I have also encountered this with both Intel and ATI cards

djc@blado:~$ pyxrandr
XRandR 1.2
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 1024, maximum 1280 x 1200
          359mm x 287mm
Crtcs: 2
Sizes @ Refresh Rates:
  [0] 1280 x 1024 @ [60]
  [1] 1024 x 768 @ [75, 60]
  [2] 800 x 600 @ [75, 60]
  [3] 640 x 480 @ [75, 60]
  [4] 720 x 400 @ [70]
Rotations: normal right inverted left 
Outputs:
  VGA-0 (not connected)
  S-video (not connected)
  DVI-0 (359mm x 287mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1280 x 1024 @ 60 * 
      [1] 1280 x 1024 @ 59 (preferred) 
      [2] 1024 x 768 @ 75 
      [3] 1024 x 768 @ 60 
      [4] 800 x 600 @ 75 
      [5] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [6] 640 x 480 @ 75 
      [7] 640 x 480 @ 60 
      [8] 720 x 400 @ 70 
    Rotations: normal right inverted left 
djc@blado:~$ pyxrandr
XRandR 1.2
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 1024, maximum 1280 x 1200
          359mm x 287mm
Crtcs: 2
Sizes @ Refresh Rates:
  [0] 1280 x 1024 @ [60]
  [1] 1024 x 768 @ [75, 60]
  [2] 800 x 600 @ [75, 60]
  [3] 640 x 480 @ [75, 60]
  [4] 720 x 400 @ [70]
Rotations: normal right inverted left 
Outputs:
  VGA-0 (0mm x 0mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1280 x 800 @ 59 (preferred) 
      [1] 1280 x 768 @ 60 
      [2] 1024 x 768 @ 60 
      [3] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [4] 640 x 480 @ 59 
    Rotations: normal 
  S-video (not connected)
  DVI-0 (359mm x 287mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1280 x 1024 @ 60 * 
      [1] 1280 x 1024 @ 59 (preferred) 
      [2] 1024 x 768 @ 75 
      [3] 1024 x 768 @ 60 
      [4] 800 x 600 @ 75 
      [5] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [6] 640 x 480 @ 75 
      [7] 640 x 480 @ 60 
      [8] 720 x 400 @ 70 
    Rotations: normal right inverted left 
djc@blado:~$ pyxrandr
XRandR 1.2
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 1024, maximum 1280 x 1200
          359mm x 287mm
Crtcs: 2
Sizes @ Refresh Rates:
  [0] 1280 x 1024 @ [60]
  [1] 1024 x 768 @ [75, 60]
  [2] 800 x 600 @ [75, 60]
  [3] 640 x 480 @ [75, 60]
  [4] 720 x 400 @ [70]
Rotations: normal right inverted left 
Outputs:
  VGA-0 (0mm x 0mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1280 x 800 @ 59 (preferred) 
      [1] 1280 x 768 @ 60 
      [2] 1024 x 768 @ 60 
      [3] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [4] 640 x 480 @ 59 
    Rotations: normal 
  S-video (not connected)
  DVI-0 (359mm x 287mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1280 x 1024 @ 60 * 
      [1] 1280 x 1024 @ 59 (preferred) 
      [2] 1024 x 768 @ 75 
      [3] 1024 x 768 @ 60 
      [4] 800 x 600 @ 75 
      [5] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [6] 640 x 480 @ 75 
      [7] 640 x 480 @ 60 
      [8] 720 x 400 @ 70 
    Rotations: normal right inverted left 
djc@blado:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA-0 --preferred
XRandR 1.2
djc@blado:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA-0 --off
XRandR 1.2
djc@blado:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA-0 --preferred 
XRandR 1.2
djc@blado:~$ pyxrandr --output DVI-0 --off
XRandR 1.2
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 ()
  Serial number of failed request:  17
  Current serial number in output stream:  18
djc@blado:~$ 


djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr
XRandR 1.2
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 2624 x 1968
          304mm x 228mm
Crtcs: 2
Sizes @ Refresh Rates:
  [0] 1024 x 768 @ [60, 50]
  [1] 800 x 600 @ [60]
  [2] 640 x 480 @ [60]
Rotations: normal right inverted left 
Outputs:
  LVDS (304mm x 228mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1024 x 768 @ 60 * 
      [1] 1024 x 768 @ 49 (preferred) 
      [2] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [3] 640 x 480 @ 60 
      [4] 640 x 480 @ 59 
    Rotations: normal right inverted left 
  VGA (not connected)
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr
XRandR 1.2
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 2624 x 1968
