where is my Dual-View option in XP?

[R3MF]

hey-ho all.

i have been testing various multimonitor setups before i drop a bomb on two Dell 17" monitors for a three screen wunder-rig, and i came across a curious anomaly:

I want a Dual-View mode using three screens due to the differing resolutions involved, which i am assured can be done.

A fellow worker has a Dell 9100 laptop (Geforce 4200) which works fine in Dual-View Mode with a Dell 2005 monitor.

but:

when i tried adding a Dell 19" monitor to my rig (see below) i wasn't given a Dual-View option in either windows video options, or the nVidia options. When i tried to apply the "tick here to expand my desktop across both screens" option windows conveniently ignored me?!?! i'm using the 8198 drivers. It could manage Clone mode however.

I also tried adding a spare 2005FP to an IBM laptop (Z60m) and found that it would let me select the Clone mode, but not Span mode (reasonably enough due to the different resolutions), and not Dual-View mode either?

so my question is: why is Dual-View not present as an option on certain PC's (mine in particular), and what rules determine whether the option is present or not?

I need to know, because i don't want to get two 17" screens only to find for some reson I should have found out about earlier it won't work with my particular system (soon to be the MSI 2-FID board with a 7800GT).

regards

R3MF

 

[Lonyo]

Right click on desktop -> Properties -> Settings -> Advanced Settings -> Video card tab -> Desktop Management -> Display Wizard Then go to "Custom Setup" when you get the option.
That usually gives me the choice of span, clone or dual view.
Dunno if that's the way you were sorting yours out or not.

 

[R3MF]

the nView display mode on my bosses dual screen setup (5700LE) happily lists Dual-View as an option, not to mention; Span, Clone, Single etc, but it doesn't show up in my PC with a 6600GT and the 81.98 drivers?

 

[Arcanedeath]

Try a different driver and make sure you set all your screens to the same resolution and see what happens

 

[R3MF]

seems to be working cool now cheers, appeared to be a bad cable connection. lol.