SOLVED: Span, Extend Desktop Across Multiple Monitors (two)

[Loci.Cantos]

Hi Everyone,

My situation is this: I've installed Stretch.

I've got two Radeon HD 6870s in this box, as well as two monitors. The monitors are connected to the primary card, and the two cards are in crossfire configuration.
I ran this identical setup on opensuse and it worked well; all I needed to do was modify the displays settings to recognize the second monitor.
As you know, that won't work with debian.

Ergo, I edited my /etc/apt/sources.list adding non-free sources, ran apt-get for the update and installation of the firmware/software
When probed, Stretch acknowledges the second graphics card.
The primary display looks great!
But no second display.
I looked in the xorg file and there's no xorg.conf to modify.
It's been a while since I've worked from the ground, up, in the cl, and I'm not sure which file I need to to modify in order to load the parms for the second monitor.

Can I get a pointer in the right direction, please? Thank you.

lc

[bw123]

xrandr is the go-to app for this, most stuff I have read discourages xorg.conf but I still do something similar anyway. You can create a folder and put little snippets in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d to help X figure out what you want. This is what I like instead of an xorg.conf

Some (most?) of the desktop environments will take care of this for you with a gui. If you let people know what desktop, if any, you are using there may be a really simple solution. You may not need to do any manual editing or use any conf files.

...
My situation is this: I've installed Stretch.
...

That's really lame, because nobody will know what you mean. Did you install Xorg? Did you install a window manager? a desktop like gnome, kde, etc?

...
When probed, Stretch acknowledges the second graphics card.
...

Show it, copy and paste the command you probed with, and the output.

[Loci.Cantos]

I'm pretty sure people in this debian forum know what "stretch" is; but because you asked, I'll specify.
I'm referring to: the linux build pseudonym debian 9.5; codename: stretch.

I identified xorg.conf because this is the last file I edited for graphics some years back -but as I said, it's been a while. Your comment about xrandr is correct and somewhat useful as a pointer, although it does not resolve the question at hand which is, given your identification of xrandr: how to use xrandr to span, that is, to extend, the desktop over multiple monitors (two). xrandr appears to operate in place of xorg.conf. I'm researching this now.

I thank you for that suggestion.

My post outlines:
1) the hardware and its configuration
2) the drivers I installed
3) the success of the driver installation
4) the primary monitor properly functioning
5) the system recognizes the second monitor (details here)
To be specific as you requested: command: # "lspci -nn | grep VGA" returns
05:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Barts XT [Radeon HD 6870] [1002:6738]
06:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Barts XT [Radeon HD 6870] [1002:6738]
6) my question is, given these conditions, what do I need to do to add my second monitor to the display matrix?

One last thing: Whenever I logout of or into a different desktop, KDE, GNOME, Cinnamon, and the rest, the second monitor lights up and begins searching for a persistent signal but does not find one. I interpret this to mean signals are being sent to the graphics card for this port, which makes sense given that the system recognizes the card. The persistent signal is the problem.

Informational
command: # "xrandr" returns
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
DisplayPort-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DisplayPort-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-0 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 553mm x 309mm
1920x1080 60.00*+ 50.00 59.94
1680x1050 59.88
1600x900 60.00
1280x1024 60.02
1440x900 59.90
1280x800 59.91
1280x720 60.00 50.00 59.94
1024x768 60.00
800x600 60.32
720x576 50.00
720x480 60.00 59.94
640x480 60.00 59.94
720x400 70.08
DVI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

