Has external monitor connected to the laptop but xrandr shows only 1 monitor

[pegasus]

Binary package hint: x11-xserver-utils

Using IBM Thinkpad 600x, video is Neomagic MagicGraph 256ZX, Ubuntu 9.10

Whether I connect or not connect the external monitor, the xrandr always shows only 1 monitor.

pegasus@pegasus-laptop:~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 240, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
   1024x768 75.0* 60.0 70.0
   800x600 75.0 60.0 72.0 56.0
   640x480 75.0 60.0 73.0
   320x240 75.0 73.0 60.0

They both display with the correct resolution. The display are identical. However, my intention is to do dual monitor (having 2 different displays). Since the xrandr lists only 1 monitor, I cannot set up dual monitor any further.

The dual monitor worked with the preloaded Win98. It does not work with Win XP due to different architecture (documented in Lenovo). Win XP could still detect external monitor and even tell the monitor's brand and model correctly. Thus, I believe this problem is not due to hardware limitation.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
CheckboxCommand: xrandr
CheckboxDescription:
 The following screens and video modes have been detected on your system:

 $output

 Is this correct?
CheckboxSubmission: fca7a5cb9557937ccead47a6e6b150b7
CheckboxSystem: b1cca5f799a911bbb44e7180c2fd235d
CheckboxTest: xrandr_detect_modes
Date: Wed Nov 4 22:38:38 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. USB-2.0 4-Port HUB
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
MachineType: IBM 26455EA
Package: x11-xserver-utils 7.4+2ubuntu3
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
 Socket 1:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   3.3V 32-bit PC Card
 Socket 1:
   3.3V 32-bit PC Card
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=0847db61-acf5-46bd-bbd0-e1bd904099c9 ro quiet splash acpi=force pci=noacpi
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 xserver-xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
 libgl1-mesa-glx 7.6.0-1ubuntu4
 libdrm2 2.4.14-1ubuntu1
 xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.9.0-1ubuntu2
 xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.12.99+git20090929.7968e1fb-0ubuntu1
SourcePackage: x11-xserver-utils
Tags: checkbox-bug
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic i686
XorgConf: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/etc/X11/xorg.conf'
XsessionErrors:
 (gnome-settings-daemon:1316): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (nautilus:1372): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
 (polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:1379): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed
 (gnome-panel:1371): Gtk-WARNING **: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to allocate widget with width -3 and height 24
dmi.bios.date: 11/30/1999
dmi.bios.vendor: IBM
dmi.bios.version: ITET55WW
dmi.board.name: 26455EA
dmi.board.vendor: IBM
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: IBM
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnIBM:bvrITET55WW:bd11/30/1999:svnIBM:pn26455EA:pvrNotAvailable:rvnIBM:rn26455EA:rvrNotAvailable:cvnIBM:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 26455EA
dmi.product.version: Not Available
dmi.sys.vendor: IBM
fglrx: Not loaded
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 architecture: i686kernel: 2.6.31-14-generic

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

I don't think the neomagic driver supports multihead, or ever will.

[aeromojito (aeromojito)]

My results are the same on a Sony PCG-F580K, Neomagic MagicMedia 256XL+ (NM2380). Please see if you are also affected by Bug #564378
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-neomagic/+bug/564378

[aeromojito (aeromojito)]

I also discovered that the image on the external monitor shimmers when the external and internal monitors are both enabled in xorg.conf. I don't believe this to be a hardware problem because it doesn't happen in Windows 2000. It also does not happen when the internal monitor is disabled.

[bugbot (bugbot)]

This bug report was filed against an old version of Ubuntu.
Can you confirm whether this is still an issue in natty?

If you don't mind, it would be very helpful if you could update the bug
report in launchpad to 'Fix Released' if it is no longer an issue for
you, or if it is still occurring under natty, please tag the bug 'natty'
so it's easier for us to track.

[Jasmine Hassan (jasmine-aura)]

Confirming, as I have the same exact chipset as the original poster (nm2360 / MagicGraph 256ZX), on a Dell Latitude CPt/CPx

Running lubuntu-desktop on Ubuntu 11.04 (natty)

xserver-xorg-video-neomagic: 1:1.2.5-1ubuntu3

# lspci | grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Neomagic Corporation NM2360 [MagicMedia 256ZX]

# xrandr -q
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 240, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
   1024x768 60.0*
   800x600 60.0 56.0
   640x480 60.0
   320x240 60.0

[pegasus (wit000)]

Hello,
For the question from bugbot whether it is still occurring under natty, sorry, I do not have the status. The Koala is the only version I use.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

​​​​this driver has been removed from Ubuntu, closing the bugs