Has anyone who has installed a Linux operating system on a Mac G5 ppc64 or Mac G4, ppc32 ever been able to extend the desktop across an Apple Cinema or Studio Display and a second monitor whether it be VGA, DVI or even S video?
Historically (for me), anytime I have installed a Linux OS on a G4 or G5, with either a Radeon or Nvidia GPU, capable of driving an Apple Display and a VGA or DVI monitor, the OS would not boot to a usable screen (typically a black or blank screen.) Remove the Apple Display and reboot would result in the Linux OS booting as one would expect with a GUI, login screen etc. Try to boot with only the Apple Display, would result in a black or blank screen.
Why?
My G4 and G5 both multi-boot Mac OS and Linux OS systems. The Mac OS systems (OS 9, OS10) natively drive both monitors without issue. I would prefer not to have to unplug the Apple Dispays just to run Linux. I have no need for mirrored outputs ( I have two iMacs that do that). My goal is to be able to start up in either Mac OS or Linux and still have extended desktops.
I have searched forums, FAQs, GPU card sites, Xorg, sites, xrandr sites etc and have never found a solution to this issue. Any solution offered, and followed verbatim, never results in an extended desktop. I have reviewed numerous /var/log/Xorg.0.log files, journalctl files and have never discovered any clue as to why a GUI fails to load when using an Apple Display.
So, if you have successfully operated a Linux distro/OS on a Mac G4 or G5 (not a Quad) with a desktop extended across an Apple Cinema or Studio Display and a VGA or DVI monitor, I would like to know what needed to be done:
Was an xorg.conf created and used? (could you provide a copy?)
What Mac Model was it on?
What GPU card was used?
Did the kernel need to be modified (video=ofonly, video=offb
ff, agpmode=-1 etc)?
What Linux distro was employed?
Again, if there is someone out there that has done this I would like to know how it was done.
Thanks in advance
MacMaverick855
Historically (for me), anytime I have installed a Linux OS on a G4 or G5, with either a Radeon or Nvidia GPU, capable of driving an Apple Display and a VGA or DVI monitor, the OS would not boot to a usable screen (typically a black or blank screen.) Remove the Apple Display and reboot would result in the Linux OS booting as one would expect with a GUI, login screen etc. Try to boot with only the Apple Display, would result in a black or blank screen.
Why?
My G4 and G5 both multi-boot Mac OS and Linux OS systems. The Mac OS systems (OS 9, OS10) natively drive both monitors without issue. I would prefer not to have to unplug the Apple Dispays just to run Linux. I have no need for mirrored outputs ( I have two iMacs that do that). My goal is to be able to start up in either Mac OS or Linux and still have extended desktops.
I have searched forums, FAQs, GPU card sites, Xorg, sites, xrandr sites etc and have never found a solution to this issue. Any solution offered, and followed verbatim, never results in an extended desktop. I have reviewed numerous /var/log/Xorg.0.log files, journalctl files and have never discovered any clue as to why a GUI fails to load when using an Apple Display.
So, if you have successfully operated a Linux distro/OS on a Mac G4 or G5 (not a Quad) with a desktop extended across an Apple Cinema or Studio Display and a VGA or DVI monitor, I would like to know what needed to be done:
Was an xorg.conf created and used? (could you provide a copy?)
What Mac Model was it on?
What GPU card was used?
Did the kernel need to be modified (video=ofonly, video=offb
ff, agpmode=-1 etc)?What Linux distro was employed?
Again, if there is someone out there that has done this I would like to know how it was done.
Thanks in advance
MacMaverick855
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