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I'm at my wit's end trying to figure this one out.

I have an ATI Radeon X1600 (DMS-59 connector with DMS-59 to dual-DVI adapter). I'm trying to get dual monitors working properly. So far, I've tried a few different Debian-based distributions. The only one I can get to properly display on both monitors is Backtrack 5 R3.

The problem: both monitors are detected by xrandr, and all settings look exactly the same. However, one monitor will not come out of standby. It doesn't appear to ever receive a signal. I've even changed the display layout in the System Settings. The screen size is correct, and the positioning is correct. I can even move the mouse to the second monitor, but it just stays in standby mode.

Any ideas?

EDIT
Output of xrandr follows:

~# xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 2880 x 900, maximum 8192 x 8192
DVI-0 connected 1440x900+1440+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 408mm x 255mm
   1440x900       59.9*+   75.0  
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0  
   1280x960       60.0  
   1366x768       60.0  
   1360x768       60.0  
   1280x800       74.9     59.9  
   1152x864       75.0  
   1280x768       74.9     60.0  
   1024x768       75.1     70.1     60.0  
   1024x576       60.0  
   832x624        74.6  
   800x600        72.2     75.0     60.3     56.2  
   848x480        60.0  
   640x480        72.8     75.0     66.7     60.0  
   720x400        70.1  
S-video disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-1 connected 1440x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 408mm x 255mm
   1440x900       59.9*+   75.0  
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0  
   1280x960       60.0  
   1366x768       60.0  
   1360x768       60.0  
   1280x800       74.9     59.8  
   1152x864       75.0  
   1280x768       74.9     59.9  
   1024x768       75.1     70.1     60.0  
   1024x576       60.0  
   832x624        74.6  
   800x600        72.2     75.0     60.3     56.2  
   848x480        60.0  
   640x480        72.8     75.0     66.7     60.0  
   720x400        70.1

And the monitor is a Dell SE198WFPv.

Jeff Schaller
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bw.
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  • Does your monitor support multiple inputs? Have you tried cycling through the inputs using a button on the monitor? – drs Apr 23 '13 at 14:30
  • @drs yes, and I know that the inputs are working on the monitor. The displays work fine under Windows and BT. – bw. Apr 24 '13 at 12:35
  • The fact that the mouse is moving over to the second monitor suggests that the monitor is not accepting the input. Is the monitor capable of displaying the resolution and refresh rate you are driving? Maybe paste the output of `xrandr` and tell us what the make of the monitor is. – drs Apr 24 '13 at 13:52
  • @drs I updated the OP with the info you requested. – bw. Apr 25 '13 at 20:35
  • If you swap the connections that the two monitors are plugged in to on the DMS-59 dongle, does the same monitor remain in standby? Are the two monitors the same model? – drs Apr 25 '13 at 22:47
  • I just tried. The same monitor remains in standby, and it now shows the second screen on the working monitor instead of the first screen. The only things leading me to believe that it isn't the monitor/cable/card is a) both monitors are the same model, and b) both monitors work fine under Windows 7 and Backtrack. I am stumped. Is there a way to find exactly what driver, settings, etc. backtrack uses and copy it over? – bw. Apr 26 '13 at 13:28
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    Have you tried looking through the backtrack install once it's booted? I would look for the xorg.conf file for starters. – slm May 14 '13 at 23:42
  • @slm THANK YOU!!! I had actually tried looking through the backtrack install to find out what was different (comparing xrandr output and such). Never thought to try copying over the xorg.conf. Once this was done, I was able to configure my monitors using the GUI display tool, and life was brought to the second monitor! – bw. May 16 '13 at 12:45
  • Glad it worked out. I've written it up as an answer, would you mind pasting the 2 xorg.conf files so that others in the future can learn from your experience? – slm May 16 '13 at 13:24

1 Answers1

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Given you've mentioned in the comments that the display work correctly when using the distro Backtrack 5 R3 & Windows 7, I'd suggest looking through that live CD's xorg.conf file and/or just copying that file over to your Debian system.

Additionally you can bring the Debian and Backtrack xorg.conf files together on a system and perform a side-by-side diff using the command:

sdiff deb_xorg.conf bt_xorg.conf

Which might help shed some additional light on what's different about the 2 files and what key feature/configuration option the Debian systems appear to be missing.

If you're feeling really motivated you could also paste the 2 files on say http://pastebin.com/ so that others who come across this issue in the future will find this Q&A with the solution.

slm
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