Plugging in second screen caused built-in to go black

New to linux so I'd appreciate if anyone can help me troubleshoot. I have an Asus Tuf A14, tried connecting it to my TV as a second monitor and the built in screen went black. TV is still working, and in display settings it does look like both screens are being detected, but the laptop screen doesn't work at all post-login, even if I unplug the HDMI, reboot, etc. (Works in BIOS, works on login screen, I'm dual booting with windows and it still works in windows, doesn't work once I log in to Bazzite)
CPU is AMD, GPU is Nvidia

Solution

Open the file explorer. Press CTRL+H (to show hidden files and folders) then you can just find the .config folder and rename the file in question

Jump to solution

wolfyreload•12/31/24, 11:13 PM

If you are on KDE try and press WIN+P it has your options for switching between different monitor setups. Might be something simple like that

OliveOP•12/31/24, 11:22 PM

Unfortunately that doesn't seem to work. Tried all options just to be sure but the laptop screen remained black for all of them.

wolfyreload•12/31/24, 11:26 PM

It could be screen brightness. I have seen linux allowing you to set brightness to 0 being no light at all

OliveOP•12/31/24, 11:32 PM

Is there a separate screen brightness control to the usual one that could inadvertently override it? I've already turned that up and down to no effect.

wolfyreload•1/1/25, 12:01 AM

Try make a new user, and log in with that user and see if the issue is specific to your user. If it is then it's a setting somewhere in your home folder for your user. If the issue occurs for the new user then it's some system setting that has messed up

OliveOP•1/1/25, 2:19 AM

Okay, just tried that. New test user did initially have the screen functioning, although it still seemed to think the second screen was there even though I had unplugged the hdmi before logging in. Interestingly enough, WIN + P > Unify Screen totally breaks it, and both screens stopped working. Ended up turning the computer off, deleting the test user and recreating it.

OliveOP•1/1/25, 2:22 AM

Here's what the display config looks like right now having just loaded into the new user. TV screen being the primary screen seems to carry over (I had to set it that way in my main profile in order to get anything done.)

OOlive Okay, just tried that. New test user did initially have the screen functioning, ...

asen23•1/1/25, 3:38 AM

you can try renaming ~/.config/kwinoutputconfig.json~/.config/kwinoutputconfig.json to fix monitor setup

OliveOP•1/1/25, 4:03 AM

How would I do that exactly?

Solution

wolfyreload•1/1/25, 4:09 AM

Open the file explorer. Press CTRL+H (to show hidden files and folders) then you can just find the .config folder and rename the file in question

OliveOP•1/1/25, 4:16 AM

Thank you! The idea here is that if the computer can't find the file, it will reset the display settings, correct?

OliveOP•1/1/25, 4:18 AM

That fixed it, thank you so much everyone

OOlive Thank you! The idea here is that if the computer can't find the file, it will re...

wolfyreload•1/1/25, 4:29 AM

Yup you moving it rather than deleting it so you can put the old file back in place if you need to. System recreates the file resetting your settings to default

Plugging in second screen caused built-in to go black

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