OT: Dual Monitor Problem

Jameson_Prod wrote on 3/21/2005, 7:45 PM

I purchased a new 17" LCD monitor. Thought I'd give dual monitors a shot...see how I liked it with my old 14" LCD and the new LCD. I had read that you could use a PCI video card and AGP card together to get dual monitors. I can't seem to get them to work. The second card (PCI) will not work. Decvice Manager shows the card but says the card can't start.

Any ideas?? (short of getting a dual head video card)

Thanks in advance.

Comments

goshep wrote on 3/21/2005, 7:56 PM

Do you have current drivers installed for the PCI card? That is a common problem.

FuTz wrote on 3/21/2005, 10:07 PM

And did you put this PCI card in the slot just under the AGP slot?
Don't know if this could cause a problem but on lots of mobos, the IRQ from the first PCI slot under the AGP slot is shared with the AGP slot.

Jameson_Prod wrote on 3/22/2005, 3:57 AM

I haven't been able to locate the most current drivers for the card (it's an old S3 ViRGE...don't remember the make)...but XP picked it up and loaded "it's" driver fine. I did place it in the only slot I had open....directly next to and under the AGP slot. I'll try rotating my cards and see if that makes a difference and continue my hunt for the drivers.

Another question if I may....most of these cards that advertise as "dual monitor capable" have a VGA port and a DVI port. To run two monitors, do I assume you must get a DVI to VGA adapter of some kind for the second "out"?

Thanks for the suggestions and help. I can always count on the good folks here to help out.

FuTz wrote on 3/22/2005, 4:32 AM

Maybe try this driver?
http://drivers.soft32.com/driver/download-S3_Graphics_ViRGE_DX_GX-24018.html

logiquem wrote on 3/22/2005, 5:42 AM

IMHO you loose your time with an old S3. Resolution/quality/refresh rate are simply not adequate, let alone having to make it work correctly. Any dual ATI or Matrox will do much better, and indeed, you will need a $10 VGA/DVI adaptor for the Radeon.

Jameson_Prod wrote on 3/22/2005, 6:29 AM

Thanks again for all the help. I will eventually go with a newer card and another 17" lcd. Just killing a little time between projects right now...playing!!

Thanks again for all the suggestions.