i made a simple tutorial for setting up dual screen.
also available HERE and to download HERE(PDF)
Setting up dual screen in Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop
nVidia
By Michael Richards
It took me a wile figure out how to do it but now that i'v done it its awesome. To start with you have to go into 'System > Administration > Hardware Drivers' and enable the 'Proprietary drivers' for the graphics card. You will most likely have to do a restart in order for the settings to take effect.
Once you've done that you'll want to download and install the 'NVIDIA X Server Settings' app. To do this just go to 'Applications > Add/Remove...' then just do a search for 'nvidia' in the list of resualts selec 'NVIDIA X Server Settings' and check the box next to it.
Click 'Apply Changes' and restart if need be. Then we want to configure the screens to do this go to 'System > Administration > Nvidia X Server Settings'. A small box will come up and you will need to select 'X Server Display Configuration'. The small box will get bigger and look somewhat like the windows nvidia control panel. One of your moniters will be disabled (probably the one on DVI) click on it in the window and click 'Configure'. Once you get to this point there will be two options for dual screen.
1.Separate X screen
2.TwinView
'TwinView' is only really any good if you have two or more identical screens because it spans the display over all screens. Were as 'Separate X screen' is better for multiple screens of varying resolutions and sizes. It will basically allow you to have two separate 'Desktops' allowing you to split up your screens into two different 'computers' for lack of a better word.
TwinView
setting up 'TwinView' is a sinch just check the box and apply it
Separate X screen
Setting up 'Separate X screen' can be more difficult to set up first you want to select that instead of the other.
You will then want to set its location. For mine it was fine the way it is by default but you may need to change it. Once you have all your settings the way you like it you will need to 'Save to X Configuration File' if this fails you will have to take the following steps if not skip ahead to 'Restarting X'.
1.Navigate to '/etc/x11/' and select the file 'xorg.conf' copy it and then past it to the same directory calling it something like 'xorg.conf_backup'.
2.You will then need go into terminal ('Applications > Accessories > Terminal') and type following command:
Code:
#: sudo gedit /etc/x11/xorg.conf
3.You will probably be promoted for a password, enter it and continue on.
4.A test editor will popup with a hole heap of stuff in it delete the lot and go back to the 'NVIDIA X Server Settings dialog and click 'Save to X Configuration File' then 'Show Preview.
5.Copy the lot and then past it into the file you opened step 3. save and close the file
Restarting X
now restarting 'X' is easy, all you have to do is press 'Ctrl + Alt + Backspace'. BE WARNED it is nearly the same as restarting your computer but a lot faster so make sure you save documents and bookmark web pages before doing it.
THE END
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