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I am looking for a simple way to use my old laptop as a second monitor for my main computer, this would be very useful to me.

I'm not that tech savvy that's why I said a simple way, or maybe a very well documented way...I can follow detailed instructions.

Thanks

JMike
  • 121

2 Answers2

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You can use x11vnc to make a virtual screen and connect to it from the second machine through a vnc client. For extended desktop, you can use a dummy male VGA or HDMI (I used the ones of a broken monitor not plugged to the electrical network) connected to your main computer and add a "virtual screen" with xrandr.

  1. From terminal, run: xrand
    and take note of one of the disconnected devices that appear in the output, i.e. "DP-2" or "HDMI-2".
  2. Generate the modeline for the resolution to beam in the monitor of second machine, i.e. for my smartphone: 1200x540 at 120 Mhz. Run in terminal: gtf 1200 540 120
  3. Make a new resolution mode based on the notes taken in the first step. In terminal, run: xrandr --newmode "1200x540_120.00" 112.28 1200 1280 1408 1616 540 541 544 579 -HSync +Vsync
  4. Add the created mode as an output option to a dummy that will be plugged into a port not used in the main machine, in my case "DP-2". Run: xrandr --addmode DP-2 1200x540_120.00
  5. Plug the dummy and set the output to extend the desktop, run: xrandr --output DP-2 --mode 1200x540_120.00 --right-of eDP-1.
  6. Run: x11vnc -localhost -usepw -forever -bg -geometry 1200x540 -shared -noprimary -auth /var/run/lightdm/root/:0 -display :0 -clip 1200x540+3520+450 -threads -noxdamage -noxwarppointer
    (remember that the device names and resolution values are just for my case).
  7. Run any vnc client in the second machine for connect to main machine.

The steps were taken from a post in my old blog (spanish).

Also, you can use Deskreen.

leoperbo
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0

VirtScreen still works despite having its last release 2018. I use Remmina on the receiving side (old laptop).

cweiske
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