# XFree86 and external display for a laptop

## Swiss.Mage

Hi all !

I'm trying to setup XFree86 to display exactly the same view on my laptop screen and on an external screen but with different resolutions ...

I already can use my external display but with the same resolution as the laptop one, and I cannot manage to have a different resolution.

The laptop is an IBM X31 with an ATI Radeon M6 on board.

Thanks for your help.

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## kres

Hmm... little more info please:

1) Monitor type.

2) Monitor section of your xfree config file

3) Have you tried to change the resoultion with the {ctrl}-{alt}-{+} keys?

4) Are you trying to use BOTH screens at once, or one at a time?

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## Swiss.Mage

Internal monitor : IBM X31 LCD display 1024x768@24

External monitor : Samsung Syncmaster 191NM 1280x1024@24

Monitor section : It's my question  :Wink:  With my current settings I don't use special parameters about the monitors.

My goal is to use one at a time ... the internal for all-day usage and the external one when the laptop is docked at home.

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## Malice

bump.

I'm interested in this too.  Have been reading posts related to this all afternoon without finding a solution yet.

In my case the laptop runs an ATI Radeon 7500 mobility.

Laptop runs at native resolution of 1400x1056.

Externel Monitor can manage 1280x1024 @ 85 Hz, but by default runs at only 75 Hz when I plug it into the laptop, and I want to change this, but don't know how.

Any help would be appreciated.

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## Swiss.Mage

It's working great now ...

```

Section "ServerLayout"

        Identifier      "X31"

        Screen          "X31"

        InputDevice     "Keyboard"

        InputDevice     "PS/2 Mouse"

EndSection

 

Section "ServerLayout"

        Identifier      "Samsung"

        Screen          "Samsung"

        InputDevice     "Keyboard"

        InputDevice     "PS/2 Mouse"

        InputDevice     "USB Mouse"

EndSection

 

Section "Files"

        FontPath        "unix/:7100"                    # local font server

        # if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these

        FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"

        FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"

        FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"

        FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"

        FontPath        "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"

        FontPath        "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"

        FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"

        FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"

        FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"

        FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"

        ModulePath      "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules"

EndSection

 

Section "Module"

        Load    "ddc"

        Load    "GLcore"

        Load    "dbe"

        Load    "dri"

        Load    "extmod"

        Load    "glx"

        Load    "pex5"

        Load    "record"

        Load    "xie"

        Load    "freetype"

        Load    "speedo"

        Load    "type1"

        Load    "vbe"

        Load    "int10"

EndSection

 

Section "InputDevice"

        Identifier      "Keyboard"

        Driver          "keyboard"

        Option          "CoreKeyboard"

        Option          "XkbRules"      "xfree86"

        Option          "XkbModel"      "pc101"

        Option          "XkbLayout"     "fr_CH"

EndSection

 

Section "InputDevice"

        Identifier      "PS/2 Mouse"

        Driver          "mouse"

        Option          "CorePointer"

        Option          "Device"                "/dev/psaux"

        Option          "Protocol"              "PS/2"

        Option          "Emulate3Buttons"       "true"

        Option          "ZAxisMapping"          "4 5"

EndSection

 

Section "InputDevice"

        Identifier      "USB Mouse"

        Driver          "mouse"

        Option          "SendCoreEvents"        "true"

        Option          "Device"                "/dev/input/mice"

        Option          "Protocol"              "ImPS/2"

        Option          "Emulate3Buttons"       "true"

        Option          "ZAxisMapping"          "4 5"

EndSection

 

Section "Device"

        Identifier      "ATI Radeon Mobility 9000"

        Driver          "radeon"

#       Screen          "X31"

        Option          "AGPMode" "1"

        BusID           "PCI:1:0:0"

EndSection

 

Section "Device"

        Identifier      "External ATI Radeon Mobility 9000"

        Driver          "radeon"

#       Screen          "Samsung"

        Option          "AGPMode" "1"

        BusID           "PCI:1:0:0"

        Option          "CRTOnly"

        Option          "CloneMode"     "true"

        Option          "PanelOff"      "true"

EndSection

 

Section "Monitor"

        Identifier      "X31"

        Option          "DPMS"

        HorizSync       31.5-48.5

        VertRefresh     40.0-70.0

EndSection

 

Section "Monitor"

        Identifier      "Samsung"

        VendorName      "Samsung"

        ModelName       "SyncMaster 191NM"

        Option          "dpms"

        HorizSync       30-81

        VertRefresh     56-85

EndSection

 

Section "Screen"

        Identifier      "X31"

        Device          "ATI Radeon Mobility 9000"

        Monitor         "X31"

        DefaultDepth    24

        SubSection "Display"

                Depth           1

        EndSubSection

        SubSection "Display"

                Depth           4

        EndSubSection

        SubSection "Display"

                Depth           8

        EndSubSection

        SubSection "Display"

                Depth           15

        EndSubSection

        SubSection "Display"

                Depth           16

        EndSubSection

        SubSection "Display"

                Depth           24

                Modes           "1024x768"

        EndSubSection

EndSection

 

Section "Screen"

        Identifier      "Samsung"

        Device          "External ATI Radeon Mobility 9000"

        Monitor         "Samsung"

        DefaultDepth    24

        SubSection "Display"

                Depth           24

                Modes           "1280x1024"

        EndSubSection

EndSection

 

Section "DRI"

        Mode    0666

EndSection

 

# end of XF86Config

```

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## Malice

cool - thanks.

That is basically the same solution that I am using at the moment (although I have done it with by selecting different screens as opposed to layouts).

How are you choosing the server layout when you start X ?

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## Swiss.Mage

In fact I'm a lucky guy  :Smile: 

I'm using a port replicator and when I boot the notebook connected to it the display switch authomaticaly to the external screen when X starts ...

I cannot explain you how for the moment (a friend has exactly the same config and it's not working ...) I will investigate this and post a report here ASAP ...

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