Arch only outputting to a single monitor

dot.py · 2026-06-14 23:44:55

Hello everyone, I installed Arch to my computer a few days ago to dualboot with Windows 10, and a day after installing I saw that it's only outputting signal to a single monitor.

~~I'm using Wayland and GNOME.~~ EDIT: Now using X11 and KDE Plasma.

My monitor setup consists of 3 monitors: the first monitor, connected via DVI, which the screen is and has been always working (this one appears to be my "default" monitor, as it's the monitor used for the boot menu); the second monitor, connected via HDMI with a KVM switch (it is switched to the correct PC), which was working on first install but not working now; and the third monitor, also DVI, which hasn't been working with Arch at all. All monitors work as usual when booting to Windows, so I'm guessing that it is not a hardware issue.

Could anyone please help me out with this?

Last edited by dot.py (2026-07-03 03:32:34)

V1del · 2026-06-15 07:56:51

What's your GPU(s)? Did you check the display configuration settings in GNOME? Assuming the displays don't show up there at all either it's probably something more systemic and a

sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'file=@-'  https://paste.c-net.org/

would be useful

dot.py · 2026-06-15 18:47:39

V1del wrote:

What's your GPU(s)?

I have a 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti GPU.

V1del wrote:

Did you check the display configuration settings in GNOME?

Yes, and it is not showing any other displays, just the display settings for the one monitor (orientation, resolution, etc.).

V1del wrote:

Assuming the displays don't show up there at all either it's probably something more systemic and a
sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'file=@-'  https://paste.c-net.org/
would be useful

I did that, and it just outputted a link. Should I send that link here?

V1del · 2026-06-15 18:59:09

Yes. Are you trying to use the nvidia-470xx drivers or nouveau with that? This will predate any useful Wayland work on nvidia and could be the reason and nouveau is still in a bit of a limbo state

Last edited by V1del (2026-06-15 18:59:32)

dot.py · 2026-06-15 19:02:14

Here is the link: https://paste.c-net.org/RickieWeekly

I believe I am using the nvidia-470xx drivers, however I am not absolutely certain; how would I check?

dot.py · 2026-07-03 03:11:58

I did a reinstall with KDE Plasma and X11 (I can change the session to Wayland if needed) to see if that would fix anything, but it did not seem to. Looking in the "Display Configuration" section of the settings, it does not show any other monitors, only gives me settings for the one it's on.

When trying to do a

sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'file=@-'  https://paste.c-net.org/

it gave me the output:

curl: (6) Could not resolve host: paste.c-net.org

rather than a link.

Based on the (not too extensive) research I've done, I am 95% sure it's an issue with my GPU and/or how old it is (I probably need a new GPU anyway...).

dot.py · 2026-07-03 03:21:21

Unsure if this will be of any help, but here are the results of a fastfetch:

                  -`                     py@ArchOnCOEXIST
                 .o+`                    ----------------
                `ooo/                    OS: Arch Linux x86_64
               `+oooo:                   Kernel: Linux 6.18.37-1-lts
              `+oooooo:                  Uptime: 4 mins
              -+oooooo+:                 Packages: 8 (flatpak), 1015 (pacman)
            `/:-:++oooo+:                Shell: bash 5.3.15
           `/++++/+++++++:               Display (None-1): 1280x1024, 60 Hz
          `/++++++++++++++:              DE: KDE Plasma 6.7.2
         `/+++ooooooooooooo/`            WM: KWin (X11)
        ./ooosssso++osssssso+`           WM Theme: Breeze
       .oossssso-````/ossssss+`          Theme: Breeze (Dark) [Qt], Breeze-Dark [GTK2], Breeze [GTK3]
      -osssssso.      :ssssssso.         Icons: breeze-dark [Qt], breeze-dark [GTK2/3/4]
     :osssssss/        osssso+++.        Font: Noto Sans (10pt) [Qt], Noto Sans (10pt) [GTK2/3/4]
    /ossssssss/        +ssssooo/-        Cursor: breeze (24px)
  `/ossssso+/:-        -:/+osssso+-      Terminal: konsole 26.4.2
 `+sso+:-`                 `.-/+oso:     CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3820 (8) @ 3.80 GHz
`++:.                           `-/+/    GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti [Discrete]
.`                                 `/    Memory: 3.10 GiB / 31.29 GiB (10%)
                                         Swap: 0 B / 4.00 GiB (0%)
                                         Disk (/): 17.12 GiB / 48.91 GiB (35%) - ext4
                                         Disk (/home): 20.47 GiB / 535.54 GiB (4%) - ext4
                                         Local IP (eno1): 192.168.1.25/24
                                         Locale: en_US.UTF-8

seth · 2026-07-03 05:35:10

I did a reinstall with KDE Plasma and X11

Why in gods name didn't you just install kwin_x11 ?

curl: (6) Could not resolve host: paste.c-net.org

Your re-installation broke the network stack or DNS?

I believe I am using the nvidia-470xx drivers

Jun 15 11:31:33 ArchOnCOEXIST kernel: NVRM: The NVIDIA GPU 0000:02:00.0 (PCI ID: 10de:1183)
                                      NVRM: installed in this system is not supported by open
                                      NVRM: nvidia.ko because it does not include the required GPU
                                      NVRM: System Processor (GSP).
                                      NVRM: Please see the 'Open Linux Kernel Modules' and 'GSP
                                      NVRM: Firmware' sections in the driver README, available on
                                      NVRM: the Linux graphics driver download page at
                                      NVRM: www.nvidia.com.

You're trying to use the nvidia-open module, fail, result in not using any driver at all - hence no output.

If you intend to use that monitor w/ anything wayland (incl. KDE which will drop X11 support w/ the next release) you'll have to remove the nvidia kernel modules and esp. nvidia-utils to use nouveau.

however I am not absolutely certain; how would I check?

You would have installed https://aur.archlinux.org/packages?O=0&K=470xx and would most likely just remember that?

On a formal note, please don't blog - edit your previous post to mend it if nobody has replied so far.

Arch Linux

#1 2026-06-14 23:44:55

Arch only outputting to a single monitor

#2 2026-06-15 07:56:51

Re: Arch only outputting to a single monitor

#3 2026-06-15 18:47:39

Re: Arch only outputting to a single monitor

#4 2026-06-15 18:59:09

Re: Arch only outputting to a single monitor

#5 2026-06-15 19:02:14

Re: Arch only outputting to a single monitor

#6 2026-07-03 03:11:58

Re: Arch only outputting to a single monitor

#7 2026-07-03 03:21:21

Re: Arch only outputting to a single monitor

#8 2026-07-03 05:35:10

Re: Arch only outputting to a single monitor

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