Help Needed On Dual Monitor Setup

[rossored]

The two connectors are there so that you can choose between connecting to a VGA cable OR a DVI cable.

Hi Glenn

Sorry but this is quite simply wrong.

Video cards that have both VGA and DVI outputs are quite capable of supporting dual-monitors. The ports offer an either/or solution or will power both monitors concurrently.

I have two 17" VGA monitors, but one connects to the DVI port via a £5 adapter bought off ebay.

Most PC's should begin to use a PCIe card over an onboard VGA chip as soon as it's plugged in but it would seem in this case that it hasn't happened - hence follow everyone else's advice and disable onboard VGA in the BIOS.

I repair PC's for a living as well as doing T2W, so if you need any additional help then feel free to MSN me. If you have messenger installed it can be used as a remote assistance tool.

 

[gedward3]

Cheers guys for the help. I think i may know what is wrong. I dont think the DVI i to VGA adaptor is the correct one. The male part only has 17pins instead of 24 pins so i hope this is where the problem lies. Ive tried most of the things mentioned on this thread and if the new adaptor doesnt work i'll just send it to my local PC shop.

 

[gedward3]

Hey Guys ive just installed the new DVi to VGA adaptor but still nothing. My system shows only my new card as if its shut downn the old card.
Whats funny is that when i restart my pc its starts booting up on the right monitor and then when its ready it flips on to the left monitor with the main windows screen and stays there.
This means my card is seeing both screens.

Ive tried the Display and Settings to look for the second screen but its not there either. The only way it allows me to see this is if i change the Nvidia software to recognise TV. If i do this my card then doesnt recognise one of the monitors so i cant use both anyway.

Anyone else fancy a guess

Cheers

 

[dc2000]

what happens if you plug one monitor into the onboard socket and one into the card

 

[gedward3]

Still nothing happens except only one screen works

 

[rossored]

Got your PM...

What you're describing is what i'd expect to happen if you've got a PCIe card installed and still something plugged into the old VGA onboard slot.

As the system boots it will use the existing VGA (onboard) card if you have something plugged into it. When it then gets to the desktop, it will recognise the new PCIe card, shut down the old VGA card.

Both monitors should be plugged into the PCIe card, one into the VGA port and one into the DVI port. Once booted, you will need to go through the 'Properties' and 'Settings' options as I described earlier. Try this and then post again.

 

[gedward3]

Got your PM...

What you're describing is what i'd expect to happen if you've got a PCIe card installed and still something plugged into the old VGA onboard slot.

As the system boots it will use the existing VGA (onboard) card if you have something plugged into it. When it then gets to the desktop, it will recognise the new PCIe card, shut down the old VGA card.

Both monitors should be plugged into the PCIe card, one into the VGA port and one into the DVI port. Once booted, you will need to go through the 'Properties' and 'Settings' options as I described earlier. Try this and then post again.

Hi Rosso,

I have got one monitor in the vga slot and one in the dvi and i have tried rebooting but same happens. One thing i keep noticing is on the Nvidia software, it is recognising both of my monitors but in the display and settings it doesnt allow me to choose the second monitor as a dual view. In order for me to get the second monitor recognised in the display and settings i have to go into the Nvidia software and press a selection called forced TV. This is when your card cant find your TV or screen. Now when i select this i can see the both screens to select in display and settings but when i move across to Nvidia again it recognises both monitors and a HDTV monitor. And hey presto Nvidia chooses one monitor and one HDTV but never both of the monitors i want. Ive fiddled with the software now for about 5 hours and put a new DVi adaptor in just in case the old one was broken. Ive also pulled the new card out and re-installed the Nvidia software. Ive also removed the card completely and mc pc goes back to using the onboard so i just switch over the monitor. Maybe the problem lies in disabling the old card completely or from what people have said switching the jump switch. I would prefer to use both screens on my new card as my pc seems to be running a bit faster and more responsive that when i was using the onboard card.

Cheers

 

[dc2000]

before installing the nvidia software did you remove the old software for the onboard card and change the setting back to standard vga adapter ATI cards usually require this for the sofware to work properly not sure if NVIDIA do

 

[rossored]

Forget the nVidia software for the time being. Does Windows see the second monitor?

 

[gedward3]

Forget the nVidia software for the time being. Does Windows see the second monitor?

No it doesnt see the second monitor unless ive fiddled with thye Nvidia software