Setting Up Dual Screens in openSUSE

01/28/2008

Dual screen computer systems are getting more and more common in both the workplace and the home environment. This is due to increased productivity that comes with a dual screen setup and the dropping prices of monitors. In this How To I am going to teach you how to set up dual screens in openSuse. This how to assumes that you already have openSUSE 10.2 or above installed.

Minimum Requirements

• 2 Monitors.
• Either 1 Dual Head video card or 2 separate video cards in the same computer.
• OpenSUSE 10.2 or above.

Recommended Requirements

• 2 Monitors of the same make, model, and size. You will get better results with identical monitors. You can mix and match monitors, but your results may be unsatisfactory.
• 1 Dual Head Video Card. A dual head video card means that you only have to install and configure 1 video card instead of 2, which leaves less margin for error.
• OpenSUSE 10.2 or above with the latest updates. Novell is constantly improving on their product and the latest updates will ensure that if they update anything to do with the display or dual screen, you will be able to access that.

My System

For the purposes of this, I am using 2 2 Viewsonic Optiquest Q9 19” LCD Monitors and a Sapphire Radeon 9550 video card that I picked up for $40. I am using the KDE desktop.

Step 1: Install the video card and hook up the monitors. If you have any questions about how to do this, feel free to ask how to do this at the TCC Forum, we will be glad to assist.

Step 2: Click on the Start Menu. In KDE this is the picture of the Chameleon.

Step 3: Go to the Applications Menu.

Step 4: Click on System

Step 5: Click YAST (This may be labeled Administrator settings. You may also have to scroll down for this.)

Step 6: Enter in the ROOT user's password. (You may have to contact the computer's administrator for this information)

Step 7: Select Hardware in the YAST Control Center

Step 8: Select Graphics Card and Monitor

Step 9: Under the Monitor Tab, check the box marked “Activate Dual Head Mode”



Step 10: Click OK

Step 11: Click Configure in the Dual Head Mode Box

Step 12: Ensure that your Second Monitor is displaying the correct name and resolution.

Step 13: Select the Xinerama Multihead radio button

Step 14: Select the proper arrangement, likely the first option (2 to the left of 1)



Step 15: Click OK

Step 16: Click OK again.

Step 17: A message will come up asking you if you cant to Test, click the Test button and ensure that both monitors are displaying correctly. If not go back to Step 12 and reconfigure your second monitor.

Step 18: If both monitors are displaying correctly, Click Save

Step 19: Click Yes to exit SaX2.

Step 20: Log out of the computer.

Now you have dual screens enabled.

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