[vox-tech] help with xorg.conf

[Thomas Johnston]

I am pretty new to Linux and was wondering if anyone can help me
resolve some issues which I believe may be related to the xorg.conf
file.  Some relevant stats:

Computer: Dell Vostro 1500
Distribution: Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty) with KDE
graphics card: Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT and I have
driver: Nvidias driver 180.44
External Monitor: Acer AL2216W
Both the external monitor and my laptop display have a native
resolution of 1680x1050
X Server Information:
    Server Version Number: 11.0
    Server Vendor Version: 1.6.0 (10600000)
    NV-Control Verions: 1.17
    X Screens 1


Until recently, I had been able to connect the external monitor to the
VGA port on my laptop and use separate X screens without a problem.
However, I am working as a TA this summer and need to use my laptop
for teaching purposes.  Two days ago I connected it to one of the LCD
projectors found in the classroom in an attempt to test the video
display and hopefully get the projected image to mirror my laptop
screen.  I made some changes by running gksudo nvidia-settings.  I
monkeyed with the "TwinView" and "separate X screen" options as well
as the position of the screens, but I never could get it to mirror my
laptop display.

The problem I am having now, is that I can no longer get it to work
(well) with my external monitor at home now.  I have spent many hours
trying to get functionality restored.  It seems that the more I try to
get things to work, the worse the problem gets.  The advice of
websites such as:

http://www.ubuntulinux.org.cn/hacks/opensource/0596527209/i-0596527209-chp-5-sect-4.html

seems pretty straight forward, but so far I have had no luck.  I even
tried overwriting the active xorg.conf file with my backup copy, but
that still didn't do the trick.  I can either: (a) get the laptop to
see the external monitor at all, but it always forces the resolution
of the external monitor to be much lower than its native resolution
and also affects some of the font size/display characteristics on my
laptop screen or (b) I can get my laptop display just as it was, but
it won't see the external monitor.  Right now I have simplified my
xorg.conf file so that laptop display is good but no external monitor
is working.

Any ideas?


Thomas


PS - Here is my current xorg.conf file:
Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"
	DefaultDepth	24
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load	"glx"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Driver	"nvidia"
	Option	"NoLogo"	"True"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
	Option	"DontZap"	"False"
EndSection


If you would like to see the Xorg.0.log file (or anything else),
please email me.