulk (Zip)] (vendor:05e3 device:0760)
hub : Linux 2.6.17-8mdv uhci_hcd|UHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
hub : Linux 2.6.17-8mdv uhci_hcd|UHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
hub : Linux 2.6.17-8mdv uhci_hcd|UHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)

Well, your card is recognized all right.

First you will need the kernel source: you can do this through MCC (Mandriva Control Center) -> software -> search for kernel source. If you have multiple options to choose from, open a terminal and type "uname -r", this will show which kernel you have, then you select the according kernel source in MCC.

Next, download the latest driver from

https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206/0/www2...-x86.x86_64.run
or go to http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/linux/linux-radeon.html if the uppper link doesn't work

and then follow the instructions from the installer manual, or for you convenience:




To check whether it worked, run in a terminal

"fglrxinfo", it will show the details of the driver/card
or "fgl_glxgears" for a working OpenGL applet.


Now, find the xorg.conf (from memory it is either in /etc or in /etc/X11)
and edit it. You will have to do this as root. So, in a terminal you could try

"su" (become super user)
"cp /etc/xorg.conf /etc/xorg.conf.backup" (make a backup in case it goes bad, or /etc/X11/xorg.conf, first check it's location)
"kate /etc/xorg.conf &" (or /etc/X11/xorg.conf)

then you will get an editor, which you can edit.

Add this to the Device section of the file and edit it the way you want. (source ubuntuforums.org)


Save the file, close the editor.

Reboot.

In a terminal do "aticonfig --query-monitor" you should see whether both screens are seen...

And then (from ati wiki):

Turn off the second monitor on the fly and start to use only laptop internal monitor (lvds) aticonfig --enable-monitor=lvds --effective=now


Swap monitors on the fly when using big desktop mode

• Assume you have two monitors already setup correctly (Dual monitor support at Ubuntuforums)

aticonfig --swap-monitor --effective=now

• Note: This only works for big desktop setup. This will swap the contents on the two monitors.

There's also a Troubleshoot page: http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Troubleshooting

Succes!!!

Wow, great, I will give it a try! Thanks!

The already included radeon driver should support dual monitor setup.
Connect your second monitor. Start up. MCC -> hardware -> setup graphical server -> graphical card
Try to run all steps ... under: setup graphical server, and start with: graphical card.

What happens?
______________________

davo is talking about the non-free, not-included, closed source ATI driver. I, personally, would not try to install this ATI driver if you are running in live mode. It is a downlaod of at least 150 MB( with all devel dependencies), because you don't only install them, you need to recompile your kernel.

BTW: ubuntu howtos are not good for Mandriva.

davo: he is running in LIVE mode. Please, try while running the Live CD , what you suggested, and you will see what will happen ;-)

A live cd is indeed quite a complication. Azenz, indeed try Kris' way FIRST ! :-)


Actually, as I am thinking. I can connect a beamer to my laptop in linux, and it's working out of the box, as long as it is attached and working on the moment that linux is starting up...

My TFT is always connected and MCNlive by default shows up on my external TFT and the laptop screen is off. There is therefore no second graphical card involved, the laptop does it all. Again, in that MCC config menu there is no option to add a second screen, it shows me correctly what my external TFT does (1280x1024, Syncmaster). So if I mess with that then it does those changes on the external TFT. Nothing there seems designed to activate the laptop TFT. And the graphics card is correctly recognised, so no need to change that one either. Any changes will change the first display (external TFT) and not add a second option. The lack of an adding feature is the issue.

So....I personally cannot see how I can configure a dual screen scenario with the MCC unless I missed something extra hidden...?

This might be a ATI/Radeon driver issue, I don't know because I do get a choice when I am running the 'Set up the graphical server' wizard in MCC.
Graphical card options: here I can check: 'Enable duplicate display'
But I have an Intel card.

Someone with more knowledge about ATI cards?
Info: In MCNLIve only the open source video card drivers are included (nv for nvidia, xorg/radeon for ATI)
And no: it is not easy to install the proprietary drivers on a Live system.

edit: and before ask: No, I won't include closed source proprietary drivers (on kernel space) in MCNLive in the future.

Under the same menu I can check "enable display on external monitor". The thing is that the external monitor is already enabled, it's the laptop screen that isn't. Also, you can't configure what the second monitor would be showing. If both show the same thing then I am not really interested to be honest, it's the extended desktop feature that makes working on two screens so nice. Once you get used to it you just love it .

On my laptop, I have a combination 'Fn + F5' or something like that which allows me to switch between the laptop screen alone, the external screen (or projector) and both screens at the same time. This worked under windows very well (i used this once a couple of years ago).
I don't know whether this would work under Linux, but my guess is that the keyboard combination with 'Fn' directly adresses the hardware, and not through the operating system, since volume up/down and brightness up/down also works regardless of the OS or any configuration.

Maybe this works for you?

A good idea, but on my laptop some keys are software-independent and others aren't. And unfortunately the "presenter" button does depend on software . Also, the button on my Thinkpad can only activate what has been configured by the Thinkpad software, which can easily set up dual screen in different variations, a great tool. Unfortunately not available under Linux. Mandriva/MCNLive are great since they recognise the external TFT and automatically configure it as the main screen, but the laptop screen gets ignored that way and I can't see a way to ressurect it.

But maybe this can be done on a scripting level that bypasses the MCC and programs the KDE / X window system to set up a second screen in a more flexible way with more options. Most of what I have seen online about dual display under Linux involves some sort of manual editing of config files, but I am not sure if that can be done under MCNLive.

have you ever tried the config edits i suggested above...?

Well...no, because it seemed that Chris said it wouldn't be a good idea to do under a live system. But maybe I should try it.