          304mm x 228mm
Crtcs: 2
Sizes @ Refresh Rates:
  [0] 1024 x 768 @ [60, 50]
  [1] 800 x 600 @ [60]
  [2] 640 x 480 @ [60]
Rotations: normal right inverted left 
Outputs:
  LVDS (304mm x 228mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1024 x 768 @ 60 * 
      [1] 1024 x 768 @ 49 (preferred) 
      [2] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [3] 640 x 480 @ 60 
      [4] 640 x 480 @ 59 
    Rotations: normal right inverted left 
  VGA (0mm x 0mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1280 x 800 @ 59 (preferred) 
      [1] 1280 x 768 @ 60 
      [2] 1024 x 768 @ 60 
      [3] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [4] 640 x 480 @ 59 
    Rotations: normal 
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr
XRandR 1.2
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 2624 x 1968
          304mm x 228mm
Crtcs: 2
Sizes @ Refresh Rates:
  [0] 1024 x 768 @ [60, 50]
  [1] 800 x 600 @ [60]
  [2] 640 x 480 @ [60]
Rotations: normal right inverted left 
Outputs:
  LVDS (304mm x 228mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1024 x 768 @ 60 * 
      [1] 1024 x 768 @ 49 (preferred) 
      [2] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [3] 640 x 480 @ 60 
      [4] 640 x 480 @ 59 
    Rotations: normal right inverted left 
  VGA (367mm x 275mm)
    Modes:
      [0] 1600 x 1200 @ 60 
      [1] 1600 x 1200 @ 59 (preferred) 
      [2] 1280 x 1024 @ 75 
      [3] 1280 x 1024 @ 59 
      [4] 1152 x 864 @ 74 
      [5] 1024 x 768 @ 75 
      [6] 1024 x 768 @ 60 
      [7] 800 x 600 @ 75 
      [8] 800 x 600 @ 60 
      [9] 640 x 480 @ 75 
      [10] 640 x 480 @ 60 
      [11] 720 x 400 @ 70 
    Rotations: normal 
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA --preferred --same-as LVDS
XRandR 1.2
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output LVDS --off
XRandR 1.2
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output LVDS --preferred
XRandR 1.2
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA --preferred --right-of LVDS
XRandR 1.2
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA --preferred --left-of LVDS
XRandR 1.2
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA --preferred --same-as LVDS
XRandR 1.2
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 ()
  Serial number of failed request:  16
  Current serial number in output stream:  17
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output LVDS --preferred --same-as VGA
XRandR 1.2
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 ()
  Serial number of failed request:  16
  Current serial number in output stream:  17
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output LVDS --off
XRandR 1.2
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 ()
  Serial number of failed request:  16
  Current serial number in output stream:  17
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA --off
XRandR 1.2
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 ()
  Serial number of failed request:  16
  Current serial number in output stream:  17
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA --off --output LVDS --preferred
XRandR 1.2
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 ()
  Serial number of failed request:  16
  Current serial number in output stream:  17
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr  --output LVDS --preferred
XRandR 1.2
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 ()
  Serial number of failed request:  16
  Current serial number in output stream:  17
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA --preferred --right-of LVDS
XRandR 1.2
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA --off
XRandR 1.2
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 ()
  Serial number of failed request:  16
  Current serial number in output stream:  17
djc@Twingo:~$ pyxrandr --output VGA --preferred --off
XRandR 1.2
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  155 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 ()
  Serial number of failed request:  16
  Current serial number in output stream:  17
djc@Twingo:~$