Two External Displays: Any Assistance is Greatly Appropriated

[Jim Randell]

Hello All,

 

Big fan of this site! I am in love with my DellBookPro .

 

I have overcome every obstacle in my path by researching your site, but I am hung up on one issue and it has been driving me crazy.

 

I have been searching and reading posts for weeks attempting to find a way to run two external monitors off my D620 as one extended desktop, not mirrored.

 

I am using a doc (D/Port Advance Port Replicator model PROIX) so I have a VGA and a DVI-D Port (I have no need for the internal display when docked). I can use the DVI, the VGA looks good during boot, but goes black before desktop loads. I have Found I can switch between the two monitors during boot by using the fn-f8 key, but using that key after boot freezes the system requiring a power off

 

What have I tried? frankly, nothing. Between all the different tools, kexts, EFI injectors, different CPUs and configurations, and lets not even discuss versions and compatibly, I am overwhelmed and don’t know where to start .

 

I have only ever used the drivers, instructions, etc, from this site, (but I thoroughly searched and read the others while looking for a solution to this issue) so I feel it is the best place to start.

 

I have setup a partition on an external usb drive, to use as a sandbox. I am ready to dive in.

 

I hope someone out there will be kind enough to help. If I could get this working, I would be eternally grateful.

 

Thank you all again

-JR

 

 

Displays:

DVI Port: DELL SP2309W:

VGA Port: DELL 1500FP

Display Card:

nVidia Quadro NVS 110M EFI

Chipset Model: nVidia Quadro NVS 110M EFI

Type: GPU, Bus: PCIe, PCIe Lane Width: x16

VRAM (Total): 64 MB

Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)

Device ID: 0x01d7, Revision ID: 0x00a1

 

Hardware (D620):

Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo

Processor Speed: 2.16 GHz

Number Of Processors: 1

Total Number Of Cores: 2

L2 Cache: 4 MB

Bus Speed: 667 MHz

Boot ROM Version: MBP51.007E.005

SMC Version (system): 1.30f3

Memory: 2 GB

ECC: Disabled

DIMM_A: 1 GB, DDR2 SDRAM, 667 MHz

DIMM_B: 1 GB, DDR2 SDRAM, 667 MHz

System Software:

System Version: Mac OS X 10.6.7 (10J869)

Kernel Version: Darwin 10.7.0

Boot Volume: DellBookHD

Boot Mode: Normal

Secure Virtual Memory: Not Enabled

64-bit Kernel and Extensions: No

[Bronxteck]

Did you try EDP1.6 or1.7 choose option 2 "fixes" then option 7 "reset displays" see if that helps. this usually helps with the garbled screen corruption issue after applying mirror mode

[Jim Randell]

Thanks Bronteck,

Will Try out As soon As I get home today!!!

-JR

[Bronxteck]

funny thing I was experimenting last night with your issue using the laptop screen and adding one to the vga port on the back of the laptop it extended my desktop like it normally does so i click on mirror mode just to make sure the "fix" worked like it did in 10.6.0 - 10.6.6 well in 10.6.7 it seems like they changed something because it didn't work this time... I mean the script did it's job properly but the screen was still messed up until i unpluged the monitor cable and went back to lcd but it was dimmer and the resolution was at 1024x768 so i rebooted and all was back to normal except it garbels up when connecting external monitor still though it should not be after running the "fix". so now i'm stumped on that.

[Jim Randell]

Well, real life forced its way into my weekend and I did not have much time for this. But I did a clean install onto a sandbox boot disk, precisely following instructions from this sites procedures, and then did the "Fixes" as described above. I found that on a new install, if I set the main display to be one of the external monitors, from that point forward, it will only see that external monitor, and the internal display. No combination of pre-boot/post-boot plugging/unplugging (at 1024x768 and/or 800x600) would allow me to use the other external monitor.

 

If no one has a more specific procedure to try, I might follow this path next:

I am guessing there is a text file, similar to the linux xorg.conf file, which describes the monitors and their attributes. Does anyone know the name/path of this file and point me to a guide explaining proper configuration?

 

Or better still, has anyone with a d620 and a dock (D/Port Advance Port Replicator model PROIX) and two external monitors (DVI and VGA), been able to make this work? If yes, might I be able to obtain a copy of your Extra folder, as well as the other necessary parameters used to configure the boot process?

 

Thanks,

-JR

[Jim Randell]

I believe I am real close, I feel certain a proper configuration file can be built from the following info. If some kind soul could help this clueless nube put this together, I will send you some home backed cookies.

 

Anyone? Please?

