I have now 2 monitors, both HP E27q. Both worked with the according hdmi cables on windows. Both are connected and switched on.
My desktop has two graphic cards as
lspci | grep VGA
shows
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF119 [GeForce GT 610] (rev a1)
0b:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Phoenix2 (rev c5)
Each monitor is at a graphic card.
The one on the nvidia card works, the other one is just black.
Now I command xranddr --auto… well no visual action and monitor remains black.
If I ask xrandr --listmonitors I get a single one only:
Monitors: 1
0: +*HDMI-1 2560/597x1440/336+0+0 HDMI-1
What to do to get the second monitor via the second graphic card?
X86 class computer BIOS commonly limit the ability to use graphics outputs from more than one source at a time, defaulting to use a dGPU’s ports in preference to any iGPU’s. Windows apparently at least with some hardware may be able to ignore such a restriction.
Have you investigated whether you can change behavior via BIOS (UEFI firmware) setup?
Have you tried connecting both displays to one “card”?
Please show input/output here from inxi -GSaz.
I searched in the BIOS but did not find anything… i will have a closer look.
My built in graphic card has one output only.
Here:
08:18 $ inxi -GSaz
System:
Kernel: 6.14.0-1-default arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 14.2.1
clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.14.0-1-default
root=UUID=2c01224e-c0a4-4483-b1a2-45ae0755685a splash=silent
mitigations=auto quiet security=apparmor nosimplefb=1
Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.3.4 tk: Qt v: N/A info: frameworks v: 6.12.0
wm: kwin_x11 tools: avail: xscreensaver vt: 2 dm: SDDM Distro: openSUSE
Tumbleweed 20250405
Graphics:
Device-1: NVIDIA GF119 [GeForce GT 610] vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: N/A
alternate: nouveau non-free: series: 390.xx+ status: legacy (EOL~2022-11-22)
last: release: 390.157 kernel: 6.0 xorg: 1.21 arch: Fermi code: GF1xx
process: 40/28nm built: 2010-2016 pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 4
link-max: lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:104a class-ID: 0300
Device-2: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Phoenix2 vendor: ASUSTeK
driver: amdgpu v: kernel arch: RDNA-3 code: Phoenix process: TSMC n4 (4nm)
built: 2023+ pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: HDMI-A-1
empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-3, DP-4, DP-5, Writeback-1 bus-ID: 0b:00.0
chip-ID: 1002:15c8 class-ID: 0300 temp: 46.0 C
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.15 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.6
compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: vesa
alternate: fbdev dri: radeonsi gpu: amdgpu display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 2560x1440 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 677x381mm (26.65x15.00")
s-diag: 777mm (30.58")
Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-1 model: HP E27q G4 serial: <filter>
built: 2023 res: mode: 2560x1440 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 109 gamma: 1.2
size: 597x336mm (23.5x13.23") diag: 685mm (27") ratio: 16:9 modes:
max: 2560x1440 min: 720x400
API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: amd radeonsi platforms: device: 0 drv: radeonsi
device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: drv: kms_swrast surfaceless: drv: radeonsi x11:
drv: radeonsi inactive: wayland
API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: mesa v: 25.0.3 note: incomplete
(EGL sourced) renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.0 256 bits), AMD Radeon
Graphics (radeonsi phoenix2 LLVM 20.1.0 DRM 3.61 6.14.0-1-default)
API: Vulkan v: 1.4.309 layers: 1 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: AMD
Radeon Graphics (RADV PHOENIX2) driver: N/A device-ID: 1002:15c8
surfaces: xcb,xlib device: 1 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.0 256
bits) driver: N/A device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: xcb,xlib
Info: Tools: api: eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor gpu: nvidia-settings,nvidia-smi
wl: wayland-info x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
I am open t how I add the second monitor… one or two cards, no matter.
A second hint: If I tried to connect a single monitor to the wrong graphic card, I see nothing either… So, one card seems just not to work.
