On this topic, I figure I should mention Arandr if you're not aware of it (http://christian.amsuess.com/tools/arandr/). Very handy and simple tool to generate scripts (saved in ~/.screenlayout) to call xrandr for you. Only took me a minute to create a dual.sh and laptop.sh, which contain the appropriate xrandr commands to display on two screens and just on the laptop screen, respectively. Mapped those to key bindings in xmonad.hs and now I have a very simple and reliable way of switching modes. I've always been frustrated by this, not just in Linux. I've found Apple does a good job in OS X, and now I'm just as happy with my setup in Linux :) -Erik On Wed, Jan 16, 2013 at 12:52 PM, Greg Day <gregday28 at gmail.com> wrote: > You must enable it from the BIOS first, then it works just fine in > mirror mode, dual screen mode, etc. I've run an external monitor > using Gnome and Xmonad without issue. > > Greg > > On Wed, Jan 16, 2013 at 12:14 PM, Michael Moore <stuporglue at gmail.com> wrote: >> Has anyone gotten external VGA to work on a Thinkpad W530 or similar? >> >> I'm running Debian and have the latest version of bumblebee installed, which >> is working just fine. Pressing fn-F7 (the key with the projector icon on it) >> causes the screen to blink for a moment, then come back with no changes. >> >> The Monitor Preferences list only one screen (I'm using MATE as my desktop). >> >> >> I've tried using xrandr, but VGA1 still says its disconnected. >> >> >> michael at speed:~$ xrandr --addmode VGA1 1024x768 >> michael at speed:~$ xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 1024x768 --right-of LVDS1 >> michael at speed:~$ xrandr >> Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 2944 x 1080, maximum 8192 x 8192 >> LVDS1 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) >> 344mm x 193mm >> 1920x1080 60.0*+ 59.9 50.0 >> 1680x1050 60.0 59.9 >> 1600x1024 60.2 >> 1400x1050 60.0 >> 1280x1024 60.0 >> 1440x900 59.9 >> 1280x960 60.0 >> 1360x768 59.8 60.0 >> 1152x864 60.0 >> 1024x768 60.0 >> 800x600 60.3 56.2 >> 640x480 59.9 >> VGA1 disconnected 1024x768+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) >> 0mm x 0mm >> 1024x768 60.0* >> >> The monitor is on and plugged in. >> >> If I can, I'd like to have my cake and eat it too. If not, I can switch to >> the nouveau drivers, or even just use the Intel card if that's what it >> takes. >> >> >> Thanks, >> Michael Moore >> >> _______________________________________________ >> TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota >> tclug-list at mn-linux.org >> http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list >> > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list -- Erik K. Mitchell erik.mitchell at gmail.com