Thinkpads Forum

My question can be divided in two parts:
1. As far as I understand, pressing Fn/F7 combination is supposed to alter between tree states: [thinkpad monitor] -> [ external monitor] -> [both] . For some reason I lack the "both" option. Is there I can do?
2. If the answer to the previous question is Yes, how can I display different info on the two monitors?
My settings: thinkpad R550e (PTG), Mandriva 2005 LE, KDE 3.3.2 . According to the Mandrake Control Center, I have two graphic cards (as can be seen here:[url]http://phrm_75.fastmail.fm/snapshot1.png[/url]

Thank you

phrm_phrm wrote:how can I display different info on the two monitors?

Hmmm, the url doesn't work for me, but if you have two graphic cards (physically, that is), it's only a matter of either running two X11 servers on each device, making them totally independent, or running one X11 server in xinerama mode.

Keep us up to date, and do report your progress, please!

cheers,
-- fish

I don't know what has changed, but now I have a more serious problem:
pressing fn-F7 passes me to the external monitor, but the only thing I can see is the mouse cursor. When I exit X and run in a text console mode (runlevel 3, or just pressing Ctr-Alt-F1) everything works fine. I tried to perform a clean install of mandriva. During the installation everything worked, but after the reboot the problem re-occurred. MandrakeMove works fine. my /etc/X11/xorg.conf is here http://pastebin.com/320468 . I tried to switch the xinerama option on and off - no apparent difference.
Interestingly enough, when I watch video films (using xine) and press Fn-F7, I can see the film on the external monitor, but not anything else (the rest of the screen is black)

Ok, so I figured I'd scan the docs a bit, but bummer. The xorg docs are, nicely said, slightly obscure. The fact that you seem to have two graphics controllers doesn't make it clearer.

It *seems* that this guy has gotten both LCD and CRT to display the *same* content. You might be able to start from that configuration, since it apparently makes X drive the CRT in an acceptable fashion, and work Your way towards a Xinerama setup. In particular, make your 'monitor2' entry (lines 55-61 in your pastebin entry) contain stats of your CRT for a start.

Seems that's all I can do for You. Sorry ...

cheer up, tho',
-- fish

Fn+F7 is actually just a switch between external and internal, its not capable to do a dual screen for you.

If you want dual screen, there are two options, first, if you'r using the ati proprietary driver, its very easy to do, run fglrxconfig and choose which dual screen mode you want.

The other option is to look at xinerama, the open source solution.

Both support clonning and different content etc.

I've upgraded to Mandriva 2006 beta. Fn-F7 works fine with default configurations (didn't touch anything). Now there are three modes: laptop, external, laptop+external

Thank you all for willingness to help.

doppelfish wrote: It *seems* that this guy has gotten both LCD and CRT to display the *same* content. You might be able to

I saw this URL too. His setup just mirrors the laptop display to the external one. You can't switch between the modes. (well, I can't, mayby you can... )