Dual monitor slow response

English Hardware
#1

Hi all,
I have opensuse 11.3 (64 bit) with nvidia 8400GS (256 MB ram).
The system is a core 2 T7500 with 4GB Ram.
I have installed nvidia drives (through nvidia’s .run file, versison 256.35)

  1. When i connect an external monitor (1440x900) and use separate x-screen+ xinerama (laptop has 1280x800), desktop response is really slow. Moving windows,switch tabs etc make desktop (kde) barely useful.
    Especially if i open a large txt file it is almost impossible to scroll through this file.

xorg file (see attached file) is been created by nvidia-settings.

One minor solution I found is to use 16 bit (instead of 24bit) color. This makes everything better, but still not fast enough. I do not use desktop effects.

An important note: This happens only after some period of time. After reboot everything seems to be ok for some time, but suddenly something changes and I have slow response.

I do not have the same problem under windows.

  1. How can i specify that laptop’s screen be the default, so it can have the taskbar?

  2. When i disconnect the external monitor and restart x, then the laptop screen goes to 1024x768 and not to 1280x800. I have to create another xorg.conf and restart x. How can I make just one xorg file, and the system automatically adjust resolutions regarding if i have one or dual monitors?
    Thank you

# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings:  version 256.35  (buildmeister@builder97.nvidia.com)  Wed Jun 16 19:14:45 PDT 2010


Section "ServerLayout"

# Removed Option "Xinerama" "1"
# Removed Option "Xinerama" "0"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    Screen      1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    Option         "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Seiko/Epson"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 75.0
    VertRefresh     60.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Acer P191W"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 82.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8400M GS"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8400M GS"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    16
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       16
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"

# Removed Option "metamodes" "CRT: 1440x900 +0+0; CRT: 1024x768 +0+0; CRT: 832x624 +0+0; CRT: 800x600 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 @720x400 +0+0; CRT: 700x525 +0+0; CRT: 640x480 @640x512 +0+0; CRT: 640x480 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 @640x400 +0+0; CRT: 400x300 @640x350 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 @576x432 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 +0+0; CRT: 400x300 @416x312 +0+0; CRT: 400x300 +0+0; CRT: 320x240 +0+0"
# Removed Option "metamodes" "CRT: 1152x864 +0+0; CRT: 1024x768 +0+0; CRT: 832x624 +0+0; CRT: 800x600 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 @720x400 +0+0; CRT: 700x525 +0+0; CRT: 640x480 @640x512 +0+0; CRT: 640x480 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 @640x400 +0+0; CRT: 400x300 @640x350 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 @576x432 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 +0+0; CRT: 400x300 @416x312 +0+0; CRT: 400x300 +0+0; CRT: 320x240 +0+0"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    16
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "CRT: 1440x900 +0+0; CRT: 1024x768 +0+0; CRT: 832x624 +0+0; CRT: 800x600 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 @720x400 +0+0; CRT: 700x525 +0+0; CRT: 640x480 @640x512 +0+0; CRT: 640x480 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 @640x400 +0+0; CRT: 400x300 @640x350 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 @576x432 +0+0; CRT: 512x384 +0+0; CRT: 400x300 @416x312 +0+0; CRT: 400x300 +0+0; CRT: 320x240 +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       16
    EndSubSection
EndSection
#2

I switched to LXDE and I have not noticed any slowness anymore. Could this be related to KDE?

#3

I searched more and when I use to monitor this message in desktop effects appears
Compositing is not supported on your system.Required X extensions (XComposite and XDamage) are not available.

Any ideas?

#4

I don’t have nvidia hardware (or multiple montors at the moment), but I noticed your xorg.conf server layout section contains

Option         "Xinerama" "1"

You need to disable (or remove) that entry first. Then enable Twinview entries in your screen sections like this:

Option         "TwinView" "1"
#5

Yes you are right. I was using separate x windows + xinerama.
Now, with twinview everything is ok.
Thanks.

#6

Excellent!!!