cardassianscot Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 I have a dual moniter setup using two graphics cards. One of which is a NVidia GForce AGP card and the other a matrox millenium PCI card (the original millenium version). This works fine in Windows XP and in the Mandrake 8 series. However, I have never been able to get this to work in any of the Mandrake 9 series. At the moment this is the one feature that is stopping me using Linux as my primary OS. I cannot even get my Millenium card to work on its own. Whenever I try to enter X with my millenium card activated it always flashes the lights on my second moniter like it's going to work and the computer freezes, I can't even use Ctrl, Alt, F1 to get to a new terminal or Crt Alt Backspace to restart the X server. Here's what I've tried: Using XFDrake both in a terminal and X mode, trying to configure both independantly, using Xinerama and one at a time. Using my old XF86Config-4 file from a working 8.2 configuration Trying to build a new XF86Config-4 file from scratch So far no luck. Has anyone been able to get a Matrox Millenium working with Mandrake 9 or have any other suggestions for me to try? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 OK first the RULES (which are far from obvious) XF4.0+ I presume you are using xinerama as opposed to two displays 0:0 and 0:1 ?? If so then RULE 1 They can be different resolutions (although kinga messes the task bar up unless you add it across just one) BUT they absolutely MUST use the same colour depth. Since its your OLD XFConfig-4 you would presume it would be but since XF4 the X startup dynamically tests driver supported resultions and such against monitor supported ones. If it sets a MODE the driver can't handle it will disable that mode. So it could be simply that the MDK supplied driver doesn't have a certain MODE available that was working happily on the old drivr. I'd try the Matrox site for the latest Matrox Driver ... There is also a Forum specifically for linux and a real whizz (well a couple of years ago) called Ben who sorts everything out.... The second option is a HW conflict between your two cards. Im presumihng the MOBO etc are all identical and you just changed Mandrake. The IRQ detection etc. might need forcing. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardassianscot Posted November 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 OK, first thanks for the reply. I presume you are using xinerama as opposed to two displays 0:0 and 0:1 ??If so then RULE 1 They can be different resolutions (although kinga messes the task bar up unless you add it across just one) BUT they absolutely MUST use the same colour depth. Actually, I use two displays 0:0 and 0:1 since I have a 17" and a 14" moniters and run the displays at different resolutions but I've tried using xinerama as well (with same colour depth and resolution). If it sets a MODE the driver can't handle it will disable that mode.So it could be simply that the MDK supplied driver doesn't have a certain MODE available that was working happily on the old drivr. I've tried lowering everything to 800x600 and colour depths of 8,16 and 24. None of them work, so I assume this is all ok. I'd try the Matrox site for the latest Matrox Driver ...There is also a Forum specifically for linux and a real whizz (well a couple of years ago) called Ben who sorts everything out.... They don't list a driver for the millenium on linux. However, this is perfectly reasonable since the driver is supposed to form part of the XF86 base package. Thanks for the tip about the forum though, I've reposted my question there, (but I'm still hoping for some answers here). The second option is a HW conflict between your two cards.Im presumihng the MOBO etc are all identical and you just changed Mandrake. The IRQ detection etc. might need forcing. I'm not sure what you mean by a MOBO. The bus id's are all correct, I haven't swapped the cards since upgrading and the id's are the ones that WinXP lists. As for the IRQ detection I have no idea how to set this under Linux. Under WinXP both cards are using IRQ 11, I have no idea what they are using under Linux. If you know how to check and change these let me know and I'll have a look. (I do have a pretty full PCI bus, I've got a TV card, Sound card, DVD playback card and {obviously} a second graphics card, but it was all working under Mandrake 8 and all works under WinXP) Thanks once again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 OK, Lots of extra info there. (Sorry MOBO=Motherboard) The driver is generic as I remember BUT like the NVIDIA one the GPL version doesn't have all the controls. Specifcally If I remeber it lacks the Hardware Acceleration Layer module. (mga_hal) There is a way to extract the possible driver options from the module... I think its modinfo <module> This then gives you a list of all the possible driver options like IRQ and lots of other like disable HW acceleration or Software mouse cursor etc If you can start X you can get this all from the GUI. When you selcet the driver (mga) you get tp pick the options. Its one of my favorite utils called xf86cfg You can actually set up either xinerama OR two independent displays from it too. I don't know if youve considered BUT Matrox support has always been really good for Linux; long before nvidia (and I have a soft spot for them). I would definately try the driver BUT another option is to try and get hold of an OLD MGA400 or MGA450. These are still cracking cards under linux, perhaps not up to the latest Geforce4 BUT still very nice. The Matrox Powerdesk is also useful but Im not sure how it would cope with the foreign card.... At one time I had a QUAD HEAD machine.... :D 1x MGA 400 (2x screens in Xinerama), once MGA200 (which was mainly used for text, log file monitoring etc. and an old ATI PCI. My guess is either a HAL problem (which requires its own DMA channel) or even the module isn't provided (I don't think in 9.1 anyway) "I've tried lowering everything to 800x600 and colour depths of 8,16 and 24. None of them work, so I assume this is all ok." Yeah but its the combination of these that matters... since its not using xinerama your colour depths CAN be different. BUT it still needs to find a valid mode. IMHO the Matrox provided one is much better and will 'advertise' more modes. If you really can't find it (but Im nearly sure its there) I suggest you willhave to make the modelines yourself. This involves being either a complete GEEK+++++ or using a modeline calculator. You can TRY .... HERE Alternatively (and probably what I would do) Is take out the ATI and boot up with just the MGA. See if it still works... if not it has to be the driver version or something because its not sharing with the ATI anymore. This eliminates loads of possibilities. If it works then generate the custom modelines using xf86config... try and test and make a backup. Then reinstall ATI ... but before you try and startX and lock it up boot to RL 3 and copy in the custom modelines from your backup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardassianscot Posted November 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 Thanks very much for the help. I appreciate the time and effort it took. However, a guy from the matrox forum has solved the problem. It works fine if I set my matrox PCI card as the default from the bios, but not if I don't. Once again thanks very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.