Can two video cards run at once?

[BBCMember]

I don't think this is possible, but I just figured I would ask.

My friend has a Windows XP system that has an ATI 9600 AGP video card that is driving two monitors right now. He says he has a PCI card (ATI PowerColor 7000) that he would like to have installed so he can seamlessly scroll from Monitor #1 to Monitors #2 & #3.

Possible?

 

[Steve]

Possible, but he'll have to use Catalyst for 6.11 for the 7000. Nothing below the Radeon 9500 is supported after Catalyst 6.11 driver release.

What I'd do is uninstall the current video drivers, pop in the PCI card, and then run Cat 6.11 setup and let it install both cards. Not sure, but maybe you can have the AGP card run on a newer driver. I'd just use one driver package for both cards though.

 

[BBCMember]

OK. Thanks.

 

[Steve]

You're welcome. He may want to consider a newer PCI card, such as an X300 or X1300, then he can keep using as new drivers as he likes.

 

[n7]

Theoretically yes, he can do that.

In practise, you have to try it to see if it will actually work.

 

[pmvdpx]

Ages ago I had a voodoo3 PCI coupled with a geforce2 AGP (so I could run some remaining Glide-only games). It worked fine. Since I moved to more recent ATI cards though I found they refused to co-operate with any other gfx card, maybe 'cos they have dual monitor support of their own built-in? [note voodoo3, not a pass-through voodoo2]

Actually I still have some glide-only games I never did get round to finishing. Maybe I'll give it another go - God knows if there are any workable drivers for the voodoo3 (which is still sitting in an anti-static bag round here somewhere).

 

[crispy2010]

If two cards are ran, with two monitors, can they be used seperatly but at the same time? Say watch tv on one while gamming on the other, or does the game still trump the desktop?

I would also guess they would both have to be same maker to share drivers?????

I am going to try now!

 

[jasonja]

Originally posted by: crispy2010
If two cards are ran, with two monitors, can they be used seperatly but at the same time? Say watch tv on one while gamming on the other, or does the game still trump the desktop?

I would also guess they would both have to be same maker to share drivers?????

I am going to try now!

If you play the game in Windowed mode yes... otherwise if you go fullscreen the 2nd monitor's desktop often gets shoved over and I don't think Live TV experience will be that good.