6 Monitors - Ubuntu 8.04 - Compiz Fusion - XGL NVIDIA Working! (Video Included)

[stig51]

I'd tryed to just plug 2 graphic cards (but plugging the second in the other PCI16x (PCI:3:0:0 + PCI:7:0:0)) and it's working as well as on the PCI:3:0:0 + PCI:4:0:0.

Finally it doesn't want to recognize 3 GPUs at the same time ; 2 GPU : ok, but not 3.

[stig51]

All begin good in my /var/log/Xorg.0.conf, but it makes an error at the 3rd GPU, anyone know why?

Xorg.0.conf

(II) Setting vga for screen 0.
(II) Setting vga for screen 1.
(II) Setting vga for screen 2.
(**) NVIDIA(0): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
(==) NVIDIA(0): RGB weight 888
(==) NVIDIA(0): Default visual is TrueColor
(==) NVIDIA(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
(**) NVIDIA(0): Option "NoLogo" "1"
(**) NVIDIA(0): Option "TwinView" "1"
(**) NVIDIA(0): Option "MetaModes" "CRT-0: 1280x768 +0+0, CRT-1: 1280x768 +1280+0"
(**) NVIDIA(0): Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
(**) NVIDIA(0): Enabling RENDER acceleration
(II) NVIDIA(0): Support for GLX with the Damage and Composite X extensions is
(II) NVIDIA(0):     enabled.
(II) NVIDIA(0): NVIDIA GPU GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ (G92) at PCI:4:0:0
(II) NVIDIA(0):     (GPU-0)
(--) NVIDIA(0): Memory: 524288 kBytes
(--) NVIDIA(0): VideoBIOS: 62.92.5d.00.01
(II) NVIDIA(0): Detected PCI Express Link width: 16X
(--) NVIDIA(0): Interlaced video modes are supported on this GPU
(--) NVIDIA(0): Connected display device(s) on GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ at
(--) NVIDIA(0):     PCI:4:0:0:
(--) NVIDIA(0):     Iiyama PLE2208HDS (CRT-0)
(--) NVIDIA(0):     Iiyama PLE2208HDS (CRT-1)
(--) NVIDIA(0): Iiyama PLE2208HDS (CRT-0): 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
(--) NVIDIA(0): Iiyama PLE2208HDS (CRT-1): 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
(**) NVIDIA(0): TwinView enabled
(II) NVIDIA(0): Display Devices found referenced in MetaMode: CRT-0, CRT-1
(II) NVIDIA(0): Assigned Display Devices: CRT-0, CRT-1
(II) NVIDIA(0): Validated modes:
(II) NVIDIA(0):     "CRT-0:1280x768+0+0,CRT-1:1280x768+1280+0"
(II) NVIDIA(0): Virtual screen size determined to be 2560 x 768
(--) NVIDIA(0): DPI set to (67, 72); computed from "UseEdidDpi" X config
(--) NVIDIA(0):     option
(**) NVIDIA(0): Enabling 32-bit ARGB GLX visuals.
(**) NVIDIA(1): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
(==) NVIDIA(1): RGB weight 888
(==) NVIDIA(1): Default visual is TrueColor
(==) NVIDIA(1): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
(**) NVIDIA(1): Option "NoLogo" "1"
(**) NVIDIA(1): Option "TwinView" "1"
(**) NVIDIA(1): Option "MetaModes" "CRT-0: 1280x768 +0+0, CRT-1: 1280x768 +1280+0"
(**) NVIDIA(1): Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
(**) NVIDIA(1): Enabling RENDER acceleration
(II) NVIDIA(1): NVIDIA GPU GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ (G92) at PCI:3:0:0
(II) NVIDIA(1):     (GPU-1)
(--) NVIDIA(1): Memory: 524288 kBytes
(--) NVIDIA(1): VideoBIOS: 62.92.5d.00.01
(II) NVIDIA(1): Detected PCI Express Link width: 16X
(--) NVIDIA(1): Interlaced video modes are supported on this GPU
(--) NVIDIA(1): Connected display device(s) on GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ at
(--) NVIDIA(1):     PCI:3:0:0:
(--) NVIDIA(1):     Philips 420WN6 (CRT-0)
(--) NVIDIA(1):     DELL E207WFP (CRT-1)
(--) NVIDIA(1): Philips 420WN6 (CRT-0): 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
(--) NVIDIA(1): DELL E207WFP (CRT-1): 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
(**) NVIDIA(1): TwinView enabled
(II) NVIDIA(1): Display Devices found referenced in MetaMode: CRT-0, CRT-1
(II) NVIDIA(1): Assigned Display Devices: CRT-0, CRT-1
(II) NVIDIA(1): Validated modes:
(II) NVIDIA(1):     "CRT-0:1280x768+0+0,CRT-1:1280x768+1280+0"
(II) NVIDIA(1): Virtual screen size determined to be 2560 x 768
(--) NVIDIA(1): DPI set to (34, 37); computed from "UseEdidDpi" X config
(--) NVIDIA(1):     option
(**) NVIDIA(1): Enabling 32-bit ARGB GLX visuals.
(**) NVIDIA(2): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
(==) NVIDIA(2): RGB weight 888
(==) NVIDIA(2): Default visual is TrueColor
(==) NVIDIA(2): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
(**) NVIDIA(2): Option "NoLogo" "1"
(**) NVIDIA(2): Option "TwinView" "1"
(**) NVIDIA(2): Option "MetaModes" "CRT-0: 1280x768 +0+0, CRT-1: 1280x768 +1280+0"
(**) NVIDIA(2): Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
(**) NVIDIA(2): Enabling RENDER acceleration
(EE) NVIDIA(2): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA graphics device PCI:7:0:0. 
(EE) NVIDIA(2):     Please see the COMMON PROBLEMS section in the README for
(EE) NVIDIA(2):     additional information.
(EE) NVIDIA(2): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA graphics device!