command: # "xrandr --prop" returns
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
DisplayPort-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
output_csc: bypass
supported: bypass, tvrgb, ycbcr601, ycbcr709
audio: auto
supported: off, on, auto
scaling mode: None
supported: None, Full, Center, Full aspect
dither: off
supported: off, on
underscan vborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan hborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan: off
supported: off, on, auto
coherent: 1
range: (0, 1)
DisplayPort-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
output_csc: bypass
supported: bypass, tvrgb, ycbcr601, ycbcr709
audio: auto
supported: off, on, auto
scaling mode: None
supported: None, Full, Center, Full aspect
dither: off
supported: off, on
underscan vborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan hborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan: off
supported: off, on, auto
coherent: 1
range: (0, 1)
HDMI-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
output_csc: bypass
supported: bypass, tvrgb, ycbcr601, ycbcr709
audio: auto
supported: off, on, auto
scaling mode: None
supported: None, Full, Center, Full aspect
dither: off
supported: off, on
underscan vborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan hborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan: off
supported: off, on, auto
coherent: 1
range: (0, 1)
DVI-0 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 553mm x 309mm
EDID:
00ffffffffffff0022f0223301000000
071b010380371f782aa5a0a557519d26
0f5054a10800d1c0b300a9c095008180
810081c00101023a801871382d40582c
450029352100001e000000fd00323c1e
5011000a202020202020000000fc0048
5020323565730a2020202020000000ff
0033434d3730373037385220202001f5
020319b149901f041303120102116703
0c0010000022e2002b023a801871382d
40582c450029352100001e023a80d072
382d40102c458029352100001e011d00
7251d01e206e28550029352100001e01
1d00bc52d01e20b82855402935210000
1e8c0ad08a20e02d10103e9600293521
00001800000000000000000000000048
output_csc: bypass
supported: bypass, tvrgb, ycbcr601, ycbcr709
audio: auto
supported: off, on, auto
scaling mode: None
supported: None, Full, Center, Full aspect
dither: off
supported: off, on
underscan vborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan hborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan: off
supported: off, on, auto
coherent: 1
range: (0, 1)
1920x1080 60.00*+ 50.00 59.94
1680x1050 59.88
1600x900 60.00
1280x1024 60.02
1440x900 59.90
1280x800 59.91
1280x720 60.00 50.00 59.94
1024x768 60.00
800x600 60.32
720x576 50.00
720x480 60.00 59.94
640x480 60.00 59.94
720x400 70.08
DVI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
output_csc: bypass
supported: bypass, tvrgb, ycbcr601, ycbcr709
load detection: 1
range: (0, 1)
audio: auto
supported: off, on, auto
scaling mode: None
supported: None, Full, Center, Full aspect
dither: off
supported: off, on
underscan vborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan hborder: 0
range: (0, 128)
underscan: off
supported: off, on, auto
coherent: 1
range: (0, 1)

I'm presently researching this issue with the following documentation, but with no joy:
https://xorg-team.pages.debian.net/xorg ... randr.html
https://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/proto ... rproto.txt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RandR#Disabling_an_output
https://www.x.org/archive/X11R7.5/doc/m ... ndr.1.html
https://www.x.org/archive/current/doc/m ... l#heading4
https://askubuntu.com/questions/186288/ ... ith-xrandr
https://tinyurl.com/y7sg4zgz

[Segfault]

I put following to my ~/.xinitrc to set up my displays when X starts.

Code: Select all

xrandr --output HDMI3 --primary --below HDMI1

This is an example only indeed.

[Loci.Cantos]

Thank you, Segfault. I'll play with the syntax for my DVI and HDMI tomorrow and see what I get. If I am successful, I'll add the command to the ~/.xinitrc file as you prescribe, then test again. Success or failure, I'll report back. Thanks again.

[Loci.Cantos]

Last night I ordered a Radeon RX 560. When it arrives, if there are any difficulties, I'll create a new post.

Thank you for your help.

lc

[Loci.Cantos]

Okay. I got the RX 560, installed it. Works great in Gnome classic, this latest iteration of which is absolutely the most beautiful interface I've worked with; and it's smooth and clean and crisp.
So I thought I'd wander and look at the other desktops I installed.
Logged out.
Tried to boot into Plasma -it defaulted back to Gnome classic.
Logged out.
Tried to boot into Gnome (panels) -it defaulted back to Gnome classic.
Logged out.
I tried to boot into X11 (Default) which appears to be a mate/gnome hybrid, everything went black.
Reboot -no login screen, all black.
Again. Nothing.
Again. Nothing.

I feel like the guy who's just a head and who rolls into a bar. He drinks one shot and grows a body. Another, an arm appears and so on until he's got a full body with all appendages. Then, he has one more shot to celebrate, but he disappears. Moral of the story: Quit while you're ahead.

All kidding aside, any suggestions?

I know I can go in at init level 3 and change the desktop in some configuration file but I forget the key sequence to interrupt the init level 5 trigger. Wait. Boot menu into advanced, maybe. Anyway, I'm sure I'll figure this out. I did say I'd report back so I am.

