Arch Linux

Bootools

Member

From: Indiana, United States

Registered: 2017-05-09

Posts: 2

Only one monitor activated on boot

This is more a Quality of Life issue, so I'm going to be fine if there isn't a viable solution.

During the installation, or if i log out of my current X Session, the content of the TTY is mirrored on both monitors. I like to have both of them mirrored so that I can view the content on the monitor that is closest to me. However, whenever I reboot, the monitor that is on my left does not turn on until Xorg is started. The monitor on the left is the one that is closest to me. I'd like to make sure that during the boot process, both of my monitors are activated in order to display content.

I'll show a copy of my 10-monitor.conf file below. It shows the ID's of my two monitors, the ports that are being used, and the layout that I have set for both of them:

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"HDMI-0"
	Option		"Primary"	"true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"DVI-I-1"
	Option		"RightOf"	"HDMI-0"
EndSection

Wild Penguin

Member

Registered: 2015-03-19

Posts: 406

Re: Only one monitor activated on boot

Which GPU?

I'd look at kernel parameters, as this is something which makes sense to configure there. Another alternative would be a systemd unit (or whatever equivalent in the init system one is using) to control the output before starting X.org, however that is not optimal since the init system might fail (in which case it is useful to get output at the desired terminals). In essence, I can see three (sensible) levels to control output here:

1. After loading Kernel

2. After booting into text-mode (no GUI loaded)

3. After loading a GUI (login manager)

(technically, one could add 0=before loading any OS; i.e. set by BIOS or 0.5 after loading a boot manager and even perhaps 4 set by the user's desktop environment)

I'm fairly certain there are options both for 1. and 2. above.

EDIT: I did a bit searching for you and perhaps it is the video= -parameter you need; see the Arch wiki on KMS.

Last edited by Wild Penguin (2020-04-22 08:00:45)