Installation question related to nvidia-xconfig with nvidia-headless-430 on Ubuntu 18.04

Graphics / Linux Linux
1

Hello,

I am new to this forum and new to Ubuntu so I apologize in advance for my ignorance. I have a new computer with 5 displays (monitors) that has Nvidia NVS 810 graphics card. I am unable to run nvidia-xconfig because it cannot be found.

Ubuntu suggested that I install nvidia-340 and nvidia-utilities-390. Should I follow this guidance?

I would like to set-up 5 monitors/screens with this computer. Will greatly appreciate your help.

Thank you
Ashu

Steps done so far:

At the suggestion of the engineer who assembled this machine, I did the following after installation of Ubuntu 18.04:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Please install ‘headless’ driver because of known bug that sometimes

Nvidia driver will lock GUI from loading properly.

sudo apt-get install nvidia-headless-430

This is where I get errors.

sudo nvidia-xconfig --enable-all-gpus --separate-x-screens

2

The NVS 810 is supported by the latest driver, currently v430. The ‘headless’ driver is for compute-only setups, it doesn’t contain graphics support, so please remove it and install the normal driver
sudo apt remove nvidia*
sudo apt install nvidia-driver-430

I’m not really sure that having 5 separate screens is what you want, this means you won’t be able to move windows between them but you can have different depth/stereo setups on them.
Is that what you want to achieve?

3

Thank you.

What I am looking to do is set-up a computer that has 5 screens so I can move windows between them. Four monitors are on a stand and one in portrait mode will be used for coding.

Not sure if I am explaining correctly.

4

Also, before installing the driver (sudo apt install nvidia-driver-430) should I be doing:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa

5

Adding the Ubuntu graphics ppa with

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa
sudo apt-get update

is recommended to get the latest drivers.
So what you really want is a Mosaic setup, not separate screens. It’s the opposite.
You can try an xorg.conf like

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "nvidia"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    Option         "BaseMosaic" "true"
    Option         "AllowEmptyInitialConfiguration"
EndSection

You might have to add a BusID if it doesn’t work.

6

I will try that. Here is what my set-up looks like … I have connected all of them to the DVI ports.

Display 0:
HP N246v 23.8-inch
1920x1080
Mosaic Offset: 0, 0

Display 1:
HP N246v 23.8-inch
1920x1080
Mosaic Offset: 1920, 0

Display 3:
HP N246v 23.8-inch
1920x1080

    Mosaic Offset: 0, 1024

    Display 4:
    HP N246v 23.8-inch
    1920x1080
    Mosaic Offset: 1920, 1024

    Display 5:
    HP Pavilion w2207 22-inch
    1680x1050
    Mosaic Offset: 3840, 480
    (rotated left)
    This display is in portrait mode.

    A few more questions:

    1. What should the xorg.conf looks like for this set-up?
    2. Does this need that [b]Display 5[b] is connected onto the VGA port?
    3. When Nvidia X Server Settings comes up it has all the 5 displays lined up in sequence. If I make changes to the set-up (create two rows and two columns and make the 5th in portrait and try to save the configuration, the program says that I have 8 displays connected to one Monitor. WQhat am I doing wrong??
    4. I am finding that any manual to change to xorg.conf does not get reflected in 'Nvidia X Server Settings' on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS does not see that. Am I expected to stop and restart the X Server?
  • Is the sequence of actions as follows:
  • Make necessary changes to xorg.conf in /etc/X11 and save the file
  • Stop and restart the X Server
  • If the display set-up is acceptable then add the following in the startup list: nvidia-settings --load-config-only
  • Otherwise, repeat these steps

Thank you … Much appreciate your help.
Ashu

7

All monitors have to be connected to the miniDP/DVI ports of the NVS, you must not connect anything to the VGA port which is connected to the integrated mainboard graphics. This has best to be disabled in bios.
Changes in xorg.conf need the Xserver to be restarted. 8 monitors showing up seems to be a bug in nvidia-settings.
You shouldn’t use nvidia-settings to make changes to your monitor configuration, though. You’re running Gnome, which has its own monitor manager and the settings you do in nvidia-settings will confuse it so the outcome might be rather unexpected. It’s better to use Gnome’s monitor manager in control center to arrange the displays.

8

ohh wow … Thank you very much for that information. This is my (new) xorg.conf … May you be kind to let me know if this is correct … will help be a great deal.

nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings

nvidia-settings: version 418.56

Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Layout0”
Screen 0 “Screen0” 0 0
Screen 1 “Screen1” 0 0
InputDevice “Keyboard0” “CoreKeyboard”
InputDevice “Mouse0” “CorePointer”
Option “Xinerama” “0”
EndSection

Section “Files”
EndSection

Section “Module”
Load “dbe”
Load “extmod”
Load “type1”
Load “freetype”
Load “glx”
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 “Monitor0”
VendorName “Unknown”
ModelName “HPN HP N246v”
HorizSync 30.0 - 80.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 60.0
Option “DPMS”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
# HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
Identifier “Monitor1”
VendorName “Unknown”
ModelName “HP w2207”
HorizSync 24.0 - 82.0
VertRefresh 48.0 - 76.0
Option “DPMS”
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Device0”
Driver “nvidia”
VendorName “NVIDIA Corporation”
BoardName “NVS 810”
Option “BaseMosaic” “True”
BusID “PCI:131:0:0”
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Device1”
Driver “nvidia”
VendorName “NVIDIA Corporation”
BoardName “NVS 810”
Option “BaseMosaic” “True”
BusID “PCI:133:0:0”
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Screen0”
Device “Device0”
Monitor “Monitor0”
DefaultDepth 24
Option “Stereo” “0”
Option “nvidiaXineramaInfoOrder” “DFP-0”
Option “metamodes” “DP-0: nvidia-auto-select +1920+0, DP-1: nvidia-auto-select +1920+1080, DP-2: nvidia-auto-select +0+0, DP-3: nvidia-auto-select +0+1080”
Option “SLI” “Off”
Option “MultiGPU” “Off”
Option “BaseMosaic” “On”
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Screen1”
Device “Device1”
Monitor “Monitor1”
DefaultDepth 24
Option “Stereo” “0”
Option “nvidiaXineramaInfoOrder” “DFP-0”
Option “metamodes” “DP-0: nvidia-auto-select +3840+480 {rotation=left}”
Option “SLI” “Off”
Option “MultiGPU” “Off”
Option “BaseMosaic” “On”
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

9

Like said, you’ll have to see what Gnome’s monitor manager wil make of this, so I can’t tell.

10

ok. Thank you for all your assistance.