[nvidia] [xinerama] secondary monitors are gray and unusable

[Harald Rudell]

for multiple display, no Xinerama: mouse cursor can move over all monitors, monitors other than main monitor are gray, windows can't be moved there

with Xinerama: mouse cursor can move over all monitors, The dash is mirrored on all displays, only the leftmost dash is functional

fix: stay on ubuntu 11.04, unity 2d, xinerama
fix2: go non-unity, eg. pure Debian

state:
fresh 11.10 install
nVidia Corporation G98 [Quadro NVS 450] [10de:06fa] (rev a1)
driver: nvidia-current

same issues with ubity 2d and unity

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: unity 4.24.0-0ubuntu2b1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.1: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/1'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 280.13 Wed Jul 27 16:53:56 PDT 2011
 GCC version: gcc version 4.6.1 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.1-9ubuntu3)
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,move,imgpng,snap,gnomecompat,regex,grid,place,resize,mousepoll,unitymtgrabhandles,vpswitch,animation,workarounds,wall,session,fade,scale,expo,ezoom,unityshell]
Date: Sat Nov 12 08:55:57 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: nvidia-current, 280.13, 3.0.0-12-generic, x86_64: installed
GraphicsCard:
 Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0619]
 nVidia Corporation G98 [Quadro NVS 450] [10de:06fa] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0619]
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:nvidia_173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:nvidia_173_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
 xorg:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=a8dc246e-4005-4744-93fa-f07dd2ce34a3 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/25/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1208
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: P5Q-EM DO
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr1208:bd05/25/2010:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP5Q-EMDO:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.26-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.0-1ubuntu13
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu2.1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1

[Harald Rudell (harald-rudell)]

get around is:

make sure you have nVidia proprietary driver:
sudo apt-get install nvidia-current

in the whatever windowing environment you got running:
run nvidia-settings (NVIDIA X Server Settings), configure the monitors they way you want, enable Xinerama
save the preview of X Configuration File to /etc/X11/xorg.conf (this file may not exist)

sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop
sudo service lightdm restart

on the X logon screen, click the cogwheel and select Xfce session
- of the alternative windowing environments out there, this one seems to be the most popular according to Google Trends and apparently what Linus Torvald is using

at the moment, it all comes down to:

Do you want to use your computer, or do you want Unity?

[Harald Rudell (harald-rudell)]

11.10 designed fallback:
sudo apt-get install gnome-session-fallback nvidia-current
set Xinerama above
sudo service lightdm restart

on login screen, use cog icon to select Gnome classic

windows and cursor can move across dfps and gpus
for some reason, no gnome panels on second dfp, but on both gpus?!?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[DarkJavi (darkjavi)]

Same behavior here!.

Best achievement with unity on 11.10 was having unity working with 2 screens using noveau driver. But I've got 4 screens(on two nvidia gts450), only one screen per graphic card was working.

So not good enough for me,on the other hand gnome-falback looks wierd and I'm unable to add panels or applets to the existing panels.

I've switched to KDE, has a much better multiscreen support.

[frizzle21 (frederik-nnaji)]

i'm seeing this in 12.04, 12.10 and 13.04, too.

$ lspci | grep -i vga
04:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G98 [Quadro NVS 450] (rev a1)

$ lspci | grep -i NVIDIA
01:00.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation NF200 PCIe 2.0 switch for Quadro Plex S4 / Tesla S870 / Tesla S1070 / Tesla S2050 (rev a3)
02:00.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation NF200 PCIe 2.0 switch for Quadro Plex S4 / Tesla S870 / Tesla S1070 / Tesla S2050 (rev a3)
02:02.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation NF200 PCIe 2.0 switch for Quadro Plex S4 / Tesla S870 / Tesla S1070 / Tesla S2050 (rev a3)
03:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation G98 [Quadro NVS 450] (rev a1)
04:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G98 [Quadro NVS 450] (rev a1)

$ apt-cache policy nvidia-current
nvidia-current:
  Installed: 304.51.really.304.43-0ubuntu2
  Candidate: 304.51.really.304.43-0ubuntu2
  Version table:
 *** 304.51.really.304.43-0ubuntu2 0
        500 http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring/restricted amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

$ lsmod | grep nvidia
nvidia 11257760 88

Unfortunately, after 12.04, there's no fallback session, so there's no desktop at all.
I was thinking that in 12.10 compiz would be able to work on my 4-screen setup - doesn't.

Experimental drivers don't make this experience any better, unfortunately.
With nouveau drivers i can't even use more than 2 displays, compiz won't work either, crashes upon start.
I'm stuck with a manually installed gnome-panel and metacity, which didn't come with 12.10

what can i do to make compiz work on a 4-monitor setup with this interface?

[frizzle21 (frederik-nnaji)]

for the record:
i don't know how Scott and his team do it, but KDE works flawlessly on the same setup.
strange.
i can tile windows, animations are smooth, all of this on 13.04a.
Never would i have thought that i would ever say anything like this:
thank you, KDE, for allowing me to work on my computer.