Here is my current method of getting multi-monitor setup working, regardless of the monitor type or connection (Thinkpad P50, Ubuntu 16.04.6, driver 384.30):
Initial setup: -------------- 1. Connect your external monitors to your docking station and to electric power, while your Ubuntu desktop is in *locked* screen (or "switch user"). This is important to avoid screen corruption! 1. Edit ~/.config/monitors.xml *manually* to get the exact configuration you want. 2. Save a copy of monitors.xml in case it gets later changed by auto-detection. 3. Connect each of your external monitors to a *switched* power socket - so that you can turn off your monitor completely without disconnecting it from the docking station. NOTE: If the monitor is powered but soft-off (using the monitor's power button), it will still communicate with card, so using the switched socket, you make sure it is completely off. 4. Add to your desktop startup apps the command "/usr/bin/xset -dpms". This makes sure that when screens are darkened after locking, they don't use DPMS, which is faulty and breaks the multi-monitor setup. Instead, software is used to darken the screen, with mouse cursor still visible. Docking: -------- 1. Switch off the power supply of all the external monitors, using the power socket switch. 2. Dock your laptop, resume operation, still in *locked screeen* - it now runs stand-alone. 3. Flip on the power switch of the external monitors. 4. If all goes ok, your setup will resume correctly - you will see displays being extended or replicated as set in your monitors.xml . Then you can log in and continue work. 5. Sometimes, setup will not resume correctly on first flip. No worries. Just turn off the switch again, wait a few seconds and try again. In my experience, I don't need to do this more than 3 times, and those are rare occasions. If it doesn't work on the 3rd attempt Un-docking: ----------- 1. Suspend your laptop 2. Undock. As a general rule: when you connect your laptop to a new external display (e.g., in a meeting room, preparing to project), ALWAYS lock your desktop first before connecting. From my experience, this guarantees much better display stability and smooth user experience. Do expect that when connecting a new display, the net setup will be somewhat arbitrary - whether extending your current display or replicating it. However, this is still easily manageable e.g., when projecting. -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Kernel Packages, which is subscribed to nvidia-graphics-drivers-375 in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1615734 Title: Multiple monitors broken Status in nvidia-graphics-drivers-361 package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Status in nvidia-graphics-drivers-367 package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Status in nvidia-graphics-drivers-375 package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Status in nvidia-graphics-drivers-384 package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Bug description: I have a Lenovo P50 with Nvidia Optimus (Quadro M1000M), installed with Ubuntu 16.04 and the recommended Nvidia drivers (361.42). I added two external monitors connected to DP sockets in the docking station. I would like to have display shift to those two monitors when the laptop is docked. One monitor has native resolution of 1680x1050 and the other is 1920x1080. The laptop native resolution is 1920x1080. Expected result: laptop monitor shut off, two external monitors running in native resolution, display shared on both monitors (not mirrored). Process: I configured the display using the "Displays" applet in the unity control center. However, pressing "Apply" when changing a specific display setting (such as resolution, location of screen relative to others, turning on/off), results in a long period of darkness, usually followed by display falling back to mirroring of all 3 monitors, using a similar-size screen (either low on all or high on all with the low-res monitor using panning). The applet remains frozen for some time, with the dialog "Is the display ok" open but unresponsive. Later I realized this is because there is another dialog of "Cannot set screen CRTCXXX" hidden under the two above windows, which needs to by ok-ed first. Extra: I also tried setting the display manually with 'xrandr', which lead to a similar result as above - with the "cannot set screen" dialog, and falling back to mirroring. This convinced me that the problem is probably with the nvidia driver and not the higher plumbing. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04 Package: nvidia-361 361.42-0ubuntu2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-34.53-generic 4.4.15 Uname: Linux 4.4.0-34-generic x86_64 NonfreeKernelModules: symap_custom_dkms_x86_64 nvidia_uvm nvidia_modeset nvidia ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1 Architecture: amd64 CurrentDesktop: Unity Date: Mon Aug 22 19:14:55 2016 InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-07-17 (36 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160420.1) SourcePackage: nvidia-graphics-drivers-361 UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nvidia-graphics-drivers-361/+bug/1615734/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kernel-packages Post to : kernel-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kernel-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