[stig51]

I've maybe found the problem, reading this :

http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...hapter-09.html

The NVIDIA kernel module requires portions of the kernel's virtual address space for each GPU and for certain memory allocations. If no more than 128MB are available to the kernel and device drivers at boot time, the NVIDIA kernel module may be unable to initialize all GPUs, or fail memory allocations. This is not usually a problem with only 1 or 2 GPUs, however depending on the number of other drivers and their usage patterns, it can be; it is likely to be a problem with 3 or more GPUs.

Possible solutions for this problem include:

If available, the 'vmalloc' kernel parameter can be used to increase the size of the kernel virtual address space reserved by the Linux kernel (the default is 128MB). Incrementally raising this to find the best balance between the size of the kernel virtual address space made available and the size of the direct system memory mapping is recommended. You can achieve this by passing 'vmalloc=192M', 'vmalloc=256MB', ..., to the kernel and checking if the above error message continues to be printed.

Note that some versions of the GRUB boot loader have problems calculating the memory layout and loading the initrd if the 'vmalloc' kernel parameter is used. The 'uppermem' GRUB command can be used to force GRUB to load the initrd into a lower region of system memory to work around this problem. This will not adversely affect system performance once the kernel has been loaded. The suggested syntax is:

title Kernel Title
uppermem 524288
kernel (hdX,Y)/boot/vmlinuz...

Also note that the 'vmalloc' kernel parameter only exists on Linux 2.6.9 and later kernels. On older kernels, the amount of system memory used by the kernel can be reduced with the 'mem' kernel parameter, which also reduces the size of the direct mapping and thus increases the size of the kernel virtual address space available. For example, 'mem=512M' instructs the kernel to ignore all but the first 512MB of system memory. Although it is undesirable to reduce the amount of usable system memory, this approach can be used to check if initialization problems are caused by kernel virtual address space exhaustion.

Anyone know how I can modify the vmalloc kernel parameter and the GRUB command ?

Thanks for help.

[stig51]

I've found a solution : Ubuntu Hardy 8.04 64bit version

It works very well, the 3 GPUs are directly initialized !

[jgeboski]

Edited

I have gotten it t work on all four monitor now but i would like them t be all independent. Like i can drag between them but when i maximize it just maximizes to one screen. The config file below stretches across all four but compiz works . I am not to worried about compiz if it works great if not what ever. I would just like all independent views. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I would like to get away from windows as soon as possible.

Thanks
James

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Default Layout"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 1050
    Screen      1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
    Screen      2  "Screen2" RightOf "Screen3"
    Screen      3  "Screen3" Above "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Generic Keyboard" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Generic Keyboard"
    Driver         "kbd"
    Option         "XkbRules" "xorg"
    Option         "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option         "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Configured Mouse"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "HP w2207"
    HorizSync       24.0 - 82.0
    VertRefresh     48.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "HP w2207"
    HorizSync       24.0 - 82.0
    VertRefresh     48.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor2"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "HP w2207"
    HorizSync       24.0 - 82.0
    VertRefresh     48.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor3"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "HP w2207"
    HorizSync       24.0 - 83.0
    VertRefresh     48.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Configured Video Device"
    Driver         "nvidia"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Videocard0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8800 Ultra"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Videocard1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8800 Ultra"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Videocard2"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8800 Ultra"
    BusID          "PCI:5:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Videocard3"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8800 Ultra"
    BusID          "PCI:5:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

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

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Videocard0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "nvidia-auto-select"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Videocard1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "nvidia-auto-select"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen2"
    Device         "Videocard2"
    Monitor        "Monitor2"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "nvidia-auto-select"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen3"
    Device         "Videocard3"
    Monitor        "Monitor3"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "nvidia-auto-select"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
    Option         "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection

[Za5od]

First of, I'm sooo glad I found this forum thread. It's helped quite alot in trying to get my config working. Special thanks to Shane for all his initial work and for taking the time to actually set up/mimic the monitor configurations that people are trying to implement.

