T520 Ubuntu 11.10 x64 - can't connect external monitor

Mouse (touchpad/eraserhead) jerky

Re: Mouse (touchpad/eraserhead) jerky

On Fri, 3 Feb 2012, Sandro wrote:

> I have this problem in Xubuntu 11.10 where the mouse (eraserhead and
> touchpad) start to move really jerky when the laptop is on a table.
>
> When I take the laptop from the table, onto my lap, the mouse(s) start to
> wake up again.
>
> This usually happens while browsing in Opera, although I don't know if
> that's related. It's just what I use the laptop for the most.
>
> The eraserhead will go to jerky mode, while the touchpad prefers not to
> work at all.
>
> Usually if I tilt the laptop backwards on the table, the mouse will
> comeback somewhat, but still kinda jerky. Only when I put it on my lap will
> it really wake.
>
> I've been reluctant to mention this because it sounds like a joke, but it's
> getting too annoying, so I was hoping some of you have experienced this and
> know a solution.
>
> It's like any horizontal surface has a vulcan grip on the laptop that
> causes the mouse to die. Or the hard drive protection movement detection
> thingie that is not supposed to work in Linux is routed in a bad way by the
> firmware that causes the mouse to die when the laptop is exactly horizontal.
>
> I am using the Thinkpad Edge 15 0301GPG with the Intel i3 370M

Is it just under Linux that you have this problem?  Personally I'd suspect 
that the keyboard/mouse/touchpad assemblies aren't seated properly, and 
perhaps that the corresponding cable isn't correctly seated on the planar.

Of course if this happens under one OS but not others, I doubt that's the 
case...

Cheers,
Rob

Re: T520 Ubuntu 11.10 x64 - can't connect external monitor

On 03/02/12 19:27, Fen Labalme wrote:
> I have a new T520 that mostly works fine – I currently run nvidia (NVS
> 4200M) discrete graphics, have compiz 3d effects and colors look good.
>   (Still trying to decide if I like Unity, tho...)

Have you tried all 4 possible drivers:
  vesa/fbdev
  nv  (the old one)
  nouveau (the new free driver)
  nvidia (the binary blob from nvidia.com)?

What does /var/log/Xorg.0.log say?

Also, just to check - it's sometimes possible to accidentally disable 
the outputs in the BIOS, or the Fn-F7 key.

Richard

>
> But whether using the VGA or the Display Port, I can’t get the second
> monitor (Samsung T260R) to appear. I’d give up 3d if that’s what’s
> needed, as I use this machine primarily for work. (It would be sad to
> lose Rotate Cube, but so it goes.) Using the nvidia-settings app, I’ve
> tried running as separate X-windows with xinerama and with Twinview. I
> actually got Twinview to work once using a Display Port -> DVI cable but
> have not been able to recreate that experience. (If I ever get it
> working again, I’ll certainly save the xorg.conf!)  But VGA in
> particular should easily hotplug - needed for presentations, etc. when
> on the road. And I'd like DisplayPort to hotplug, too, so I can easily
> hook to my main monitor.
>
> If I can't get this to work, I'm going to have to RMA my shiny new box :(
>
> Thanks!
> =Fen
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Re: T520 Ubuntu 11.10 x64 - can't connect external monitor

On Fri, Feb 03, 2012 at 02:27:59PM -0500, Fen Labalme wrote:
> I have a new T520 that mostly works fine – I currently run nvidia (NVS
> 4200M) discrete graphics, have compiz 3d effects and colors look good.
>  (Still trying to decide if I like Unity, tho...)
> 
> But whether using the VGA or the Display Port, I can’t get the second
> monitor (Samsung T260R) to appear. I’d give up 3d if that’s what’s needed,
> as I use this machine primarily for work. (It would be sad to lose Rotate
> Cube, but so it goes.) Using the nvidia-settings app, I’ve tried running as
> separate X-windows with xinerama and with Twinview. I actually got Twinview
> to work once using a Display Port -> DVI cable but have not been able to
> recreate that experience. (If I ever get it working again, I’ll certainly
> save the xorg.conf!)  But VGA in particular should easily hotplug - needed
> for presentations, etc. when on the road. And I'd like DisplayPort to
> hotplug, too, so I can easily hook to my main monitor.
> 
> If I can't get this to work, I'm going to have to RMA my shiny new box :(

(If you end up doing that, get a machine with Intel graphics -- VGA hotplug
will just work.  DisplayPort... hm, no idea, don't have any of that.
Likely not yet.)

Marius Gedminas
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Re: T520 Ubuntu 11.10 x64 - can't connect external monitor

Re: T520 Ubuntu 11.10 x64 - can't connect external monitor

Re: T520 Ubuntu 11.10 x64 - can't connect external monitor

Dear Fen,

It looks like you've tried most of the "obvious" things. A few thoughts:

1. Which driver are you actually USING? (it will say in Xorg.0.log which 
drivers have been attempted, and which one it finally uses.) It's 
sometimes possible to think you are using nouveau when you're actually 
using nv, etc.

2. The nvidia binary blob also installs its own copy of (iirc) libGlx.
So to switch away from it, you need to completely uninstall the nvidia 
packages, not just swap the xorg.conf.  [This info may be outdated, it 
was certainly true last time I had such woes.]

3. Just in case, have you read this:
    http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Switchable_Graphics

4. I suspect that you may find this problem is solved "upstream". There 
is a lot of troubleshooting you can do, but it may be worth installing 
different distros to a live USB stick, and seeing whether any of them 
will work for you. I'd suggest trying the unstable version of Ubuntu 
(Precise Pangolin), and the latest Fedora. This experiment won't take 
too long to do; Unetbootin will help.

Hope that helps - sorry I can't be any more specific.

