Monitor setup leaves user without picture

[Magnes]

After changing anything in the monitor setup dialog 50% of the time I loose view on both screens. The changes are not saved too. I use Samsung laptop with intel card (and Optimus technology that is turned off because of other Unity nvidia-current bug).

[Magnes (magnesus2)]

Also after the last change I have only half of the screen on my big screen usable - maximised apps take only half of the screen. I had to force reboot several times because every change I make makes my main screen (LCD monitor) turn off and my secondary screen (laptop LCD) sometimes too.

[Magnes (magnesus2)]

Another update: turning off one screen with xrandr or with monitor settings applet turns off both of them. I just lost 2 hours at work trying to fix it. I have to work with both screens on (which bloats the wall view in viewscreen switcher) because turning one off turnes the computer to a brick and requires reboot. :(

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

I believe you are using Ubuntu-11.04, There were a few issue fixed in the updates for multi-monitors but there are still many issues that are remaining. You are welcome to test the Alpha-3 of Oneiric Ocelot from the LiveCD and check if the situation got better or not and tell us about it, that would be helpful. For now I recommend you to use Ubuntu Classic for the multimonitor case :/

[Magnes (magnesus2)]

Debug information is here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity/+bug/823270 (in another bug I posted using ubuntu-bug unity)

Yes, Ubuntu 11.04. The problem is the issues are new - after last update.

[Jason Smith (jassmith)]

Can you please provide more details about your system (video cards, CPU, ram)

[Magnes (magnesus2)]

It's a laptop with i7 and two graphic cards (Optimus technology - but Nvidia is turned off because of another bug, so only Intel is card is working) - Samsung rf-511. Graphics memory is probably 1GB. The bug is (unfortunately to me) very easy to repeat - just attach additional monitor by HDMI and try changing something in monitor dialog. In random situations both screens will turn off instead of only one. It happens no mather what nvidia drivers are loaded and if the nvidia card is turned on or off. (it looks like the problem is in xrandr - using xrandr will cause the same problem - so probably in Intel graphics drivers). The problem was much less common with older Intel drivers - after some update to Ubuntu in the summer it got much, much more severe - now I can never turn off one of the screens because always both will turn off. Also the problem doesn't occur in normal Gnome or in older Ubuntu (even in early 11.04 it was rare, but later after some update got worse). I'll try it in 11.10 soon.

[Magnes (magnesus2)]

Looks like it is fixed in 11.10. The bug can be closed.