no detection of external display or display switching on Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)

[David Kaplan]

Binary package hint: xorg

I am running hardy heron with all the updates on a Lenovo 3000 v100 laptop with an integrated Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03). gnome-display-properties does not detect a second display, only a single display. That display can be either the internal LCD display or, if I boot up with the external monitor connected and on, the external display, but never both. As such, I am unable to switch between displays.

[David Kaplan (dmkaplan)]

results from "sudo lspci -v" relevant to display:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
 Subsystem: Lenovo Unknown device 2083
 Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
 Memory at d8100000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
 I/O ports at 1800 [size=8]
 Memory at c0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
 Memory at d8200000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]
 Capabilities: [90] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit- Queue=0/0 Enable-
 Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2

00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
 Subsystem: Lenovo Unknown device 2083
 Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
 Memory at d8180000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
 Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

Please add 'Option "ModeDebug" "true"' to your xorg.conf in the Driver section and attach the resulting /var/log/Xorg.0.log.

[unggnu (unggnu)]

You are still using the deprecated -i810 driver. Please regenerate your xorg.conf with the command >>sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg<< without (>><<). Confirm every question with enter and logout afterwards. After the login the display should working out of the box if it was connected on start.
If not please attach the file /var/log/Xorg.0.log.

[David Kaplan (dmkaplan)]

Reconfiguring the X server worked. Thanks very much for your help - I have had this problem for a long time, but never had the time to submit a bug report. This will make my life much easier.

One comment though: I am seeing the same problem as bug #238215 - I am only allowed to "clone screens", I am unable to do dual head with the gnome-display-properties tool. Do you have any debugging suggestions for this or is this exclusively a problem with the gnome-display-properties tool?

[David Kaplan (dmkaplan)]

I followed the suggestions of bug #238215 and manually edited xorg.conf to add a subsection "Display" with Virtual directive. This allowed me to dual head.

[unggnu (unggnu)]

Ok, closing the bug report per user comment.