Also, I just want to say, these teams of developers have put together a stunningly beautiful and powerful o/s. It's come a long way since 1994/5 when I first started working with it (I remember moding the first modular kernel in redhat, that was pretty exciting at the time). But, I never felt like it got to a point where it was anything more than an ongoing project. This is why I've faded in and out with it over the years. When I first installed leap 42.1, then .2, then .3, I thought wow, this is promising. But opensuse was missing some things I wanted. When I recently installed debian 9.5, it strikes me as fully ready for prime time with pretty much everything I need. Itself needing minimal adjustment, runs rock solid, and with absolutely beautiful interfaces. Well worth the time necessary to learn (or re-learn) some basics. I think the linux development and testing teams deserve great credit for this -all of them but especially the debian team for working through some tough years and maintaining a monster canonical release catalog. It's no longer merely a contender. All things considered equal, it's truly head and shoulders above the rest. My opinion of course.

Thanks again for your help.

lc

[Loci.Cantos]

NOTE: When I started this post I had two Radeon HD 3870s. I have removed them and I am no longer using them. In their place I installed a Radeon rx 560. Also, rather than using two DVI ports, this card (for my setup) uses one DVI port and one hdmi port. Ergo, this information covers the installation of the new Radeon rx 560. But the purpose of this process is still to install the proper drivers and gain the functionality for extending the desktop across multiple monitors (two in my case).

FYI: Make sure you get the original, fully functional, version of the rx 560 if you choose this card (or maybe choose a different card). AMD has downgraded the card. When I got mine, I made sure it was the original. Information in these links:
https://www.techpowerup.com/239421/amd- ... sp-variant
https://www.overclock3d.net/news/gpu_di ... troversy/1

The solution I found was written by Nick Congleton and may be found at the following url:
https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install- ... etch-linux
NOTE: The rev. levels Nick refers to are great at the time of his writing, but their evolution later became ambiguous. His description is excellent as is his warning to get the drivers installed early so later drivers don't re-rout your build. The rev. levels and dates weren't ambiguous when he wrote his installation guide; it was good information. However, as development has progressed -and the development is moving very quickly- the dates and levels seem ambiguous (to me). He may have made some changes to his installation page but left other parts unchanged, making it a bit confusing (again, to me). This may be a misunderstanding on my part, but the dates and revs. appear to be somewhat contradictory. Your mileage may vary.

When you get to the LLVM/Clang section you'll need to spend a little time selecting understanding what you want for your build.
http://www.llvm.org/
http://releases.llvm.org/ [this is where I noted the contradictions in the dates and rev. levels between Nick's page and the release descriptions. But don't let this cause you to stumble because the next link is golden and makes this release page nearly irrelevant]

This is where you want to go when you get to the LLVM section: Build specific apt packages released daily for "LLVM + Clang + compiler-rt + polly + LLDB + LLD + libFuzzer."
https://apt.llvm.org/

NOTE: this may be the wrong way to do it but it worked. Still, it may have worked in-spite-of my present ignorance. So, if someone can bring better understanding to this process, please do:
I wasn't sure what to do with this information at first, but it looks like a sources listing to me. So, I edited my /etc/apt/sources.list, documenting the date and the purpose for the change, then added the following section from https://apt.llvm.org/ to /etc/apt/sources.list (using Nick's instructions in the drivers update section):

deb http://apt.llvm.org/stretch/ llvm-toolchain-stretch main
deb-src http://apt.llvm.org/stretch/ llvm-toolchain-stretch main
# 5.0
deb http://apt.llvm.org/stretch/ llvm-toolchain-stretch-5.0 main
deb-src http://apt.llvm.org/stretch/ llvm-toolchain-stretch-5.0 main
# 6.0
deb http://apt.llvm.org/stretch/ llvm-toolchain-stretch-6.0 main
deb-src http://apt.llvm.org/stretch/ llvm-toolchain-stretch-6.0 main

Then I used the apt update and apt installation syntax in Nick's guide
# apt update && apt upgrade
# apt install [driver package name]

It worked for me. The graphics are stunning, and very fast. And, I've extended my desktop across 2x 24" monitors. It's a big, beautiful, smoothly functioning, workspace.

NOTE: But I welcome someone to do a better job than I have of explaining this process. If you are of a mind to so, it would be helpful to others and you will likely correct errors I may have made.