Dell d620 / d630 3D dual head configuration
So at work we have laptops with docking stations. Our native laptop screen res is 1440×900, and our secondary monitors (hooked up to the docking station) are 1280×1024. To make this work, first we need to edit xorg.conf, and add the following under the “Screen” Section:


SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1440x900" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
Virtual 2048 2048
EndSubSection

Now the key is, we will be using xrandr, but the intel chips in our laptops only support 2048×2048 (this restriction is for 3d desktops only, ie compiz / aiglx) maximum size. So we can’t have a monitor left of, or right of, our display, because 1280 + 1440 = 2720 which is bigger than 2048. However, if we configured the second head to be Above the first, we can fit it in (900 + 1024 = 1924 which is less than 2048).

So first we investigate our displays:

# xrandr -q

After that, we see there are 2 monitors, VGA and LVDS. So the external monitor is at the wrong resolution, so I fix that first:

# xrandr --output VGA --mode 1280x1024

Now they are currently in clone mode, which is no good. I want to use both screens. So I type:

# xrandr --output VGA --above LVDS

Then bam, we have dual head. That works with compiz. Yay. Previously, in Feisty, I used the ‘MergedFB’ solution which appears to have been depreciated. For references:
http://wiki.debian.org/XStrikeForce/HowToRandR12
http://www.intellinuxgraphics.org/dualhead.html

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  5. Dell Latitude D620 with Broadcom Wireless on Feisty