[tested only on Ubuntu]

Hooking up an external monitor works out of the box, more or less, requiring only a simple fix to support monitors with resolutions higher than 1024×768.

1) To activate your external monitor after plugging it in (assuming you want to extend your desktop onto it for dual-screen mode) open System –> Preferences –> Screen Resolution.  Set a resolution for the second screen an adjust their relative positions.  After hitting Apply you will be asked whether to allow the program to change a configuration file on your behalf.  Let it.  After that, log out and back in and the new screen will be working.

2) Your desktop might look hideous, the result of your wallpaper being centered awkwardly between two monitors.  Don’t worry.  Also, the GNOME panel will be on the external monitor and may have lost its relative spacing of components.  The simplest solution is to drag it to your laptop screen.

3) You may have “lost” some desktop icons.  If it’s terribly important to you, go back to the Screen Resolution program and drag the laptop screen so the top of the two screens are level.  You can then drag the icons farther down and move the laptop screen back to where it was.

4) If your external monitor is larger than 1024×768 (and chances are it is), you will have to replace your xorg.conf file (thanks to Thoemy for this tip). Download this xorg.conf and put it in your home directory.

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
sudo cp ~/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf


Log out and back in, go back into Screen Resolution, choose your correct resolution and select Apply.

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