Hello, potential Linux user. And if so, hopefully a proficient one. If you use Linux, and on a laptop, with an external display/monitor, even better.
I do not have the mental patience left at this particular moment, so I’m just going to post a link to my fruitless attempts at getting what (I think) should be a very basic, (and common, if one searches for the keywords online) problem resolve in Linux Mint, on the Linux Mint forums.
Here’s the thread: https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?p=2666348#p2666348. All the details are in there, including the forum’s own “tutorial” thread on this issue. What you can’t see are all the reddit/similar posts, and threads elsewhere that I’ve read through and the time I’ve spent trying to learn about and fix the problem. I’ve gotten some good out of it - like using the terminal a bit, downloading and using gedit a bit, using dconf. But still, the problem remains.
I’d like to solve this problem. In Mint. I’d like to use mint. But if there are any suggestions you know will work, including “use this distro instead”, or “use this Linux forum instead”, I’m all ears.
I could probably grind on this and figure it out if I was physically in front of the laptop. I can’t help you from here. However, I’ve had much luck troubleshooting computer issues using Grok and Gemini. Just keep trying what it suggests and tell it what doesn’t work and it’ll probably get you there.
Last time I tried to use Linux I couldn’t get flash to function properly even after dedicating many hours. At that point I decided to sell out and just use Windows on my custom machines and mac for laptops…and have stuck with that
This seems like a fairly straightforward explanation of those settings, if that helps:
If you follow that and it still doesn’t work, it’ll probably be tricky to figure out.
You could try some other distros on a live usb to see if it will work there. Pop os, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, MX, and Zorin are some good ones to check out coming from mint. There’s a thing called ventoy that will let you put them all on one usb stick for easy testing.
Sometimes it’s not worth the struggle, that’s why I run windows on the gaming PC. Arch + KDE on everything else (btw).
I’ve never even heard of those, but just searched them and tried a question. Got suggestions similar to the tutorial I tried that failed. Not sure how to ask follow ups and stuff, but I might try and play with that.
When I was searching duckduckgo for definitions and help the past few days, got some decent “help” from the “duck ai” or whatever it’s called. Interesting.
I’m fighting the urge. I understand, especially after this. Windows is out of the question, though. I don’t want to give up, and this feels like such a pathetically small or “simple” thing to have not work so early on in my attempting to switch to linux. (By the say, not sure what you mean by “flash”. Like flash as in flash player; couldn’t get videos/youtube to work or something?)
In short, Yes. It works in extended mode, or mirror mode. I say “in short” because I think it doesn’t show the full refresh rate option(s) for the external monitor (Gigabyte M32Q), but that could be hardware dependent, and I don’t care about that. The option for 120Hz is there, for example, and that’s fine. 144ish Hz is visible too, but causes issues.
I’ll read that link and try and understand and try whatever’s suggested. I have played with systemd file or whatever it’s called, as mentioned in my thread. Dammit, now I have to try this xrandr crap. The directions in one post in the tut are pretty vague, like they’re for someone who wouldn’t need the tut in the first place.
I’ll check it out.
I considered that, different distro on a live usb. But I didn’t know if I’d be just seeing if they ‘worked with lid closed’ out of the box, or having to try gedit systemd dconf type stuff on all of them, and if that’d even work on a live usb, and how many more dozen times I’d be restarting the laptop for each new thing tried.
I can’t be that much of a newb, as I get this reference. Genuine chuckles, haha. Thanks for that.
Genuine, enthusiastic, prolonged laughs - with minor aftershock laughter. Thank Cocoa.
And no, I’m not being sarcastic.
I guess I’ll be asking ai a bunch of questions tomorrow. You don’t know how upset that makes me, haha. I’m going to have to join facebook anyday. Come on! No!
How is anyone using linux on a laptop with external monitor with lid closed? Why won’t this work? It works on the same laptop (W530) with the same peripherals, in windows. And it works on a 2011 mbp with the same peripherals.
Don’t know/have faith I’ll be able to get help with an actual, difficult issue in Linux when this is seemingly pretty complicated or “difficult”.
If you have Gemini on your phone, you can just start a dialogue like you’re talking to a tech support geek. It makes suggestions and you tell it whether it works or not. It eventually gets you there. If you don’t have Gemini, search Google for free AI sites that do the same thing.
I just put Mint on a laptop, not a Linux user. Found the UI gorgeous and efficient, digging it. However, no sound. Been through all the stuff like you did, no sound.
Not that I can help, really just sympathizing.
Its like the joke:
Hacker: I have hacked in to your webcam
Linux User: OMG! You got it working?
1 update bios to latest (if unsure ask, i’ll walk ya through it)
2 disable the video power saving mode in bios link with pics (Lenovo Notebook W530 - Configuration of Graphics Card)
Not really linux related yet, its a “hardware” command in the bios that presets the “suspend video to save power” at the pre load hardware settings before linux loads, so, i guess, overrudes your set commands
Could be totally wrong but your system won’t break from a bios update, and tuning off te save power really just does that (for the graphics card)
Best guess, my 2 cents, ymmv
Luck @Nitt
Also, seems to say you are running vga: limited resolution on that, can ya try hdmi
First step is getting your computer to ignore you shutting the lid. Update your logind.conf and restart systemd, that stuff was in the tutorial you posted. If you can open and close the lid without your system running a suspend script you are golden.
Next step is setting up your window manager to run a custom xrandr command to turn off one screen and set the external display as primary. This was also in your posted tutorial.
If I can suggest, try fooling around with xrandr while the lid is open until you are familiar with what you are trying to achieve.
For example on my TV laptop at home I use
xrandr --output LVDS-1 --off
To achieve this very goal. This turns off the laptop flat panel and leaves my VGA-1 (my TV) turned on and set to the primary display. These tools are fairly automatic.
Of course your display names will vary. Try xrandr on its own to get a list of available displays and modes.
You’re closer to success than you realize. For the love of your laptop don’t go updating the BIOS trying to chase down a simple Linux configuration issue.
Right, but different desktop software can be run. Cinnamon is almost the standard for Linux Mint, but if you are running MATE or Xfce it gets a bit more complicated. Xandr is definitely what you need if running MATE and likely is needed for the Xfce interface.
