Dual monitor configuration problems with >=xf86-video-ati-6.9

[Vincent Cadet]

Hi members.

I'm a Gentoo Linux user on my Dell Inspiron 9400 and am using
xf86-video-radeonhd and xf86-video-ati with my ATI Mobility X1400 video
card (RV515). While the former driver works perfectly (although 60%
slower) with my dual monitor configuration, the latter doesn't.

When using xf86-video-ati with an external monitor plugged in my
DVI/digital output, both my laptop's local PANEL and the external
monitor are black when X starts. I *must* unplug the external monitor,
start X and then plug the external monitor and run xrandr to setup dual
monitor as explained in the newbie's guide :
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=927. However
XFCE4 doesn't properly set background pictures as it only detected one
screen when it started -- I suppose that is a bug in XFCE4 instead,
which has nothing to do here.

I described the problem in Gentoo forums (
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-722855-highlight-.html ). I've
also been able to reproduce it with Ubuntu 8.10 and
xf86-video-ati-6.9.0.


Thanks a lot in advance for any hint/suggestion.

Vince C.