Hey everyone, I'm a total newbie to Linux and working on transitioning from Windows. I've set up dual monitors; the main one works great, but I'm having a real headache with my secondary monitor. It displays at an incorrect resolution of 1024x768 (4:3) across multiple Linux distros, even though it runs fine at 1080p in Windows.
I started with Bazzite OS and encountered this issue immediately. I thought it was a one-off problem, so I switched to CachyOS, but the same issue persists. I've tried several fixes:
1. I exported the EDID from Windows and managed to apply it in both distros, improving the resolution to 1280x720 (16:9), but that's as far as I got.
2. The preferred resolution of 1920x1080@60Hz from the EDID is recognized, but I can't get the monitor to output it.
3. The NVIDIA drivers keep rejecting the 1080p mode, stating "User-defined mode not supported: '1920x1080'" in the logs.
4. Interestingly, using X11 instead of Wayland showed a slight improvement, detecting the monitor at 1600x900 (16:9).
It feels like a driver limitation on my NVIDIA card (RTX 30 series) since the monitor works perfectly in Windows. Has anyone experienced a similar issue with dual monitors on KDE Plasma (Wayland or X11)? I'd appreciate any guidance!
3 Answers
Using CachyOS without issues sounds like a different situation from yours. Have you checked the display settings? Sometimes there are options for individual monitors. On your problematic monitor, you should see a dropdown for resolution; make sure it's not locked to 4:3. If it's a firmware problem, you might want to hit up forums or subreddits focused on monitor issues for more experienced advice.
I had a similar problem with my monitor. An EDID emulator dongle did the trick for me; it helped the monitor display the correct resolution without any fuss. It might be worth checking out. Also, I’ve heard some users have had success when installing additional monitor control tools that can help fine-tune settings beyond what the OS offers. Just throwing ideas your way!
What kind of monitor are you using? I encountered issues with an Asus monitor once, and it turned out the problem was its EDID being poorly programmed. It might be worth investigating if your monitor has a similar issue. Sometimes old monitors, like my LG E2360, can behave oddly with newer software.
It's an old LG E2360 monitor! Sounds like this could be related.
I've checked, and it's stuck on 1024x768. The monitor works fine with Windows, so I doubt it's faulty.