Dual head failing with Radeon [workaround]

[Kindaian]

I spent almost one week (not intensivelly) to fix AMD Radeon dual head configuration.

This is for sure the most user unfriendlyness configuration i've ever seen.

This where the steps i'd to use to be able to configure it (somewhat):

How to make latest AMD HD Radeon drivers to work on dual-head?

1. Download and install drivers

Drivers are available at:
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

Select the options and download the driver

2. Setup drivers

Open a terminal option and run
sudo amd-driver-installer-xxx-xxx-x86.x86_64.run
sudo apt-get install gtk2-engines-pixbuf

sudo aticonfig --initial=dual-head -f
sudo aticonfig –set-pcs-str=”DDX,EnableRandR12,FALSE”

Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

There should exist two Section “Device”, one for device 0 and another for device 1.
Copy the Option “UseFastTLS” “1” from device 0 to device 1. Device 1 should be noted with a Screen 1 entry.

Force X to use the new configuration with:

sudo aticonfig --input=/etc/X11/xorg.conf --tls=1

3. Reboot

4. Call amdccle

Call amdccle either from a terminal with:

gksu amdccle

or on the “app search” of Unity type “amd” and it should appear both with and without administrative powers. Choose the one with administrative powers.

On the Multi-Display choose:

“Multi-display desktop with display(s) 1 or 2, depending on which you want to be the primary display. [they could have a flag on each display to tick when you want to swap who is primary, easier to understand which will be the primary]

5. Reboot
6. Repeat step 4 (no kidding, at first time, the multi-display will be setup as clone not as we asked).
7. With lots of luck you ended up like me, with a dual-head computer and both monitors working properly!

Notes:

If you don't issue the “dual-head” on the aticonfig, it may not pick the second monitor.

References:

http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubuntu_Jaunty_Installation_Guide#Dual.2FMulti_Monitors

http://phoronix.com/forums/showthread.php?18553-Ubuntu-9-04-amp-Catalyst-9-7-%28fglrx%29

http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubuntu_Natty_Installation_Guide

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-desktop-74/how-to-setup-dual-monitors-with-big-desktop-on-ati-card-683258/

http://www.jumpingbean.co.za/blogs/mark/linux-ati-driver-tutorial-how-to

http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/X.Org/Dual_Monitors/ATI

http://www.x.org/wiki/FAQVideoModes

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

Forum:

http://www.rage3d.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=88

http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=334

xorg.conf content after all changes:

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier "aticonfig Layout"
        Screen 0 "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" 0 0
EndSection

Section "Module"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
        Option "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
        Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
        Option "DPMS" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-1"
        Option "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
        Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
        Option "DPMS" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier "0-DFP5"
        Option "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
        Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
        Option "DPMS" "true"
        Option "PreferredMode" "1920x1080"
        Option "TargetRefresh" "60"
        Option "Position" "0 0"
        Option "Rotate" "normal"
        Option "Disable" "false"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier "0-DFP4"
        Option "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
        Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
        Option "DPMS" "true"
        Option "PreferredMode" "1680x1050"
        Option "TargetRefresh" "60"
        Option "Position" "1920 0"
        Option "Rotate" "normal"
        Option "Disable" "false"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
        Driver "fglrx"
        Option "UseFastTLS" "1"
        Option "Monitor-DFP5" "0-DFP5"
        Option "Monitor-DFP4" "0-DFP4"
        BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier "aticonfig-Device[0]-1"
        Driver "fglrx"
        Option "UseFastTLS" "1"
        Option "Monitor-DFP4" "0-DFP4"
        BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
        Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
        Device "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
        DefaultDepth 24
        SubSection "Display"
                Viewport 0 0
                Virtual 3600 1920
                Depth 24
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-1"
        Device "aticonfig-Device[0]-1"
        DefaultDepth 24
        SubSection "Display"
                Viewport 0 0
                Depth 24
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Discussions and hints:

Another example of xorg.conf from a discussion on the first reference.

start xorg.conf
Section "Monitor"
 Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
 Identifier "Default Screen"
 Monitor "Configured Monitor"
 Device "Configured Video Device"
 DefaultDepth 24
 SubSection "Display"
  Virtual 1920 1200
 EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "Module"
 Load "dri"
 Load "GLcore"
 Load "glx"
EndSection
Section "Device"
 Identifier "Configured Video Device"
 Option "EnablePageFlip" "1"
 Option "ColorTiling" "1"
 Option "AccelMethod" "XAA"
 Option "DynamicClocks" "true"
 Driver "radeon"
EndSection
1. end xorg.conf

[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. It seems that your bug report is not filed about a specific source package though, rather it is just filed against Ubuntu in general. It is important that bug reports be filed about source packages so that people interested in the package can find the bugs about it. You can find some hints about determining what package your bug might be about at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/FindRightPackage. You might also ask for help in the #ubuntu-bugs irc channel on Freenode.

To change the source package that this bug is filed about visit https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/939950/+editstatus and add the package name in the text box next to the word Package.

[This is an automated message. I apologize if it reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[Dave Gilbert (ubuntu-treblig)]

Flipping to fglrx since it's the closed driver they're using
High -> problem with an essential hardware component (video card)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Ryan Harkin (ryanharkin)]

Is this bug also relevant for a dual card setup?

I have two HD6570 cards rather than just one, so my 2nd monitor appears as monitor 3 in the AMD control centre.

When I open the AMD Catalyst Catalyst Control Center (Administrative), enable the 3rd monitor, reboot, and it's not saved the setting and the monitor is still disabled. This all works fine on 12.04: I did a clean install yesterday to verify.

The open source drivers work, to a fashion. But they are so buggy and laggy that they're barely usable. I'd prefer to use OSS drivers, but not the ones we have presently., but that's a different issue...

[madbiologist (me-again)]

Ryan Harkin, as you have a different hardware configuration, you have a different bug and should run ubuntu-bug to file a new bug report so that we can get a fresh set of log files and system information.

Everyone else - official support for Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" and older has ended. If you are still experiencing this issue on a supported version of Ubuntu please run ubuntu-bug to file a new bug report so that we can get a fresh set of log files and system information.