Scheduled Maintenance: We are aware of an issue with Google, AOL, and Yahoo services as email providers which are blocking new registrations. We are trying to fix the issue and we have several internal and external support tickets in process to resolve the issue. Please see: viewtopic.php?t=158230

 

 

 

two monitors with two gpus

New to Debian (Or Linux in general)? Ask your questions here!
Post Reply
Message
Author
avi
Posts: 5
Joined: 2022-01-06 15:14
Has thanked: 4 times

two monitors with two gpus

#1 Post by avi »

Hey, a couple of days ago i installed myself Debian with KDE Plasma, previously i had Windows.
One issue i was trying to fix all that time, and didn't is having my second monitor work properly, so far it didn't get any signal from the computer at all, the same setup works entirely fine on Windows 10.
I have two GPUs, one is an integrated intel and the other is a nvidia 1060 6gb.
My main monitor is connected through HDMI to the nvidia and works fine, the other one is connected through VGA to the motherboard and does not. It doesn't show up in Display Configuration menu or on NVIDIA X Server Settings, never before used a linux machine so i have no clue what to do after days of looking through forum posts

User avatar
cds60601
df -h | participant
df -h | participant
Posts: 706
Joined: 2017-11-25 05:58
Location: Florida
Has thanked: 129 times
Been thanked: 60 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#2 Post by cds60601 »

First, if you have not already done so, install the firmware-linux-nonfree packages
Open a terminal and execute the following: sudo apt install firmware-linux-nonfree

Next, run the command xrandr and provide us the output.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

CwF
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 2636
Joined: 2018-06-20 15:16
Location: Colorado
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 192 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#3 Post by CwF »

avi wrote: 2022-01-06 15:23 It doesn't show up in Display Configuration menu
Generally by default any secondary+ gpu will be ignored. The first is the 'boot' gpu and additional gpu's require a manual xorg.conf in /etc/x11/xorg.conf.d/ or /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/ declaring the additional hardware. This needs the definition of screen2 with pci address and driver, etc. I have no current notes...

The chosen driver matters, propriety nvidia I don't know! I had built a triple amdgpu a year back only to find the driver wasn't working well for dynamic change while up. The Nouveau and Radeon and former amdgpu-pro did work. You can script to add these declartions and the extra screen will fire up on logoff/logon cycle, or an xrandr setting for a stable config. With the right combo I could have the extra gpu's on the host or pull them and assign to vfio for vm use...got burnt by the reset bugs...

User avatar
cds60601
df -h | participant
df -h | participant
Posts: 706
Joined: 2017-11-25 05:58
Location: Florida
Has thanked: 129 times
Been thanked: 60 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#4 Post by cds60601 »

CwF wrote: 2022-01-06 17:01
avi wrote: 2022-01-06 15:23 It doesn't show up in Display Configuration menu
Generally by default any secondary+ gpu will be ignored. The first is the 'boot' gpu and additional gpu's require a manual xorg.conf in /etc/x11/xorg.conf.d/ or /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/ declaring the additional hardware.
I have never had the need to mod the xorg.conf file. Of course, my setup is a bit simpler with an hdmi external monitor and the laptop screen. xrandr/arandr just always worked for me.
arandr (sudo apt install arandr) allows the saving of a desired config and placement of the monitors once you visually place the monitors within the arandr layout screen the way you wish to see them. The created file can be called up to set the monitors based on your layout in arandr.
However, setting things up in xorg.conf my be the proper and suggested way to go, I don't know.

For those that might be interested, I used arandr to place my monitors, then modified the file to suit my needs. Since I use lightdm as my login manager then dwm, my lightdm.conf contains this entry in the [Seat:*] section:

Code: Select all

display-setup-script=/etc/lightdm/monitors.sh
Then the monitors.sh file contains the following lines:

Code: Select all

!/bin/sh
# Shutoff laptop display - use only HD monitor
xrandr --output eDP --off
xrandr --output HDMI-A-0 --mode 2560x1440
Mine isn't exactly what the Op has but the intent is to show that there can be other ways to accomplish things.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

CwF
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 2636
Joined: 2018-06-20 15:16
Location: Colorado
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 192 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#5 Post by CwF »

cds60601 wrote: 2022-01-06 17:23 I have never had the need to mod the xorg.conf file..... xrandr/arandr just always worked for me.
Yes, why I said generally. KDE, or some other mid-level agent in a DE may add the info automagically with xrandr >1.4.

