Cloning the Output to the External Monitor
This is the easiest solution, so let's start with this one first. To get this working, you just need to copy the following 3 lines to your device section in the xorg.conf file. With this setup, you can run Beryl on both Monitors and you can simply plug the external Monitor anytime you want and the output is cloned to the external display. My Device Section in the xorg.conf file just looks as follows:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Intel Corporation Mobile Integrated Graphics Controller"
Driver "i810"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
Option "MonitorLayout" "CRT,LFP"
Option "Clone" "true"
Option "DevicePresence" "true"
EndSection
So restart X by pressing Ctrl+Alt+BackSpace, and plug in your Display.
Xinerama
This one is harded to set up correctly, but I will post my xorg.conf file, so each Thinkpad x60 user should be able to use it. First of all you need to Device Sections, each having a unique Identifier.
Section "Device"
Identifier "Intel Corporation Mobile Integrated Graphics Controller"
Driver "i810"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
Option "VBERestore" "true"
Option "DRI" "true"
Option "SWCursor" "true"
Option "MonitorLayout" "CRT,LFP"
Screen 0
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Intel Corporation Mobile Integrated Graphics Controller 2"
Driver "i810"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
Option "Display" "CRT"
Option "MonitorLayout" "CRT,LFP"
Screen 1
EndSection
You will need two Monitor Sections:
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "External Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection
You will need two Screen Sections, here you need to define the resolutions and depth for the External Monitor:
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Intel Corporation Mobile Integrated Graphics Controller"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024×768"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "External Screen"
Device "Intel Corporation Mobile Integrated Graphics Controller 2"
Monitor "External Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280×1024" "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280×1024" "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280×1024" "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280×1024" "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280×1024" "1024×768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280×1024" "1024×768"
EndSubSection
EndSection
And last, you need to specify the ServerLayout and you should enable Xinerama in the ServerFlags:
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "TwoScreenLayout"
Screen 0 "Default Screen" 0 0
Screen 1 "External Screen" LeftOf "Default Screen"
Option "Xinerama" "On"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
Option "Xinerama" "true"
EndSection
And that's it. Now, you should have a working xorg.conf file for Dual Head, where the External Screen is Left of the Internal.(Speficied in the ServerLayout) You may replace "leftOf" with "RightOf", "AboveOf" or "belowOf". You will find my complete xorg.conf files on the Download Page.
Remarks
- To switch between 2(or more) xorg.conf file, keep a copy of each xorg.conf file and just replace the xorg.conf file with the desired one.
- It is also possible to define multiple instances of ServerLayout's and change them at load time by xstart — -layout "Identifier". If nothing is specified, the first speficied ServerLayout is loaded. You can change this by defining an Option in ServerFlags Option "DefaultServerLayout" "IDENTIFIER".
- Ubuntu lacks a tool to configure the xorg.conf file, like SaX2.
- It would be nice when pressing the Fn+F7 keys, showing a dialog for switching to the desired xServer configuration(even if it would need to restart X) But there is still some room for improvements fo X I wish you good luck using Dual Head and Ubuntu on your Thinkpad x60
As usual, I am happy to get some Comments or Emails. Just write me if you have a recommendation, remark or a question.
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Thank you so much for this guide! Followed it to configure my Sony VGN-N21Z and Samsung SyncMaster 204B. It works perfectly!
Just curious what kind of resolution you get from your second monitor? Is it more than 1280 x 768? I’m trying to understand how well the x60 is capable of driving a second monitor.
Well my display only supports a 1280×1024 resolution. So I don’t know if it’s possible to get a higher resolution with the Intel Graphics Chipset?
Currently, I am using 1280×1024 resolution for the external display and it works fine.
I am using X60 as well, have cut-paste your xorg.conf, but still can’t get the dual head to work. Can advise me what’s to do next?
I’ve two screen up, can’t see the login screen -
Hi Thomas,
Well, which xorg.conf file have you copied? Are you using Beryl or Compiz?
So at boot time everything is normal, I guess? But then the login screen is not showing up? On which Screen do you expect it to show up?
Hi Thierry,
I’ve got xorg.conf_xinerama_wBs from your download section, and I’m using Compiz at the moment. Both screen(laptop, monitor) looks the same, there’re no login screen.
Expect the login screen to show up on the lcd laptop.
regards,
Hi Thomas,
Currently, there are some problems using Compiz with the Xinerama XOrg.conf configuration. So as it seems Beryl/Compiz has problems with Dual Screen setups.
So I would suggest to disable Compiz if you want to use Dual Screen with Xinerama. I have done the same, and currently I haven’t found another solution.
Best Regards
Hi Thierry,
very nice article, got it working on my x60 as well, but with one extension:
To get a higher screen resolution than 1280×1024 I had to install “915resolution”. I’m running now 1600×1200, which is a lot of fun.
Thanks,
Torsten
Hi Thorsten,
Thanks, for your message, I will also check out your suggestion.
As somebody pointed out https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/42898,
it is possible to get the Fn F7 keys working, by installing the following package “i810switch” and running “i810rotate” in a terminal.
I will check this out soon..
Best Regards
Hi All
Im wodering if anyone knows how can one turn off his monitor on the x60 ?
perhaps FN “SOMETHING” ? .. I cannot recall how but with edgy running on thinkpad R50e i could do that with FN F7..
Thnx Folks!:)
How about dual heads through a port replicator? I have an x60, but have so far been unsuccessful in getting them working together with Xinerama. If anyone has a similar setup we can do this off list until a resolution has been found. Thanks!
JB
Cloning the output - worked like a breeze. Wonderful! Thanks a million!
Your advice actually saved my neck because I realized that there was a problem only a couple of hours before I had to give a presentation to a group of colleagues.
I have the same problem with my thinkpad x60. Only laptop screen works. No video output to the external monitor. It worked a few days ago, must be due to a windows update.
Where do I find this file xorg.conf or perhaps it does not exist in Windows Vista? Is there a different solution for Win Vista OS?
Your help is appreciated.
IS