MX Linux Forum

PLX wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:26 am I've always used an external monitor and it always worked fine (so it's not a hardware problem).

...the 1920x1080 monitor is not working since I unplugged the laptop's internal monitor.

...is it possible to force the configuration of the screens to also have an internal monitor disabled? maybe it will solve my problem as it worked fine before

This is what I'd try.
1. Booting up with both monitors connected, open "Display" from the Whisker menu. You should see two monitors displayed since you have two monitors connected.

2. Make the external monitor the Primary since you don't want to use the internal monitor.

3. Make the internal laptop monitor inactive by un-checking the active/inactive button located to the immediate right of the display selection drop-down menu as shown by the arrow in the below image (the image shows the button as enabled/checked - you want this disabled/unchecked). When this is unchecked, the selected display will (should) be disabled.
That should work. It's worth a try.

So, you already tried these

PLX wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:26 am - I changed the hdmi cable
...
- I changed the refresh rate

PLX wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:26 am I had an insight the other day, the 1920x1080 monitor is not working since I unplugged the laptop's internal monitor.

I'd say maybe, but this time : the other one works ..

So, did you (if not, can you) try with an old VGA cable? (Or anything other than HDMI). Then at least you can be sure if the monitor itself is ok ...

j2mcgreg wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 8:30 am On the bottom side of your Acer laptop there will be a square black sticker (with some white space at the bottom). The white space will have the exact model make and model as written by Acer. I'll need that info.

Also, which cable type are you using to connect the 1920 x 1080 monitor -- VGA, DVI, or HDMI?

EX2540-389Z MFG DATE:2017/06/01
S/N: NXEFHET01172206E713400
SNID: 72202827334

Stuart_M wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 8:49 am

PLX wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:26 am I've always used an external monitor and it always worked fine (so it's not a hardware problem).

...the 1920x1080 monitor is not working since I unplugged the laptop's internal monitor.

...is it possible to force the configuration of the screens to also have an internal monitor disabled? maybe it will solve my problem as it worked fine before

This is what I'd try.
1. Booting up with both monitors connected, open "Display" from the Whisker menu. You should see two monitors displayed since you have two monitors connected.

2. Make the external monitor the Primary since you don't want to use the internal monitor.

3. Make the internal laptop monitor inactive by un-checking the active/inactive button located to the immediate right of the display selection drop-down menu as shown by the arrow in the below image (the image shows the button as enabled/checked - you want this disabled/unchecked). When this is unchecked, the selected display will (should) be disabled.
Display_Make_Inactive.png


That should work. It's worth a try.

Thank you Stuart M, this is what I'have done before I removed the lid and always worked fine for me but now it's impossible to do...
Can you share your layout of this configuration ( internal off and external primary on)by open arandr and click save ?
Maybe I was able to force this configuration with an autostart script. Thank you

Huckleberry Finn wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 10:12 am So, you already tried these

PLX wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:26 am - I changed the hdmi cable
...
- I changed the refresh rate

PLX wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:26 am I had an insight the other day, the 1920x1080 monitor is not working since I unplugged the laptop's internal monitor.

I'd say maybe, but this time : the other one works ..

So, did you (if not, can you) try with an old VGA cable? (Or anything other than HDMI). Then at least you can be sure if the monitor itself is ok ...

Thank you Huckleberry Finn and all of you that want to fix my problem... My laptop don't have a VGA port ...
But my original question was another , as someone running xrandr have 2 monitor connected when there is only one,
I want to try the opposite , set a laptop monitor connected and disabled when there is only the external.
Maybe this configuration solve my problem
I ask to Stuart M to share his arandr layout with laptop monitor disabled and external enabled primary maybe I can force this configuration with an autostart script

Till then, here's mine (just to give idea)

#!/bin/sh
xrandr --output VIRTUAL1 --off --output LVDS1 --off --output TV1 --off --output VGA1 --primary --mode 1024x768 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal

You can save a .sh in ARandR with both monitors (or with the other one) and post here then we can try something manually similar to this..

But we don't know whether it'll go on blinking if we turn off all and leave HDMI only (also as primary). (I guess it may go on blinking..)

Can you tell me what exactly mean when you say that you removed the lid?

I guess he dismantled it (like me) :)

PLX here is what my ARandR file looks like from a Live MX-19.4 Flash Drive using two 1920 x 1080 monitors, with one of those disabled (made "inactive"). I am using a PC, not a laptop. The two 1920 x 1080 monitors are HDMA-A-0 which is the left Primary and HDMA-A-1 is the right monitor that is disabled.

I am using a GPU (RX-570) with multiple video outputs, but I am only using the two HDMI outputs, the other three (DisplayPort-0, DisplayPort-1, and DVI-D-0) are not connected to anything so you should omit those three listings in the ARandR file I gave since they are not available on your system.

FYI, you can also disable or "make inactive" by going to ARandR in the Whisker Menu > "Outputs" tab > select the monitor to disable by un-checking "Active". Both that and "Display" that I cited in my Post #11 do the same thing.

@PLX Also have a look at this thread: viewtopic.php?p=646697#p646697

(Yes, your aim is different, but just to see how it worked: Sometimes you need to first turn off them all, then turn on back the one you want..)