Re: [CentOS] dual head on centos 5 and ancient Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD card

2013-05-07 Thread Ross Walker
On Mon, May 6, 2013 at 4:47 PM, Fred Smith fre...@fcshome.stoneham.ma.uswrote:

 I was just handed a 2nd monitor for my system at work, and using Centos 5
 (latest)
 can't make dual head work. a good bit of googling isn't being particularly
 helpful either.


Dual head or dual monitor?

Dual head typically means running two instances of X, one on each video
out, which can only be done with two or more graphic cards from what I can
gather.



 It's a HP workstation xw4100, with Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD graphics card.
 Enabling dual head in the display app simply configures X so that it
 (i.e., X) won't start. I haven't found the x log file in /var/log to be
 helpful, either. This is using the legacy 96.x.x driver from Nvidia.

 the NvidiaDetect app (from epel) says it should be using a newer driver
 than the 96.x.x (forgot which one, exactly) but when attempting to install
 it I get a msg that the card requires a 96.x.x driver.

 browsing to nvidia.com and entering the model numbers into their driver
 finder app gives another newer version that also gives the same result.
 So it looks like I'm stuck with the 96.x.x driver.

 some googling indicates a few people have made it work, but none of their
 methods are working for me.

 I was beginning to wonder if the hardware even supported dual head, so I
 booted up a Fedora 17 LIVE CD. it initializes both monitors with no action
 from me at all, with a desktop spanning the two screens, just fine. It must
 be using the Nouveau driver (which, AFAIK, can't be used on Centos 5),
 so still the issue could either be spanning/dual head doesn't work with the
 ancient nvidia driver, or we (neither me, nor the tools on Centos) knows
 how to configure it.

 Clues would be appreciated. thanks in advance!


In my experience I was able to drive both the DisplayPort and DVI (or HDMI
and VGA) interfaces off my card to give me dual monitor support.

To setup the monitor preference I just created a monitors.conf file in
/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d as such:

Section Monitor
Identifier  HDMI1
Option  Primary   true
EndSection

Section Monitor
Identifier  VGA1
Option  RightOf   HDMI1
EndSection

Substitute the Identifier for whatever 'xrandr' gives you, and use LeftOf
if you secondary monitor is left of your primary.

-Ross
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Re: [CentOS] dual head on centos 5 and ancient Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD card

2013-05-07 Thread Ross Walker
On Tue, May 7, 2013 at 2:34 PM, Ross Walker rswwal...@gmail.com wrote:

 On Mon, May 6, 2013 at 4:47 PM, Fred Smith 
 fre...@fcshome.stoneham.ma.uswrote:

 I was just handed a 2nd monitor for my system at work, and using Centos 5
 (latest)
 can't make dual head work. a good bit of googling isn't being particularly
 helpful either.


 Dual head or dual monitor?

 Dual head typically means running two instances of X, one on each video
 out, which can only be done with two or more graphic cards from what I can
 gather.



 It's a HP workstation xw4100, with Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD graphics card.
 Enabling dual head in the display app simply configures X so that it
 (i.e., X) won't start. I haven't found the x log file in /var/log to be
 helpful, either. This is using the legacy 96.x.x driver from Nvidia.

 the NvidiaDetect app (from epel) says it should be using a newer driver
 than the 96.x.x (forgot which one, exactly) but when attempting to install
 it I get a msg that the card requires a 96.x.x driver.

 browsing to nvidia.com and entering the model numbers into their driver
 finder app gives another newer version that also gives the same result.
 So it looks like I'm stuck with the 96.x.x driver.

 some googling indicates a few people have made it work, but none of their
 methods are working for me.

 I was beginning to wonder if the hardware even supported dual head, so I
 booted up a Fedora 17 LIVE CD. it initializes both monitors with no action
 from me at all, with a desktop spanning the two screens, just fine. It
 must
 be using the Nouveau driver (which, AFAIK, can't be used on Centos 5),
 so still the issue could either be spanning/dual head doesn't work with
 the
 ancient nvidia driver, or we (neither me, nor the tools on Centos) knows
 how to configure it.

 Clues would be appreciated. thanks in advance!


 In my experience I was able to drive both the DisplayPort and DVI (or HDMI
 and VGA) interfaces off my card to give me dual monitor support.

 To setup the monitor preference I just created a monitors.conf file in
 /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d as such:

 Section Monitor
 Identifier  HDMI1
 Option  Primary   true
 EndSection

 Section Monitor
 Identifier  VGA1
 Option  RightOf   HDMI1
 EndSection

 Substitute the Identifier for whatever 'xrandr' gives you, and use LeftOf
 if you secondary monitor is left of your primary.


