[i945gm] CRT should not be primary screen with Intel video cards

[Laszlo Kupcsik]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-intel

Release: Ubuntu 8.10 (probably all others are affected)
Package version: 2:2.4.1-1ubuntu10.4

When I attach an external CRT screen to my laptop, and use xrandr to put it next to the existing LCD screen, the panel shifts to the new one (LCD -> CRT). As far as I understand, this is because it is the hard-coded behavior of the intel driver (ie. using CRT as primary screen). However, from the user's point of view it is not what is expected, and a bit annoying to move my panels back to the original screen by hand. I think the default should be to leave the panels and everything where they are (on LCD in this case).

With the recent expansion of netbooks and laptops, poeple tend to give presentations attaching their computer to projectors. It is much more convenient to have only the presentation running in the new screen, rather than all their icons and panels, which is probably not what the audience is interested in. Also, the screen resolution is usually different, and the icons on the panels would shuffle due to bug #36189.

[lspci]
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub [8086:27a0] (rev 03)
     Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:30aa]
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:27a2] (rev 03)
     Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:30aa]

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Hi koopac,

Please attach the output of `lspci -vvnn`, and attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log (and maybe Xorg.0.log.old) file from after reproducing this issue. If you've made any customizations to your /etc/X11/xorg.conf please attach that as well.

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

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[This is an automatic notification.]

A new major version of the -intel driver is now available in Karmic.

This version includes a major reworking of the acceleration
architecture, which resolves a huge number of issues. We do not know
whether it resolves the issue you reported.

Would you mind testing Karmic Alpha-2 and seeing if it is still a
problem? CD ISO images are available here:

  http://cdimages.ubuntu.com/releases/karmic/

If the issue can still be reproduced on karmic, please report here with
your findings, and attach a fresh Xorg.0.log from your test, and we will
be able to forward the bug upstream.

Otherwise, if the bug no longer exists in Karmic, let us know that as
well.

In the off chance you encounter different bugs while attempting to test
Karmic, please report those as new bug reports.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

We're closing this bug since it is has been some time with no response from the original reporter. However, if the issue still exists please feel free to reopen with the requested information. Also, if you could, please test against the latest development version of Ubuntu, since this confirms the bug is one we may be able to pass upstream for help.

It seems likely to me this bug is gone; the -intel driver has improved immensely in Karmic and a lot of bugs are being reported as no longer present. So hopefully that's the case here too.