[SOLVED] Dual monitors setup and drivers

makem · 09-29-2021, 11:30 AM

I was using xubuntu 20.04 with an MSI monitor which was using whatever default drivers were installed when the initial installation was made some while ago.

I have added a ASUS monitor to work as a second desktop allowing me to play a game on my main MSI monitor whilst browsing the internet on the ASUS monitor.

The MSI is connected via Display Port to Display Port cable and the ASUS, HDMI to HDMI.

When I first started the computer I updated the software and opened the Display settings. This only showed the MSI monitor with a default resolution of 1024 x 768. None of the settings for the display could be altered.

I restarted the computer and the ASUS monitor then showed my desktop with the resolution 1024 x 768 although the icons and text appear smaller.

The Display settings only show one monitor in both General and Advanced settings and nothing can be altered.

Where do I go from here to achieve my desires please?

I suspect it is the introduction of Display Port to Display Port cable ?

I have an ongoing problem in that the kernel drivers for the integrated GPU are not properly loaded.

This problem is detailed in the below link where it is being debugged.

Maybe this is related?

https://github.com/intel-gpu/documentation/issues/14

mrmazda · 10-01-2021, 05:58 PM

Diagnosis begins with examination of /var/log/Xorg.#.log or ~/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.#.log. Replace # with whatever numbers match files you find. Use pastebinit or equivalent to upload this log and provide the resulting URL(s) here. Next run the following commands from an X terminal:

Code:

sudo apt install inxi
sudo inxi -U
inxi -SGayz
xrandr

Copy and paste here using code tags the output from the last two commands. If xrandr, pastebinit or xdpyinfo are not installed, install it/them and retry if necessary.

makem · 10-04-2021, 07:12 PM

As requested:

https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/77Sky7HpCM/

Code:

makem@makems-TUF:~$ sudo apt install inxi
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
inxi is already the newest version (3.0.38-1-0ubuntu1).
inxi set to manually installed.
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 38 not to upgrade.
makem@makems-TUF:~$ sudo inxi -U
Error 20: Option: U has been disabled by the inxi distribution maintainer.
makem@makems-TUF:~$ inxi -SGayz
Error 10: Unsupported value: 0 for option: y
Check -h for correct parameters.
makem@makems-TUF:~$ xrandr
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 1024 x 768, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
   1024x768      76.00* 
makem@makems-TUF:~$

I have also output the contents of xdpyinfo to pastebinit:

https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/HR6jHPZRHc/

mrmazda · 10-04-2021, 07:42 PM

Do this to get around those errors:

Code:

sudo echo B_ALLOW_UPDATE=true >> /etc/inxi.conf
sudo inxi -U
inxi -SGayz

Paste here only output from inxi -SGayz.

Only a small portion of Xorg.0.log was uploaded. Please try again to get the whole file uploaded.

makem · 10-05-2021, 05:43 AM

Code:

makem@makems-TUF:~$ sudo echo B_ALLOW_UPDATE=true >> /etc/inxi.conf
bash: /etc/inxi.conf: Permission denied
makem@makems-TUF:~$

Code:

makem@makems-TUF:~$ sudo su
[sudo] password for makem: 
root@makems-TUF:/home/makem# echo B_ALLOW_UPDATE=true >> /etc/inxi.conf
root@makems-TUF:/home/makem# sudo inxi -U
Starting inxi self updater.
Using tiny as downloader.
Currently running inxi version number: 3.0.38
Current version patch number: 00
Current version release date: 2020-03-14
Updating inxi in /usr/bin using main branch as download source...
Successfully updated to main branch version: 3.3.06
New main branch version patch number: 00
New main branch version release date: 2021-07-21
To run the new version, just start inxi again.
----------------------------------------