 

 

(I want to ignore the internal display when using this boot setup)

 

Data for Display1:

NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300:

 

 

 

Chipset Model: GeForce Go 7300

Type: GPU

Bus: PCIe

Slot: Slot-1

PCIe Lane Width: x16

VRAM (Total): 64 MB

Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)

Device ID: 0x01d7

Revision ID: 0x00a1

ROM Revision: 0x00

Displays:

Display:

Resolution: 800 x 600

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Mirror: Off

Online: Yes

Built-In: Yes

Stretched: Yes

DELL SP2309W:

Resolution: 2048 x 1152 @ 60 Hz

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Main Display: Yes

Mirror: Off

Online: Yes

Rotation: Supported

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">'>http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">

<plist version="1.0">

<dict>

<key>PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)</key>

<dict>

<key>@0,compatible</key>

<string>NVDA,NVMac</string>

<key>@0,device_type</key>

<string>display</string>

<key>@0,name</key>

<string>NVDA,Display-A</string>

<key>@1,compatible</key>

<string>NVDA,NVMac</string>

<key>@1,device_type</key>

<string>display</string>

<key>@1,name</key>

<string>NVDA,Display-B</string>

<key>NVCAP</key>

<data>

BAAAAAAAAwAMAAAAAAAABwAAAAA=

</data>

<key>NVPM</key>

<data>

AQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==

</data>

<key>VRAM,totalsize</key>

<data>

AAAAEA==

</data>

<key>device_type</key>

<string>NVDA,Parent</string>

<key>model</key>

<string>Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT</string>

<key>name</key>

<string>display</string>

<key>rom-revision</key>

<string>Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT OpenGL Engine [EFI]</string>

</dict>

</dict>

</plist>

 

 

 

 

data for display2:

NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300:

 

 

 

Chipset Model: GeForce Go 7300

Type: GPU

Bus: PCIe

Slot: Slot-1

PCIe Lane Width: x16

VRAM (Total): 64 MB

Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)

Device ID: 0x01d7

Revision ID: 0x00a1

ROM Revision: 0x00

Displays:

Display:

Resolution: 800 x 600

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Mirror: Off

Online: Yes

Built-In: Yes

DELL 1800FP:

Resolution: 1024 x 1280 @ 60 Hz

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Main Display: Yes

Mirror: Off

Online: Yes

Rotation: 90

 

 

 

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">

<plist version="1.0">

<dict>

<key>PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1,0x0)/Pci(0x0,0x0)</key>

<dict>

<key>@0,compatible</key>

<string>NVDA,NVMac</string>

<key>@0,device_type</key>

<string>display</string>

<key>@0,name</key>

<string>NVDA,Display-A</string>

<key>@1,compatible</key>

<string>NVDA,NVMac</string>

<key>@1,device_type</key>

<string>display</string>

<key>@1,name</key>

<string>NVDA,Display-B</string>

<key>NVCAP</key>

<data>

BAAAAAAAAwAMAAAAAAAABwAAAAA=

</data>

<key>NVPM</key>

<data>

AQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==

</data>

<key>VRAM,totalsize</key>

<data>

AAAAEA==

</data>

<key>device_type</key>

<string>NVDA,Parent</string>

<key>model</key>

<string>Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT</string>

<key>name</key>

<string>display</string>

<key>rom-revision</key>

<string>Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT OpenGL Engine [EFI]</string>

</dict>

</dict>

</plist>

 

 

[Bronxteck]

you have so much going on there... WoW... i don't have any of your hardware to help you trouble shoot. lets see how far i can help.

 

ok some questions

are both monitors connected to the same card? the way you have the plists suggests thats your goal.

is the card detected and functional? it seems so from your system profiler but if not you will have to put it in your extra/extensions folder and rebuild your extensions from current config

in the bios you can set internal or dock video. is it set to pci?

are any of the doc features functioning?

this is all i can think of right now.

[Jim Randell]

Thank you Mr. Bronxteck!

 

the card? by every profile I have been able to run, there appears to be only one card in the machine, the Nvidia quadro NVS 110m (AKA GeForce Go 7300). the back of the d620 provides a vga port, the dock (D/Port Advance Port Replicator model PROIX)also provides a vga, as well as a dvi-d port.

 

I have my Dell 1800fp in the VGA, and the Dell 2309 in the DVI port.

 

When I boot in windows and the D620 Display lid is closed, the two external monitors work to display one extended desktop. (The nvidia utility allows me to use any two of the three monitors at once)

 

I am attempting to recreate the configuration where I can use the two external monitors (with or without the lid closed)

 

I got the info I provided in the last post by booting using the Dell 2309, acquiring the info from EFI Studio, then rebooting with the other monitor and getting the info the same way. (I have not figured out the proper use of EFI Studio, so I do not make any changes to my settings with it)

 

Perhaps I provided too much info. I hope the over all issue is not as perplexing as your concerns imply.

(2 Dell monitors, 1 Dell laptop with two monitor ports - can I be the only one who has ever tried this?)

 

Again (and again), my sincerest thanks,

-JR

[Bronxteck]

the problem is that the dvi port will not work in hack dell for some reason... Leon and i were experimenting with this issue over the weekend and got some progress with just the laptop and it's vga port on the back but we had to use some very ancient kexts that are not compatible with 10.6.5 and above.. safari crashes when opening youtube or yahoo and a bunch of other sites and it seemed to slow down the computer. but mirror mode worked with my 1080p hd monitor but not leon's monitor also it was very unstable sometimes kp sometimes grey boot or cycling f8 would cause a halt. apple has not released the source code for the drivers so not much more can be done. but it does seem to be a driver limitation put after 10.6.4 the 2 kexts go in e/e then you must rebuild your mkext using EDP option 1 then option a and restart hopefully it will boot correctly if not use -f -v in chameleon.

Archive.zip

[Jim Randell]

Thanks all,

I will look all this over.

-JR