External display not detected on Macbook Pro

[Wolf Rogner]

On my MBP 6.2 the external display is not detected properly (It works fine with MacOSX, so no hardware issues).
Sometimes the display is found, sometimes not. After a reboot it is found more frequently than after wake from suspend.

If detected, the display gets extended (not a copy of the screen like on other OS's). This raises issues with mouse.
Also the avant bar gets screewed up regularly (because of screen metrics).

My internal display is 1650x1080, the external is 1024x768 (which may cause the avant problems).

My expectation how the thing works would be: Plug in an external monitor and see a resized copy of the desktop immediately. Configurable, the display might be extended. However, I do not expect to go to a control panel to detect a display and apply settings.

Also having an option offered that cannot be selected (Separate X-Window view) is not really an option. If selected, all window decoration and functionality is lost.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.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)
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,vpswitch,mousepoll,grid,snap,place,imgpng,move,gnomecompat,wall,resize,regex,shift,session,unitymtgrabhandles,animation,workarounds,fade,expo,ezoom,scale,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Thu Nov 3 15:36:37 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 bcmwl, 5.100.82.38+bdcom, 3.0.0-12-generic, x86_64: installed
 nvidia-current, 280.13, 3.0.0-12-generic, x86_64: installed
 nvidia-current-updates, 280.13, 3.0.0-12-generic, x86_64: installed
DpkgLog:

ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, if not too technical
GraphicsCard:
 nVidia Corporation GT216 [GeForce GT 330M] [10de:0a29] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Apple Computer Inc. Device [106b:00c7]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64+mac (20111012)
JockeyStatus:
 kmod:wl - Broadcom STA wireless driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use) [auto-install]
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBookPro6,2
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=2b39cb95-fdbb-4e6c-80f4-d27c4394529c ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
XorgConf:
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Default Device"
  Option "NoLogo" "True"
 EndSection
dmi.bios.date: 07/26/10
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MBP61.88Z.0057.B0C.1007261552
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-F22586C8
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: MacBookPro6,2
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-F22586C8
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMBP61.88Z.0057.B0C.1007261552:bd07/26/10:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBookPro6,2:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-F22586C8:rvrMacBookPro6,2:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-F22586C8:
dmi.product.name: MacBookPro6,2
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu5
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu26
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
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1