Starting download of man page file now.
Downloading Man page file...
Download successful. Compressing file...
Download and install of man page successful.
Check to make sure it works: man inxi
root@makems-TUF:/home/makem# inxi -SGayz
System:
  Kernel: 5.8.0-63-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 
  parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.8.0-63-generic 
  root=UUID=a018cecd-ae3a-4e56-8e59-a457c8dd43ab ro quiet splash 
  i915.force_probe=4c8a vt.handoff=7 
  Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.13 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm 4.14.1 
  dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS (Focal Fossa) 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel vendor: ASUSTeK driver: N/A bus-ID: 00:02.0 
  chip-ID: 8086:4c8a class-ID: 0300 
  Display: server: X.Org 1.20.11 compositor: xfwm4 v: 4.14.1 driver: 
  loaded: fbdev unloaded: modesetting,vesa display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1 
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1024x768 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 271x203mm (10.7x8.0") 
  s-diag: 339mm (13.3") 
  Monitor-1: default res: 1024x768 hz: 76 
  OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 12.0.1 256 bits) 
  v: 4.5 Mesa 21.3.0-devel (git-049c366 2021-09-29 focal-oibaf-ppa) 
  direct render: Yes 
root@makems-TUF:/home/makem#

Xorg.0.log:

https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/RYr6RBV4vM/

mrmazda · 10-05-2021, 11:03 AM

The log contains (EE) open /dev/dri/card0: No such file or directory. This causes X to use a crude fallback driver instead of the optimal default modesetting DIX driver. Typically this results from absence of installed firmware, or from trying to use a distro that is older than the IGP (graphics processor). If the IGP is too new, a kernel and/or firmware and/or Xorg server from backports is usually needed, or a newer distro is needed. Installing a backports kernel is probably the place to start here, but more simply I'd try testing removal i915.force_probe=4c8a from the kernel command line first. This can be done when the Grub menu appears by striking the E key and backspacing it away before proceeding with boot.

makem · 10-05-2021, 03:44 PM

Removed i915.force_probe=4c8a using method suggested.

The display settings have not changed, still same unchangeable resolution.

How do I test?

mrmazda · 10-05-2021, 04:38 PM

You have a Rocket Lake GPU/IGP. Rocket Lake was initially released considerably after 20.04. Thus the correct fix should be to enable the backports repo and install its newer kernel, and possibly its firmware.

makem · 10-05-2021, 04:46 PM

Thank you, I will make a start and Configure Backports for Automatic Install.

I have 'main' installed so I will look see latest kernel.

No, can't, the instructions below do not agree with what I have installed at (3) in enabling backports for ubuntu desktop. I don't see, "Unsupported updates" in updates.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuBackports

mrmazda · 10-05-2021, 06:39 PM

I don't understand your description of the problem. I've never needed a backport package in Ubuntu myself. I don't know if automatic install can apply to a need for a newer kernel. I'm guessing you probably need to specify which kernel version to install, and may need to use apt, apt-get or aptitude in a terminal to install it.

makem · 10-06-2021, 03:39 AM

Previously I have tried installing recent kernels from main and each time it results in a black screen. One time I had to do a complete re-install of the system.

In the instructions contained in the link I posted above I do not understand the concept at all. I therefore have no idea where to start installing a backport.

I think I want to install 'the package' and it's dependencies from Backports and to do that I see the command:

apt-get install -t trusty-backports amarok

However, I do not understand how to apply that in my case.

Apparently I can also make an entry in the sources list but I cannot be sure how to do that either.

makem · 10-07-2021, 07:36 AM

The problem is with ubuntu driver.

Using an HDMI lead and a DP lead together works fine if I use Windows 10. If I switch to xubuntu I get the bad resolution. This must be caused by the failure of the kernel driver to load correctly so I must wait until that is updated or use a DP or HDMI splitter.

Thank you @mrmazda for trying to help.

mrmazda · 10-07-2021, 11:24 PM

If figuring out how to install a backports kernel is too complicated for you maybe you'll be best off replacing 20.04 with 21.04 or some other newer distro. XFCE, the primary difference between Ubuntu and Xubuntu, can be added to nearly any distro.

makem · 10-08-2021, 10:08 AM

I have tried 21.04 and it also did not work. I had to reinstall 20.04.

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread....ghlight=makem2

The problem is:

"Thanks, provided logs were helpful. We can confirm that kernel driver hasn't loaded correctly on you system. In order to speed up debug and resolution we are going to reporduce this problem and debug further."

https://github.com/intel-gpu/documentation/issues/14

I think upgrading to 21.0 will not solve the kernel driver not loading correctly or they would have suggested it. The kernel driver controls the dual monitors?

mrmazda · 10-08-2021, 11:54 AM

The kernel drivers are the low level device drivers. The X display drivers depend on the kernel drivers.

21.10 is due for release next week. Surely it ought to have this fixed. You could install the beta if you can't wait 6 more days.