Display issue

[Colin Law]

On 21 March 2010 15:37, Christoph Bier <christoph.bier at web.de> wrote:
> Ollie Killingback schrieb am 21.03.2010 15:11:
>
>> Up to yesterday I had a desktop (running Ubuntu 9.04) and a laptop
>> (running Ubuntu 9.10) in my study.  The laptop had a second monitor
>> attached, which I found handy.  I converted the desktop to a
>> file/print/web server and decided that the big screen attached would
>> be better used as the second monitor for my laptop, as it was no
>> longer needed on the server.
>>
>> * With the laptop powered down I detached the second monitor and
>> replaced it with the larger one from the former desktop and booted.
>> * It refused to boot.
>> * I detached the 2nd monitor and it booted fine.
>> * I attached the 2nd monitor and opened Display and both screens went
>> blank.  Nothing I could do would recover.
>> * I detached the 2nd monitor and rebooted, and everything is normal
>> again, but I miss my 2nd monitor.
>>
>> I could re-attach the original 2nd monitor to the laptop, but as the
>> other one is bigger and was working fine on the former desktop, using
>> it as the laptop 2nd monitor makes sense.  I see no reason for Ubuntu
>> to fall over because of a monitor.  It was fine with the other 2nd
>> monitor.
>>
>> I'd be grateful for suggestions as to how to fix this.
>
> I don't know how to fix it. But the problem might occur because your
> graphics is not capable of the higher resolution as a result of the
> bigger monitor. And maybe X.org can't detect the monitor settings.
> Any errors in /var/log/Xorg.0.log after a failed boot process?
>
> Can you disable your graphics port where the external monitor is
> attached (e. g. with ThinkPad you can cycle through different states
> with Fn-F7)?

Also you could try plugging the second monitor in after booting.  Then
go into System, Preferences, Display and try and set it up.

Colin