[CentOS] Dual video card, 1 monitor each (ref dual head) CentoS4.6 xorg does only 1 head

[William L. Maltby]

On Tue, 2008-07-22 at 10:13 -0500, Alex wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:03:16 -0400
> "William L. Maltby" <CentOS4Bill at triad.rr.com> took out a #2 pencil
> and scribbled:
> 
> > I need to start running a dual head on one of my machines.
> ><snip>

> > 
> > The test machine is 4.6, 2 radeon video cards. Searched the web,
> > CentOS site, even bugzilla. This bugzilla entry from a 4.2
> > system), http://bugs.centos.org/view.php?id=1875
> > had only a WFM response.
> > 
> > I've attached a gzipped text file of pertinent information.
> > 
> > Briefly, kudzu did the right thing when I installed the second
> > card. System-config-display also behaved correctly. X start ok,
> > but will only use one head at a time. <snip>

> > 
> > Q1: Anyone have a two video card CentOS 4.6 setup working?
> > 
> > Q2: Is it working in CentOS 5?
> > 
> > Q3: Anyone see something I'm doing wrong? Suggestions?
> > 
> > TIA,
> 
> This was addressed on the list at one point, and marked as solved
> by the poster. 
> 
> http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos/2007-May/080915.html

I appreciate the time you've taken to at least try to help. Thank you.

I had seen that in my searches. However, it's 64 bit related. I'm on 32
bit systems. It also gets ATI drivers not provided by CentOS -
antithetical to a subset of my goals. It was solving a different
problem, unfortunately.

He was trying, IIRC, to solve the problem of spanning desktops. My
eventual goal includes that. But step 1 is to try and get both working.
I would *like* to stay as much CentOS "pure" as possible, allowing for
inclusion of stuff from rpmforge, extras, KB's repo, etc.

This is important enough that I will buy a digital monitor to run on a
single video card if I must. But as mentioned, I've got lots of older
ones I can use.

> 
> Does this help you out? I haven't had occasion to play with dual
> head yet.
> 
> A quick google also turned this up, but it is not directly related
> to CentOS, I run an nvidia card and can't speak to how well this
> would work for you.
> 
> http://www.linuxine.com/2008/06/how-to-enable-dual-monitors-with-ati-diplay-card-in-linux.html

As above, vendor-specific drivers not from a CentOS-related site are a
"last resort" option.

> <snip>


> Alex White
> 

Again, thanks for replying.

Maybe this is something I can beg Dag, Axel (never used his repos yet)
or the CentOS crew to provide in extras or some such place.

I wait a little while and see what develops before I go begging or
taking a non-CentOS route.

-- 
Bill