Having said that, now on to my question. I'm at work, so I can't post my xorg.conf file, but I can when I get home.

The monitor lay out I want is like this:

- 3 -
0 1 2

0 (left) and 2 (right) monitors are 1600x1200 20" LCD
1 (middle) is 1920x1200 24" LCD
3 (top) is 1440x900 19" LCD

Video cards are two 8800GT's

Videocard0
DFP1 = Middle monitor (1)
DFP2 = Top monitor (3)

Videocard1
DFP1 = Left Monitor (0)
DFP2 = Right Monitor (2)

I've been successfull at getting the following layout to work with no problems (compiz works, xinerama works, etc):

L M R

Server layout is
Screen 0 "Left Monitor" 0 0
Screen 1 "Middle Monitor" rightof "Left Monitor"
Screen 2 "Right Monitor" rightof "Middle Monitor"

As noted, this works, with the minor annoyance that the GDM login is on the Left Monitor (0). I can live with that.

I can even get the layout that I want to work by adding the following to the serverlayout section:

"screen 3 "Top Monitor" above "Middle Monitor".

However, this gives me a wierd problem: When I move a window from say, monitor 1(middle), to monitor 0 (left), the window moves, but not the contents of the window. Same if I try to move a window to the right monitor (2). However, I can move the window to the top (3) monitor with no issues. I can't say that I've evern seen/heard of this issue before.

I also get this problem if I try to to do my serverlayout as follows (so that GDM shows up in the middle monitor):

Screen 0 "Middle Monitor" 0 0
Screen 1 "Left Monitor" Leftof "Middle Monitor"
Screen 2 "Right Monitor" rightof "Middle Monitor"

I'll post my xorg.conf file(s) tonight when I get home for review. One thing, I'm not using twinview for any of the monitors at this time. I'm using separate X sessions. I tried to make a xorg.conf file that used twinview (similar to the one that everhacker had back on page 15 I think). Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to work, and I didn't quite understand the gemoetry in the "serverlayout" section in the everhacker xorg.conf file, so that could have been what caused the problem.

Thanks,

David

[lifeboy]

Hi all! I just practically read the entire thread and it's quite a mouthful and great info. However, I cannot get my simple setup to work with compiz.

I have the following:

1 x NVidia 8600GT
1 x NVidia 8400GS
2 LCD monitors connected to the 8600GT. (I plan to use the other in future, but not now)
1 monitor = 19" the other 20" both DVI
4 GB RAM
Ubuntu Hardy 64bit.

The NVidia X Server Setting screen displays this:

NVidia proprietory drivers installed v 169.12
Display Name: VM1:0
Server Version Number: 11.0
Server Vendor String: The X.Org Foundation
Server Vendor Version: 1.4.0.90 (10400090)
NV-Control Version: 1.14
X Screens: 1

Here is my /etc/X11/xorg.conf

# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder58)  Tue Nov  4 17:19:39 PST 2008


Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
    RgbPath         "/etc/X11/rgb.txt"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "freetype"
    Load           "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
    Option         "XkbOptions" "compose:ralt"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "BenQ G900W"
    HorizSync       31.0 - 83.0
    VertRefresh     55.0 - 76.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "ViewSonic VA2016w-2"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 82.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8600 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:2:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8600 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:2:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
    Option         "TwinView" "1"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "CRT: nvidia-auto-select +1440+0, DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
    Option         "TwinView" "1"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

I have tried using Twinview and then installing xserver-xgl afterwards, and without it, using separate X Screens, usign Xinerama and all permutations of the above, but I cannot get "visual effects" on the appearance page to allow "extra" so compiz will work. It simply says "Desktop effects could not be enabled"

Also, when I try to start awn, I get "Error: Screen isn't composited. Please run compiz (-fusion) or another compositing manager".

I've attached my /var/log/Xorg.0.log file as well.

Does this have anything to do with the fact that I'm running 64 bit Ubuntu?

I also see the GLX module does not load. Is that a problem?

thanks all

[lifeboy]

Just a quick update.

At the time of my posting above I had installed the nvidia-glx-new binary driver using the system | administration | hardware drivers menu option to enable proprietory drivers.

I have subsequently used envyNG to install the latest drivers.

The results are no different from what I reported in my previous post.

[nightfire117]

Wow. That is the most futuristic-looking and professional system I've ever seen. Amazing work. o__________o I can't hope to do that anytime soon, though - hahaha. XD Oh, well! >.< Still, awesome. I can't describe it any other way.

~Night

[Za5od]

Just a quick update.

At the time of my posting above I had installed the nvidia-glx-new binary driver using the system | administration | hardware drivers menu option to enable proprietory drivers.

I have subsequently used envyNG to install the latest drivers.

The results are no different from what I reported in my previous post.

Lifeboy,

Did you install the correct x-server?

Sounds like maybe you're missing that part. If you didn't,
then issue the following command from a Terminal prompt:

sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl

And then try to restart X

Also, what kind of monitor layout are you doing? Left-Center-Right? or something else?

Dave