NVIDIA X Server configuration not working

here's a screenshot of the error.

Also, the "window movement key" stopped working (moving a window by holding down alt-key + grabbing the window).

This problem disappeared when I logged out and the X server was restarted.

This issue may be related to https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/526950

I get a similar error message:

"
Unable to load X Server Display Configuration page:

Failed to query NoScanout for screen 0.
"

My solution was to edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf manually and add the line
Option "TwinView" "True"
to the device-section as mentioned in /usr/share/doc/nvidia-173/README.txt.gz

This bug report was filed against an old version of Ubuntu.
Can you confirm whether this is still an issue in natty?

If you don't mind, it would be very helpful if you could update the bug
report in launchpad to 'Fix Released' if it is no longer an issue for
you, or if it is still occurring under natty, please tag the bug 'natty'
so it's easier for us to track.

I still see this problem in Lucid when ever I unplug one screen, attach another and then try to change the NVidia setup accordingly. The change works but when I start the NVidia tool again it shows the message mentioned above and I'm stuck until the next X-server restart.

This confirms that the bug still exists in a current version of Ubuntu. Can you please change the status back to 'New'?

Re comment 6: I get this in Maverick too. I've found the advice in this forum post helpful: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1047029
Basically you can use the command-line to tell nvidia-settings to reset which displays are present. It then properly forgets about the old display and allows you to use the dialog to detect the new one. I'm using the latest packaged drivers (260.19.06-0ubuntu1)
Here's a short script that should reset to only using the laptop's local LCD:

#!/bin/bash
echo Current display status
nvidia-settings -d -q AssociatedDisplays
echo Configuring to only know about LCD display
nvidia-settings -a AssociatedDisplays=0x00010000
echo Updated display status
nvidia-settings -d -q AssociatedDisplays

David, thanks for this advice which inspired another workaround:

After clicking the "Detect Displays" button (which will recognize the new screen and the loss of the old one) select "Apply" before configuring the new screen. Only after switching to a one-screen set-up, configure the new screen. This procedure will leave the configuration intact.

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.