Multi-display not working (XP) EDIT: Problem Solved

[xylem]

I have recently done a fresh OS install, and the secondary display enabling process is not working correctly. I am using a Radeon 9500, Catalyst 44, and the ATI Control Panel. In Display Properties\Settings, upon bootup, the secondary display is shown, however, every time I boot up, it becomes disabled by the OS. If I check the "Extend my Windows desktop..." and Apply, it tries to enable the display, but quickly refreshes the Display Properties window and leaves the monitor disabled. The only way I can now enable it is to go into the ATI Control Panel\Displays where the 2nd monitor *is shown as enabled*, disable it, go back to standard Display Properties\Settings window, and enable it, at which time it works correctly (only to be disabled again on bootup =P). I have tried uninstalling/reinstalling the driver and ATI Control Panel, and also tried running the driver without the ATI Control Panel installed, with the same results. Does anyone know what to do to fix this?

 

[powerMarkymark]

You may want to give ultramon Linky as this nifty program has the "Enable secondary monitor" feature embedded in the menu so it just might be a workaround for your problem.

HTH

Mark

 

[xylem]

I probably should have mentioned that the secondary display worked fine, without any such issue, previous to my fresh install, and at that time I was using Cat 43.

powerMarkymark, thanks for the workaround suggestion, I will certainly give it a try if I am unable to find a direct solution to the problem.

 

[Sianath]

The tricky thing about multimon is that the second display adapter has to be able to disable VGA. If it can't, it won't work.

For most newer cards, the driver handles this. If you are dealing with on-board video for one of your two adapters, you may need to go into the BIOS and set the option there (or it may be a jumper), assuming the card can do it.

For most people using a combo of on-board card + AGP card, you need to make sure that the primary card is the on-board (usually the on-board can't disable VGA, but the newer card can, which means the newer card has to be secondary if you want it to work).