Is the GeForce a dGPU, or on the motherboard limited to a single output port? This is what my GF119 dGPU shows:
# inxi -GSaz --vs --za
inxi 3.3.38-00 (2025-04-06)
System:
Kernel: 6.12.19-1-longterm arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 14.2.1
clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz
root=LABEL=<filter> noresume ipv6.disable=1 net.ifnames=0 mitigations=off
Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.3.3 tk: Qt v: N/A info: frameworks v: 6.12.0
wm: kwin_x11 vt: 7 dm: 1: KDM 2: XDM Distro: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20250321
Graphics:
Device-1: NVIDIA GF119 [NVS 310] vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: nouveau
v: kernel non-free: series: 390.xx+ status: legacy (EOL~2022-11-22) last:
release: 390.157 kernel: 6.0 xorg: 1.21 arch: Fermi code: GF1xx
process: 40/28nm built: 2010-2016 pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16
ports: active: DP-1,DP-2 empty: none bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:107d
class-ID: 0300 temp: 46.0 C
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.15 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.6
compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: modesetting dri: nouveau
gpu: nouveau display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3600x1200 s-dpi: 120 s-size: 762x254mm (30.00x10.00")
s-diag: 803mm (31.62")
Monitor-1: DP-1 pos: primary,left model: NEC EA243WM serial: <filter>
built: 2011 res: mode: 1920x1200 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 94 gamma: 1.2
size: 519x324mm (20.43x12.76") diag: 612mm (24.1") ratio: 16:10 modes:
max: 1920x1200 min: 640x480
Monitor-2: DP-2 pos: right model: Dell P2213 serial: <filter> built: 2013
res: mode: 1680x1050 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 90 gamma: 1.2
size: 473x296mm (18.62x11.65") diag: 558mm (22") ratio: 16:10 modes:
max: 1680x1050 min: 720x400
...
# lspci | grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF119 [NVS 310] (rev a1)
# xrandr --listmonitors
Monitors: 2
0: +*DP-1 1920/519x1200/324+0+0 DP-1
1: +DP-2 1680/473x1050/296+1920+0 DP-2
# xrandr --listproviders
Providers: number : 1
Provider 0: id: 0x42; cap: 0xf (Source Output, Sink Output, Source Offload, Sink Offload); crtcs: 2; outputs: 2; associated providers: 0; name: modesetting
output DP-1
output DP-2
#
The motherboard provides an Intel iGPU, but won’t offer its use unless a BIOS change is made to disable the dGPU, or the dGPU is removed.
My nvidia card has one HDMI output and one VGA… nothing else.
I searched my BIOS for settings of GPU even did a search… nothing. no way to enable/disable found.
@ereissner you don’t need this in your kernel boot options nosimplefb=1 and there is no nvidia driver running as indicated by driver: N/A in yourinxi output, run with the nouveau driver…
Why pair such an old card legacy/not supported with a newer GPU? Get some DP cables and run monitors off the AMD GPU?
1 Like
why? maybe lack of knowledge…
The amd card has only hdmi output… Shall I buy an adapter?
Do you suggest to download nvidia driver?
installed seems x11-video-nvidiaG04 also 32 bit,
nvidia-glG04, also 32 bit
For nvidia is available also xf86-video-nouveau.
I have no notions…
@malcomlewis I removed the kernel boot option… How did you know that I have?
Shall I uninstall the nouveau driver? which nvidia driver shall I install?
I remember some fight installing the current driver…
@ereissner So the AMD device is an onboard one? If so, look at the back of the machine and check there should be Display Ports as well as HDMI?
It’s in the inxi output from the S option.
Affordable adapters for converting HDMI outputs to DP inputs do not exist. I’m not sure whether expensive ones do, but I think not.
It’s unfortunate how many motherboards are made for APU usage that do not provide both DP and HDMI outputs, or at least two of one or the other. If your motherboard is new enough, you may consider a motherboard trade-up as a better option than yet another dDPU to replace your old 610.
@malcomlewis Yes, now I found out: it is the AMD one which is onboard. IT is an ASUS board.
I checked at the back of the machine, no DP, only HDMI, DVI, VGA…
Well my monitors have each 1 hdmi and 1 dp…
I need to run both with 2 computers… one for work one private…
I know, DP allows daisy chaining… so I could run both on DP for my working computer and I could run both with HDMI with private computer…
BUT: I need to get the NVIDIA card to run. …
Means: I cannot use my second card at all??
Means I must run both monitors with one card?
I have only dvi, hdmi output, and VGA…
So the solution shall be to attach one monitor with dvi via an adapter to HDMI and the other one directly with HDMI… But then: can I have independent monitors or just duplication??
Which card is the older one??? Can I just remove the NVIDIA card myself?
@ereissner This is a desktop system I would assume…
Yes, it is…The card seems just plugged.
@ereissner yes and not working either 
My suggestion would be to get a DVI to HDMI adapter/cable, just make sure you get the right DVI adapter. I’m guessing the one on the motherboard is white (DVI-D) not blue (DVI-I) color?
Then with the system off, just remove the card and move on…