Code: Select all

$ xrandr 
will show the answer.
If the intel is not present then first verify with lspci it is active. I assume the nvidia is the bios gpu, so the intel could be inactive. If active and still not listed with xrandr then add the xorg hint file something like

52-secondary_intel_gpu.conf

Code: Select all

Section "Screen 2"
	Identifier "Default Screen" (maybe)
	Device	"Card1"
EndSection
	Section "Device"
		Identifier	"Card1"
		Driver	"Intel" (?)
		BusID	"PCI:2:0:0" (to be determined)
EndSection
in a /xorg.conf.d file only additional info is needed, not a complete file. There should be no other xorg file, but I thought proprietary nvidia does create one? Good Luck!

avi
Posts: 5
Joined: 2022-01-06 15:14
Has thanked: 4 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#6 Post by avi »

Sorry for the late reply, but here's my output after the xrandr command:

and yes, the nvidia one is my boot gpu

Code: Select all

Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 32767 x 32767
DVI-D-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-0 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 598mm x 336mm
   1920x1080     60.00 +  74.97*   59.94    50.00    60.05    60.00    50.04  
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1600x900      60.00  
   1280x1024     75.02    60.02  
   1280x800      59.81  
   1280x720      60.00    59.94    50.00  
   1024x768      75.03    60.00  
   800x600       75.00    60.32  
   720x576       50.00  
   720x480       59.94  
   640x480       75.00    59.94    59.93  
DP-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-4 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-5 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

and also, output from the lspci command here:

Code: Select all

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller (rev 09)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200/2nd Generation Core Processor Family PCI Express Root Port (rev 09)
00:02.0 Display controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 05)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 05)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev b5)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev b5)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev b5)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev b5)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev b5)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 05)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation H61 Express Chipset LPC Controller (rev 05)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family 6 port Desktop SATA AHCI Controller (rev 05)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 05)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GP104 [GeForce GTX 1060 6GB] (rev a1)
01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GP104 High Definition Audio Controller (rev a1)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 15)
04:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 06)
05:00.0 USB controller: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1042 SuperSpeed USB Host Controller
06:00.0 PCI bridge: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1083/1085 PCIe to PCI Bridge (rev 01)
i see there's the "Display controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller", does that mean it's active?
Last edited by avi on 2022-01-06 19:59, edited 2 times in total.

CwF
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 2636
Joined: 2018-06-20 15:16
Location: Colorado
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 192 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#7 Post by CwF »

avi wrote: 2022-01-06 19:49 i see there's the "Display controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller", does that mean it's active?
I think so. As mentioned, you could create the proper file to run the intel as primary, log off, and lightdm would re-read the config and appear on the intel. This would cement the intel's needed info. However, this can bite! If you are wrong you will be dumped to a tty prompt, need to log on and edit the file on the command line. It's not so bad, but need a functioning tty root logon and cli editor. I'm not very familiar with the intel igpu.

It appears the intel is not in the xrandr listing, if connected I would expect something...

CwF
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 2636
Joined: 2018-06-20 15:16
Location: Colorado
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 192 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#8 Post by CwF »

I forgot...I advised for an incomplete answer...

Code: Select all

$  xrandr --listproviders
Providers: number : 2
Provider 0: blah blah
xrandr alone I ask for won't list it if not active!

avi
Posts: 5
Joined: 2022-01-06 15:14
Has thanked: 4 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#9 Post by avi »

Code: Select all

Providers: number : 2
Provider 0: id: 0x1b8 cap: 0x1, Source Output crtcs: 4 outputs: 8 associated providers: 0 name:NVIDIA-0
Provider 1: id: 0x201 cap: 0xf, Source Output, Sink Output, Source Offload, Sink Offload crtcs: 2 outputs: 3 associated providers: 0 name:modesetting
yeah that shows the second one, not sure what to make of that modesetting part tho, ill be trying to do the instructions provided above today tho so we'll see how it goes

for BusID in the conf file, i should just use the id shown in the lspci right?
i guess maybe a stupid question but we're in beginners section and i really don't wanna break anything lol
Last edited by avi on 2022-01-07 09:29, edited 2 times in total.

