ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

fabian · 2012-01-17 20:28:27

Hi, everyone! I have a Thinkpad with discrete Nvidia Quadro 1000M graphics (which I don't plan to use in Linux). I wish to only use the integrated graphics card. So far:

- Only xf86-video-intel installed.
- No nvidia drivers installed.
- Discrete graphics enabled in BIOS. (there is an option that enables Optimus if the OS supports it, this is enabled, which as far as I understand make no difference in Linux).

Sadly, I can never get any output on VGA for my external monitor.

When (un)plugging the VGA cable I get nothing on dmesg and xrandr always shows:

$: xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1600 x 900, maximum 8192 x 8192
LVDS1 connected 1600x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 344mm x 194mm
   1600x900       60.0*+   50.0  
   1024x768       60.0  
   800x600        60.3     56.2  
   640x480        59.9  
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

Possible hint: At startup I usually get this message (I don't know if it is related),

[drm:intel_dsm_platform_mux_info] *ERROR* MUX INFO call failed

Any help or explanations will be greatly appreciated!

xomikronx · 2012-01-17 22:09:36

Hello,

I have the same laptop. And also have an external monitor conected.

Which architecture do you have installed?

I followed the helps here:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Intel

Hope it helps.

Last edited by xomikronx (2012-01-17 22:11:04)

fabian · 2012-01-18 06:45:29

xomikronx! I hope you become my life saviour! Could you please please please pastebin the following?

- pacman -Qs xf86-video
- pacman -Qs nvidia
- /etc/xorg.conf (if exists)
- xrandr

The first two -Qs separately, of course
And let me know how is your BIOS configured under config -> display, please.

Have a good one and thank you for the reply

Fabian

tres · 2012-01-20 02:22:08

I had the same issue with my T520

switch BIOS to integrated

then set the following conf files to the following

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf
Section "Device"
Identifier "old intel stuff"
Driver "intel"
Option "Shadow" "True"
Option "DRI" "false"
EndSection

/etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf
options i915 modeset=1

/etc/mkinitcpio.conf
MODULES="intel_agp i915"
FILES="/etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf

mkinitcpio -p linux
reboot

pacman -Qs xf86-video

xf86-video-fbdev 0.4.2-5
xf86-video-intel 2.17.0-2
xf86-video-vesa 2.3.0-7
intel-dri 7.11.2-1
lib32-intel-dri
libva-driver-intel

no nvidia drivers installed
in my .xinitrc: xrandr --output LVDS1 --auto --output VGA1 --auto --left-of LVDS1 &

Hope this helps.

Last edited by tres (2012-01-20 02:26:28)

mtetreault · 2012-01-22 19:55:44

I have the same issue as fabian, I tryed the solution suggested by tres with no luck...

xrandr -q still says VGA1 disconnected!

Any clues?

tres · 2012-01-23 01:10:02

Stupid question but is the VGA cable known good? Other wise try deleting the 10-monitors.conf if you have one in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d
New install or old install? All updates done?

mtetreault · 2012-01-23 19:34:23

The VGA cable is good, it's working when using Windows 7. I tryed deleting the 10-monitors.conf and xrandr still doesn't detect my monitor as plugged in. It's a relatively new (3 weeks) install and everything is up to date.

tres · 2012-01-23 21:22:06

You booting up with the cable unplugged or plugged in?
I'm sorry I was not much help. Perhaps smeone who is smarter than me will be along soon.

mtetreault · 2012-01-23 23:36:56

I tryed both and the result is the same... the monitor is not detected by xrandr..

jaco · 2012-01-24 01:45:47

I have a T520, so mostly the same machine. For my own, i've disabled Optimus and discrete graphics in the BIOS and enabled integrated one (your post says you have enable the discrete one... curious).
With Intel driver, all is fine.

As for auxiliary screen, il just use disper (in the AUR).

disper -e to have an extended display over the two screens, disper -c to clone both screens and disper -s to revert to single screen.

Last edited by jaco (2012-01-24 01:46:38)

mtetreault · 2012-01-24 04:18:32

I'm using the integrated card (Intel). I tried disper without any luck..

jaco · 2012-01-24 10:11:16

My mistake... I'm using disper only when i'm using Nvidia discrete card...

[Edit] I've just switched again to my Intel integrated card (NVidia is really too bad for handling easily two displays as i need to). And disper works perfectly well with it.

Last edited by jaco (2012-01-27 00:13:00)

kotnik · 2012-07-17 09:36:49

fabian,

did you manage to solve your problem with VGA output? I am having the exact same issue on W520.

tekn · 2012-07-18 11:45:10

If you have laptop with discrete card you can connect external monitor only if you are using discrete card or optimus mode, it's because integrated card isnt connected with VGA output.

Last edited by tekn (2012-07-18 11:48:26)

ANOKNUSA · 2012-07-18 13:01:49

tekn wrote:

If you have laptop with discrete card you can connect external monitor only if you are using discrete card or optimus mode, it's because integrated card isnt connected with VGA output.

I have a T520, and I connect to an external monitor through VGA with only the integrated chip every day.. Is that only true of the W series?

@OP: The first post says that discrete graphics is enabled, so just to be clear: The BIOS "Display" option is set to "Discrete?" Or you just have Optimus detection on? Try these settings in the meantime:

- Install either xf86-video-intel-sna or nvidia, but not both

- Linux does not support Optimus; leaving detection for Optimus support on just confuses the kernel, as it goes looking for both Nvidia and Intel modules. Only one GPU will ever be active, but both will be powered on and draining your battery. Switch strictly to either "Integrated" or "Discrete" in the BIOS, depending on the GPU you wish to use, and turn Optimus detection off.

- The Intel integrated chip outputs to the VGA port, while the Nvidia chip outputs to DisplayPort. The discrete Nvidia GPU should supposedly also be able to output to VGA, but I've never actually tried it.

Give that a shot and see if it helps at all. You might also find this information useful, just to see how others might have done it.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-01-17 20:28:27

ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#2 2012-01-17 22:09:36

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#3 2012-01-18 06:45:29

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#4 2012-01-20 02:22:08

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#5 2012-01-22 19:55:44

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#6 2012-01-23 01:10:02

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#7 2012-01-23 19:34:23

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#8 2012-01-23 21:22:06

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#9 2012-01-23 23:36:56

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#10 2012-01-24 01:45:47

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#11 2012-01-24 04:18:32

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#12 2012-01-24 10:11:16

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#13 2012-07-17 09:36:49

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#14 2012-07-18 11:45:10

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

#15 2012-07-18 13:01:49

Re: ThinkPad W520, NO VGA with integrated graphics card.

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