Dual monitors

[wxjunkie]

I'm looking for the easiest way to use dual monitors... I've got an AGP and a PCI video card, both geforce's. Windows doesn't like the idea of me having both cards in. What's the best way to go about this?

 

[Shooters]

What exactly does Windows say to you?

 

[RaiderJ]

If you have access to a Windows 2000 CD, look for a file called "hcl.txt". It lists video cards that are compatible with dual monitors. This info may or may not apply to XP, but it's a start.

 

[wxjunkie]

When I have both cards in, Windows 2000 installs the drivers for both cards, but after a restart, both video cards are flagged in the device manager, and both say they can't load their drivers. Also, only one monitor is active, the other has no signal.

 

[John]

Have you tried moving the PCI card to a different slot?

 

[5489]

make sure you have PCI as ur main boot device in the BIOS. then you can set the settings in the display settings.

 

[fr]

<< make sure you have PCI as ur main boot device in the BIOS. then you can set the settings in the display settings. >>



That was key when I tried to get mine started. Windows would not initialize the PCI card unless it was set it boot in the BIOS.

 

[Latts]

<<

<< make sure you have PCI as ur main boot device in the BIOS. then you can set the settings in the display settings. >>



That was key when I tried to get mine started. Windows would not initialize the PCI card unless it was set it boot in the BIOS. >>




Definitely sounds like the problem.

 

[robg1701]

Yup, a lot of people seem to find that a problem...never had it myself though, my PCI S3 Savage 4 is quite happy with the AGP Geforce being the boot card.....hopefully this remains the same when i put in a PCI Matrox G200 tomorrow to get my tri monitor setup running, weeeeeee

That reminds me, need to go update my rig profile

 

[wxjunkie]

The problem is I can't find that setting in the bios... I've got an Abit KT7-Raid motherboard, uses softmenu...if anyone knows where this setting is it would be great.. I've looked it over a thousand times and can't find it.

 

[SUOrangeman]

The BIOS option you need should be "Primary Display" or something very similar. The only to choices are AGP and PCI.

-SUO

 

[wxjunkie]

Strangely enough, I can't find that option

 

[billyjak]

It's nder the tab Integrated Periphials

 

[wxjunkie]

Okay, I finally fixed the display boot problem, the motherboard uses the AGP card as primary now, however, another problem has come up. Since both video cards are of the GeForce MX line, the name of the driver files that are used by both vid cards are the same in some cases, such as the "nv4_mini.sys" etc etc...so when Windows 2000 finds the second video card it wants to install its drivers, which will overwrite the drivers of the primary card.

Can I just rename the files it wants to copy to something else? Like... "nv4_mini_2mx.sys" or is it not that easy?

 

[Paul]

Renaming driver files is usually not a good idea. Simply click yes when windows wants to install the driver again. I've had two of the same video cards installed in my system before so it's not a big deal.

 

[wxjunkie]

After doing that, when Windows loads again, it says both video cards are not working, they're flagged in device manager.

 

[wxjunkie]

bumpasaurus

 

[shadow]

"Okay, I finally fixed the display boot problem, the motherboard uses the AGP card as primary now"

Listen to these guys, they are trying to tell you to set it to PCI, not AGP.

serge

 

[imthebigdog]

I have the same dual monitor/dual video card problem. I am using win xp pro->s3 savage4 agp + Verto? TNT2-M64 32MB PCI -> 2 ctx 17" monitors. One or the other work great, but together only one works. Any ideas?

 

[5489]

Originally posted by: wxjunkie
Okay, I finally fixed the display boot problem, the motherboard uses the AGP card as primary now, however, another problem has come up. Since both video cards are of the GeForce MX line, the name of the driver files that are used by both vid cards are the same in some cases, such as the "nv4_mini.sys" etc etc...so when Windows 2000 finds the second video card it wants to install its drivers, which will overwrite the drivers of the primary card.

Can I just rename the files it wants to copy to something else? Like... "nv4_mini_2mx.sys" or is it not that easy?

you said the motherboard uses the agp card as the primary card. you need to have the PCI card as the primary.