avi
Posts: 5
Joined: 2022-01-06 15:14
Has thanked: 4 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#10 Post by avi »

quick update, i used /sys with the address from lspci to check the driver that my intel uses, apparently its i915

Code: Select all

root@aviPC:/home/avi# find /sys | grep drivers.*00:02.0
/sys/bus/pci/drivers/i915/0000:00:02.0
after booting up, there's signal to both monitors! now the problem is, this signal is just a black screen... not sure what to do now, you mentioned editing the file through command line, i guess there's also the option of putting my ssd into a different computer

okayy so i fiddled around and decided to reinstall the whole system because there was nothing to loose anyway, now i have plasma and gnome, on gnome the second screen works fine but on plasma it does not. i made the same file again (contents below), it logs into gnome fine but when i change it to plasma it doesn't log in, it accepts the password, hides the ui but after few seconds jumps back to the login screen. really not sure what's wrong

Code: Select all

Section "Screen 2"
        Identifier "Default Screen"
        Device  "Card1"
EndSection
        Section "Device"
                Identifier      "Card1"
                Driver  "i915"
                BusID   "PCI:00:02.0"
EndSection
Last edited by avi on 2022-01-07 09:51, edited 2 times in total.

CwF
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 2636
Joined: 2018-06-20 15:16
Location: Colorado
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 192 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#11 Post by CwF »

avi wrote: 2022-01-07 09:15 i guess maybe a stupid question but we're in beginners section and i really don't wanna break anything lol
You are exploring excellently! You restore my faith and willingness to offer my nuggets even when they are not gift wrapped and complete!
cds60601 wrote: 2022-01-06 17:23 For those that might be interested, I used arandr to place my monitors, then modified the file to suit my needs.
This is the end of the idea, where the outputs are properly enumerated, names and all, and can then be placed by coordinates or 'rightof' 'below' and other formats I've seen..

You are in between, as I stated the middle man matters and I'm not familiar with all methods. I'd hope someone has some DE specific info on how to do this. I'm on XFCE (of course!) and as you are finding. others differ. Bonus points on understanding the driver and BusID parts! When I did my exploration I blew it up a few times, and then left it alone because dynamic config wasn't possible with the hardware. This idea here was in the middle of me yanking gpu's from the driver, reassigning to vfio and back...So I remind you - editing the xorg.conf and cycling logon is all that is should be needed, no reboots required.

With all that, it's in your hands!
Once an xorg.conf of your creation, or a DE with some agent that does this for us, then you have the names of the outputs to feed into xrandr for positioning. Also search for this position info in an xorg.conf file, another thing I forgot, something like I mentioned "rightof" or something declared in there, then no xrandr help is needed, though xrandr may be preferred to more adaptable.

So I do run a wall of monitors and I *should* know this. The 'dynamic assignment' is my only contribution, with notes on 'reset bugs' I've also found xfce 'channels' configs hold old info and is confusing, other DE's are different, etc. I retreated to running a virtual OS per gpu and left it static. I'm not in a position to revisit this now, but hope you keep probing!

avi
Posts: 5
Joined: 2022-01-06 15:14
Has thanked: 4 times

Re: two monitors with two gpus

#12 Post by avi »

Thanks for kind words :)
i kinda gave up after having to reinstall the system with each mistake, got GNOME DE and it worked fine.
now i switched to cinnamon because i just don't like how gnome operates and have a similar problem but the screen is at least recognized. I will fight and fight until i get to it and update on any achievements. Sadly i have very little time per week to do *stuff*, also there are other hobbies so it might take some time.
linux world is very fascinating! i like how audio is handled, that i can easily have a equalizer that works well and that i can make quick scripts to run multiple softs that cooperate and stuff, very fun
ill continue to explore and i encourage everyone who might be reading this to do so even if it sounds overwhelming at first!

Post Reply