Nevermind, I am not paying attention here, my setup is C6 with Intel.

-Ross
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Re: [CentOS] dual head on centos 5 and ancient Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD card

2013-05-07 Thread Fred Smith
On Tue, May 07, 2013 at 03:09:13PM -0400, Ross Walker wrote:
 On Tue, May 7, 2013 at 2:34 PM, Ross Walker rswwal...@gmail.com wrote:
 
  On Mon, May 6, 2013 at 4:47 PM, Fred Smith 
  fre...@fcshome.stoneham.ma.uswrote:
 
  I was just handed a 2nd monitor for my system at work, and using Centos 5
  (latest)
  can't make dual head work. a good bit of googling isn't being particularly
  helpful either.
 
 
  Dual head or dual monitor?
 
  Dual head typically means running two instances of X, one on each video
  out, which can only be done with two or more graphic cards from what I can
  gather.

hmm. good point.

  It's a HP workstation xw4100, with Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD graphics card.
  Enabling dual head in the display app simply configures X so that it
  (i.e., X) won't start. I haven't found the x log file in /var/log to be
  helpful, either. This is using the legacy 96.x.x driver from Nvidia.
 
  the NvidiaDetect app (from epel) says it should be using a newer driver
  than the 96.x.x (forgot which one, exactly) but when attempting to install
  it I get a msg that the card requires a 96.x.x driver.
 
  browsing to nvidia.com and entering the model numbers into their driver
  finder app gives another newer version that also gives the same result.
  So it looks like I'm stuck with the 96.x.x driver.
 
  some googling indicates a few people have made it work, but none of their
  methods are working for me.
 
  I was beginning to wonder if the hardware even supported dual head, so I
  booted up a Fedora 17 LIVE CD. it initializes both monitors with no action
  from me at all, with a desktop spanning the two screens, just fine. It
  must
  be using the Nouveau driver (which, AFAIK, can't be used on Centos 5),
  so still the issue could either be spanning/dual head doesn't work with
  the
  ancient nvidia driver, or we (neither me, nor the tools on Centos) knows
  how to configure it.
 
  Clues would be appreciated. thanks in advance!
 
 
  In my experience I was able to drive both the DisplayPort and DVI (or HDMI
  and VGA) interfaces off my card to give me dual monitor support.
 
  To setup the monitor preference I just created a monitors.conf file in
  /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d as such:
 
  Section Monitor
  Identifier  HDMI1
  Option  Primary   true
  EndSection
 
  Section Monitor
  Identifier  VGA1
  Option  RightOf   HDMI1
  EndSection
 
  Substitute the Identifier for whatever 'xrandr' gives you, and use LeftOf
  if you secondary monitor is left of your primary.
 
 
 Nevermind, I am not paying attention here, my setup is C6 with Intel.

This is strange...

xrandr (on C5) only shows one monitor even though two are connected

Booting up a Fedora 17 live CD, automatically configures for a single
desktop spread across both monitors, AND xrandr shows both monitors. This
makes me think that the hardware supports what I was seeking but C5
doesn't.

So, some more poking around, and I discover that Nvidia supports Twinview
which actually works on C5, giving me a single desktop spread across both
displays. According to the Nvidia readme, it fools X into thinking it has only
one monitor, and it does seem to work.

While I think I might like two separate desktops, it doesn't look like
it's likely to be possible with the system I have, so I'll manage with
what I've got, I think.

thanks for the responses!

Fred
-- 
 Fred Smith -- fre...@fcshome.stoneham.ma.us -
The Lord detests the way of the wicked 
  but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
- Proverbs 15:9 (niv) -
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Re: [CentOS] dual head on centos 5 and ancient Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD card

2013-05-07 Thread Ross Walker
On Tue, May 7, 2013 at 3:59 PM, Fred Smith fre...@fcshome.stoneham.ma.uswrote:

 On Tue, May 07, 2013 at 03:09:13PM -0400, Ross Walker wrote:
  On Tue, May 7, 2013 at 2:34 PM, Ross Walker rswwal...@gmail.com wrote:
 
   On Mon, May 6, 2013 at 4:47 PM, Fred Smith 
 fre...@fcshome.stoneham.ma.uswrote:
  
   I was just handed a 2nd monitor for my system at work, and using
 Centos 5
   (latest)
   can't make dual head work. a good bit of googling isn't being
 particularly
   helpful either.
  
  
   Dual head or dual monitor?
  
