Troubleshooting ML350 G10 Not Recognizing Second Monitor

August 3, 2025 by StackCamp Team 57 views

ML350 G10 Not Recognizing Second Monitor: Troubleshooting Guide

Having trouble getting your ML350 G10 to recognize that second monitor? You're not alone, guys! It's a common head-scratcher, but don't worry, we'll walk through some steps to get you up and running. This guide is designed to help you troubleshoot why your Ubuntu 24.04 system on your ML350 G10 server isn't detecting your NVIDIA GTX 960 and, consequently, your second monitor. Let's dive in!

Understanding the Problem

Before we jump into solutions, let's make sure we understand the issue. You've got a brand-new ML350 G10, installed Ubuntu 24.04, and popped in an NVIDIA GTX 960. The NVIDIA software confirms the card is working, but Ubuntu isn't playing ball – it's not seeing the card or enabling it, which means your second monitor is just showing a blank screen. You've even tried different drivers, loaded Ubuntu, but still no luck! This can be frustrating, but let’s break down the potential causes and solutions systematically.

Common Culprits

Driver Issues: The most common cause for this type of problem is, you guessed it, drivers. NVIDIA drivers can be finicky, and getting the right version installed correctly is crucial. Sometimes, the automatically installed drivers aren't the best fit, or the installation might have glitched.
BIOS/UEFI Settings: The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) settings control the hardware initialization during boot. There might be settings related to graphics card priority or PCIe slot configuration that need tweaking.
Hardware Conflicts: Although less common, there's a chance of a hardware conflict, especially in a server environment where multiple expansion cards might be present. This could be due to resource contention or compatibility issues.
X Server Configuration: The X Server is the display server in Linux that manages the graphical environment. If its configuration is incorrect, it might not recognize the second monitor.
Cables and Connections: It sounds simple, but it’s always worth double-checking that all cables are securely connected to both the graphics card and the monitors.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Okay, let's get our hands dirty and start troubleshooting. We'll go through these steps one by one, so follow along, and hopefully, we'll get that second monitor fired up!

1. Verify Basic Connections

First things first, let's make sure the obvious stuff is covered:

Check the Cables: Ensure that both monitors are securely connected to the NVIDIA GTX 960. Try different cables (HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI) to rule out a faulty cable. Sometimes a seemingly minor thing like a slightly loose connection can cause major headaches.
Test the Monitor: Connect the second monitor to a different computer or device to ensure it's working correctly. This will eliminate the monitor itself as the source of the problem.
Try Different Ports: If your GTX 960 has multiple ports (HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI), try connecting the monitor to different ports. Sometimes, a specific port might not be functioning correctly.

2. Check NVIDIA Driver Installation

Since you mentioned trying different drivers, let’s make sure we're doing this right. Proper driver installation is the backbone of getting your GPU to play nice with Ubuntu.

List Installed Drivers: Open a terminal (you can usually do this by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T) and run the following command:
```
ubuntu-drivers devices
```
This command will list the recommended and available drivers for your hardware. Pay close attention to the output – it’ll tell you which drivers are suggested for your GTX 960.
Remove Existing Drivers: Before installing new drivers, it's a good idea to remove any existing ones to avoid conflicts. Use the following commands:
```
sudo apt-get purge nvidia-*
sudo apt autoremove
```
The first command purges all NVIDIA packages, and the second removes any orphaned dependencies. This ensures a clean slate for your new driver installation.
Install Recommended Drivers: Using the information from the ubuntu-drivers devices command, install the recommended drivers. For example, if the recommended driver is nvidia-driver-535, you would run:
```
sudo apt-get install nvidia-driver-535
```
Reboot Your System: After the installation, reboot your system to apply the changes. This is a crucial step, so don't skip it!

3. Verify NVIDIA Driver Status

After rebooting, let’s make sure the driver is loaded and working. This is like checking the engine after you’ve done some work on your car – you want to make sure it’s purring.

Check NVIDIA Settings: Open the NVIDIA X Server Settings application. You can usually find it by searching in the application menu. If you can open it and see your GTX 960 listed, that’s a good sign!
Use the Command Line: Alternatively, you can use the command line to check the driver status. Run:
```
nvidia-smi
```
If the NVIDIA driver is correctly installed, this command will display information about your GPU, including its name, temperature, and memory usage. If you get an error message, something’s still amiss with the driver.

4. Check BIOS/UEFI Settings

Now, let's peek into the BIOS/UEFI settings. These settings are like the master controls for your hardware, and sometimes they need a little tweaking to get things working right.

Access BIOS/UEFI: Reboot your ML350 G10 and watch for a prompt during startup (usually a message like “Press DEL to enter setup”). The key to press varies depending on your motherboard, but common ones are Del, F2, F10, or F12.
Check Graphics Priority: Look for settings related to graphics priority or primary display adapter. Make sure that the PCIe slot where your GTX 960 is installed is set as the primary graphics adapter. Sometimes, the system might default to the onboard graphics, which would prevent the GTX 960 from being used.
Enable Multi-Monitor Support: Some BIOS/UEFI settings might have an option to enable multi-monitor support explicitly. Ensure this option is enabled if it exists.
Save and Exit: After making any changes, save the settings and exit the BIOS/UEFI. Your system will reboot, and the new settings will be applied.

5. Configure X Server

The X Server is the heart of your graphical display in Ubuntu. If it’s not configured correctly, your second monitor might not be recognized.

Automatic Configuration: In most cases, the NVIDIA driver should automatically configure the X Server. However, sometimes things don't go as planned. Let’s check the configuration files.
X Server Configuration File: The main configuration file for the X Server is xorg.conf. It’s usually located in /etc/X11/. However, modern Ubuntu systems often use a dynamic configuration, so this file might not exist. If it doesn’t exist, that’s okay! We’ll proceed assuming it’s dynamically configured.
Using NVIDIA X Server Settings: The NVIDIA X Server Settings application can also be used to configure the X Server. Open the application and navigate to the “X Server Display Configuration” section. Here, you should see both monitors listed. If your second monitor is disabled or not detected, you can configure it from here. Be sure to save the configuration to /etc/X11/xorg.conf if prompted (or create the file if it doesn't exist).
Manual Configuration (If Necessary): If the graphical interface isn’t working, you might need to manually configure the xorg.conf file. This is a bit more advanced, so proceed with caution. You can create or edit the file using a text editor like Nano:
```
sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf
```
A basic xorg.conf file that supports two monitors might look something like this:
```
Section 
```