Richard

On 04/02/12 01:12, Fen Labalme wrote:
> Hi Richard,
>
> Thank you so much for your reply - it gives me hope that I might be able
> to get tis to work.
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 6:45 PM, Richard Neill <rn214 <at> richardneill.org
> <mailto:rn214 <at> richardneill.org>> wrote:
>
>     On 03/02/12 19:27, Fen Labalme wrote:
>
>         I have a new T520 that mostly works fine – I currently run
>         nvidia (NVS
>         4200M) discrete graphics, have compiz 3d effects and colors look
>         good.
>
>
>     Have you tried all 4 possible drivers:
>       vesa/fbdev
>       nv  (the old one)
>       nouveau (the new free driver)
>       nvidia (the binary blob from nvidia.com <http://nvidia.com/>)?
>
>
> No.  With freshly installed 11.10 I was not able to get the monitor to
> work using Intel Integrated nor Discreet Nvidia GPU.  When I first tried
> nvidia, I imagine (just guessing, here) that it was running nouveau.  I
> read somewhere that the new closed source drivers were worth a try, so I
> installed them using the xswat PPA.  I have not tried nv nor (to my
> knowledge) vesa/fbdev.
>
> Installed nouveau drivers:
> ii  libdrm-nouveau1a                  2.4.26-1ubuntu1
> ii  xserver-xorg-video-nouveau        1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1
>
> Installed nvidia drivers:
> ii  nvidia-common                     1:0.2.35
> ii  nvidia-current                    290.10-0ubuntu1~oneiric~xup1
> ii  nvidia-settings                   290.10-0ubuntu1~oneiric~xup1
>
>     What does /var/log/Xorg.0.log say?
>
>
> Using nvidia driver 290, a DisplayPort->DVI cable and the nvidia-settings:
>
> I turn on Twinview, save the xorg.conf file and apply my settings, I get
> a bar maybe 450 pixels high and across both screens containing what
> looks like my laptop windows spread wide.  After the timeout, laptop
> returns to normal and monitor goes back to dark.  I got this in Xorg.0.log:
>
> [ 22145.454] (II) NVIDIA(0): Setting mode
> [ 22145.454] (II) NVIDIA(0):
> "DFP-0:1600x900 <at> 1600x900+0+0,DFP-1:nvidia-auto-select <at> 1920x1200+1600+0"
> [ 22145.621] (WW) NVIDIA(0): Option "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder"
> requested "CRT", but no
> [ 22145.621] (WW) NVIDIA(0):     such display device could be found, or
> all display devices
> [ 22145.621] (WW) NVIDIA(0):     by that name are currently unavailable.
> [ 22145.622] (WW) NVIDIA(0): Option "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder"
> requested "TV", but no such
> [ 22145.622] (WW) NVIDIA(0):     display device could be found, or all
> display devices by
> [ 22145.622] (WW) NVIDIA(0):     that name are currently unavailable.
>
>     Also, just to check - it's sometimes possible to accidentally
>     disable the outputs in the BIOS, or the Fn-F7 key.
>
>
> Good "is it plugged in?" question, but the outputs are enabled in BIOS
> and I have tried the Fn-F7 key.  Also, I have two cables: VGA-VGA and
> DisplayPort->DVI.  For my monitor (1920x1200) I think the latter would
> be better, but of course I need the VGA to work for connecting to e.g.
> projectors.
>
> I try going back to nouveau as I didn't give it much of a chance.  Looks
> like the nouveau I have is nouv-old (20110411) - mayhaps I should try
> downloading a newer one?
>
> I've scoured the web but have not found recommended setups.  4x nvidia
> drivers; 2x intel; 2x cables; many (!) possible settings in xorg.cong.
> Any suggestions as what to concentrate on?
>
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T520 Ubuntu 11.10 x64 - can't connect external monitor

If the T520 is anything like the W520, to connect an external monitor
to the DisplayPort on the laptop, you must run in discrete graphics
mode under Linux (works great) or perhaps get Nvidia optimus to work
with the bumble bee (no idea how hard it is with the T520). The Intel
integrated graphics will not drive the DisplayPort, regardless of O/S.

Damon
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Re: T520 Ubuntu 11.10 x64 - can't connect external monitor

On Fri, Feb 03, 2012 at 08:04:57PM -0500, Fen Labalme wrote:
> Hi Marius,
> 
> 2012/2/3 Marius Gedminas <marius <at> gedmin.as>
> 
> > On Fri, Feb 03, 2012 at 02:27:59PM -0500, Fen Labalme wrote:
> > > I have a new T520 that mostly works fine – I currently run nvidia (NVS
> > > 4200M) discrete graphics, have compiz 3d effects and colors look good.
> > ...
> > > If I can't get this to work, I'm going to have to RMA my shiny new box :(
> >
> > (If you end up doing that, get a machine with Intel graphics -- VGA hotplug
> > will just work.  DisplayPort... hm, no idea, don't have any of that.
> > Likely not yet.)
> 
> This machine has Intel integrated graphics.

It has both, which complicates things. Perhaps if you disabled the
NVidia card in the BIOS, something would work?  I'm only guessing; I
don't have any machines more modern than a T61.

It's also a question of how the outputs are connected to the graphics
adapters; e.g. it's possible that DisplayPort is only driven by the
NVidia chip.

> Tried that first, and after it
> didn't work immediately I went searching for the nvidia driver.  But I'll
> go back to Intel and see what I can find.  Will the VGA be able to drive a
> 1920x1200 display?

Why not?  My Asus EeePC 900 (ancient Intel 945) drives a 1920x1080p TV
over VGA with sufficient 3D for all those Compiz effects.

Digital video would be much nicer, though.  The pixels would align, and
you would avoid analog noise.

Marius Gedminas
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