   Dual head typically means running two instances of X, one on each video
   out, which can only be done with two or more graphic cards from what I
 can
   gather.

 hmm. good point.


Sounds good, right? Don't listen to me though I talk through my wazoo.

Multi-Head and Multi-Monitor are synonymous (I actually looked it up after
posting).


  It's a HP workstation xw4100, with Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD graphics
 card.
   Enabling dual head in the display app simply configures X so that it
   (i.e., X) won't start. I haven't found the x log file in /var/log to
 be
   helpful, either. This is using the legacy 96.x.x driver from Nvidia.
  
   the NvidiaDetect app (from epel) says it should be using a newer
 driver
   than the 96.x.x (forgot which one, exactly) but when attempting to
 install
   it I get a msg that the card requires a 96.x.x driver.
  
   browsing to nvidia.com and entering the model numbers into their
 driver
   finder app gives another newer version that also gives the same
 result.
   So it looks like I'm stuck with the 96.x.x driver.
  
   some googling indicates a few people have made it work, but none of
 their
   methods are working for me.
  
   I was beginning to wonder if the hardware even supported dual head,
 so I
   booted up a Fedora 17 LIVE CD. it initializes both monitors with no
 action
   from me at all, with a desktop spanning the two screens, just fine. It
   must
   be using the Nouveau driver (which, AFAIK, can't be used on Centos 5),
   so still the issue could either be spanning/dual head doesn't work
 with
   the
   ancient nvidia driver, or we (neither me, nor the tools on Centos)
 knows
   how to configure it.
  
   Clues would be appreciated. thanks in advance!
  
  
   In my experience I was able to drive both the DisplayPort and DVI (or
 HDMI
   and VGA) interfaces off my card to give me dual monitor support.
  
   To setup the monitor preference I just created a monitors.conf file in
   /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d as such:
  
   Section Monitor
   Identifier  HDMI1
   Option  Primary   true
   EndSection
  
   Section Monitor
   Identifier  VGA1
   Option  RightOf   HDMI1
   EndSection
  
   Substitute the Identifier for whatever 'xrandr' gives you, and use
 LeftOf
   if you secondary monitor is left of your primary.
  
 
  Nevermind, I am not paying attention here, my setup is C6 with Intel.

 This is strange...

 xrandr (on C5) only shows one monitor even though two are connected


Sounds like the support for your nvidia in C5 doesn't include multiple
monitors.



 Booting up a Fedora 17 live CD, automatically configures for a single
 desktop spread across both monitors, AND xrandr shows both monitors. This
 makes me think that the hardware supports what I was seeking but C5
 doesn't.

 So, some more poking around, and I discover that Nvidia supports Twinview
 which actually works on C5, giving me a single desktop spread across both
 displays. According to the Nvidia readme, it fools X into thinking it has
 only
 one monitor, and it does seem to work.

 While I think I might like two separate desktops, it doesn't look like
 it's likely to be possible with the system I have, so I'll manage with
 what I've got, I think.


Twinview is going to be your best bet, but spanning desktops instead
of independent.

You can always upgrade to C6 to get independent desktops, composing and all
that jazz.

-Ross
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Re: [CentOS] dual head on centos 5 and ancient Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD card

2013-05-06 Thread m . roth
Fred Smith wrote:
 I was just handed a 2nd monitor for my system at work, and using Centos 5
 (latest) can't make dual head work. a good bit of googling isn't being
 particularly helpful either.

 It's a HP workstation xw4100, with Nvidia Quadro NVS280SD graphics card.
 Enabling dual head in the display app simply configures X so that it
 (i.e., X) won't start. I haven't found the x log file in /var/log to be
 helpful, either. This is using the legacy 96.x.x driver from Nvidia.

Nope, that won't work.

 the NvidiaDetect app (from epel) says it should be using a newer driver
 than the 96.x.x (forgot which one, exactly) but when attempting to install
 it I get a msg that the card requires a 96.x.x driver.

Ignore that - that's the driver it needs.
nsip
 Clues would be appreciated. thanks in advance!

Someone (Karanbir?) sent me a link to the CentOS FAQ that responded to
that, but I can't seem to find it, and the FAQ CentOS General Questions
returns a totally blank page (even in view page source). I found this on a
quick google:
http://www.centos.org/docs/5/html/Deployment_Guide-en-US/s1-xconfig-dualhead.html

Your other options are kmod-nvidia, or the proprietary drivers - note that
in the latter case, every time you get an updated kernel, you need to
rebuild (which isn't a big deal). If you go this route, you'll find a new
menu item, Nvidia control panel. Enable twinview, and you'll be good.

mark


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