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[Solved] dual Radeon setup: persist display settings

Linux Kernel, Network, and Services configuration.
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dethegeek
Posts: 14
Joined: 2014-01-31 19:57

[Solved] dual Radeon setup: persist display settings

#1 Post by dethegeek »

Hi

This week I replaced 2 GeForce 710 GPUs with 2 Radeon R5 230 (plugged to 2 monitors on each GPU). The purpose is to get rid of Xinerama + Zaphod Mode and use RandR. This way, I get better performance and RedShift works on all monitors.

For those interested, here are the links to the working solution (for me):
https://www.phoronix.com/forums/forum/l ... rama/page2
https://www.phoronix.com/forums/forum/l ... -gpu-works

In short, here is the solution:
- do not create a xorg.conf monitors on the first GPU are enabled, others are inactive.
- after login, type in a terminal:
# check there are 2 providers
xrandr --listproviders
# enable all monitors
xrandr --setprovideroutputsource 1 0
# use the GUI monitor setup tool to place screens relatively each other.
# or use xrandr CLI

It works very well, but if my session locks due to inactivity or if I logout / login, I have to repeat the commands. My configuration is not persisted.

In the links I gave above, there is no indication to persist these settings other than creating a script. I thought launching a script when my session starts, but this does not do the trick when I unlock my session.

Do you know a better solution to persist my 4 monitors enabled ? Maybe by triggering a script when I unlock my session ?

Thank you !
Last edited by dethegeek on 2017-07-15 17:49, edited 1 time in total.

dethegeek
Posts: 14
Joined: 2014-01-31 19:57

Re: dual Radeon setup: persist display settings

#2 Post by dethegeek »

Hi

I created a script to reduce pain whe setting up my monitors. Being too lazy to read the man page, I searched for ready to use examples, and found the following:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2381 ... ith-xrandr

Maybe putting the script in lightdm.conf as described would solve my question, in addition to the login screen.

dethegeek
Posts: 14
Joined: 2014-01-31 19:57

Re: dual Radeon setup: persist display settings

#3 Post by dethegeek »

Hi

I created the following script, used when my session starts. However if I lock my session and reopen it my session is a fresh one: all my previously running applications are closed. I also notice I have to do 2 login attempts: the first one fails silently, and the second one succeeds.

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh
xrandr --setprovideroutputsource 1 0
xrandr --output DVI-1 --left-of HDMI-1
xrandr --output HDMI-1-0 --below HDMI-1
xrandr --output DVI-1-0 --below DVI-1
I found a patch to implement a new option in the serversettings section supposed to do the same as xrandr --setprovideroutputsource.

https://patchwork.freedesktop.org/patch/109264/

I'll try it.

dethegeek
Posts: 14
Joined: 2014-01-31 19:57

Re: dual Radeon setup: persist display settings

#4 Post by dethegeek »

Hi

Still talking to myself, maybe noone knows a working setup. Anyway I'm still searching.

I downloaded the sources of the package xserver-xorg-core to test the patch I mentioned in my previous post. Tha patch is working, and I now have an option AutoBindGPU available in the ServerFlags section. I created an xorg.conf with only this option, no ither option, and no other section.

Code: Select all

Section "ServerFlags"
	Option "AutoBindGPU" "True"
EndSection

The option seems working: when I login I no longer need to run xrandr to enable all my monitors. They're automatically enabled.

However in the login screen, I only have 2 monitors and I g uess this makes an isue when I lock my session and open it again. As usual, my session closes after unlocking, and I have to login again. My current work is lost.

I'm now trying various xorg.conf files to setup a single screen section with all monitors.

My xorg.conf looks like this, but it does not solbes this last issue

Code: Select all

Section "ServerFlags"
	Option "AutoBindGPU" "True"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier "Card0"
	Driver "radeon"
	BusID "PCI:1:0:0
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier "Card1"
	Driver "radeon"
	BusID "PCI:4:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Default Screen Section"	
	Device "Card0"
	GPUDevice "Card1"
EndSection
I did not found clear enough explanations about GPUDevices in man pages. Do someone can explain me what it does ?

dethegeek
Posts: 14
Joined: 2014-01-31 19:57

Re: dual Radeon setup: persist display settings

#5 Post by dethegeek »

hi

Still talking to myself. I updated my system today. the package lightdm had an update, and I froze xserver packages to not overwrite the patch I'm using. I noticed unlocking my session works now (under Debian Sid).

Problem solved with a patch to xserver-core.

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