Dual monitor issue

[Panama Red]

Installed a Sapphire Radeon HD4350 PCI-e vid card in a Dell Vostro 200 Slim case. Used both 1/2 height brackets to locate the vga connector alongside the dvi connector. Connected both montiors and during boot up both monitors display the Windows loading progress bar (XP Pro). Before the ATI drivers were installed, both monitors displayed the same image. I didn't bother to check any settings until I had installed the drivers. I downloaded the latest ATI driver for this card from the web site. Now when the boot loading completes, only one monitor shows a display. Device Manager only shows one display and Display Properties only shows one Desktop. I've checked the bios for any settings and changed the video priority from pci to pci-ex - that made no difference. Anyone have an idea what is preventing the second display connection from being recognized by Windows XP?

[EzyStvy]

So in display properties the "extend" option is grayed out?

Have you been through all the ATI sofware options....Maybe theres an option to extend in there..

[Extremerc12]

Are both monitors hooked up via DVI or VGA? In other words is one monitor connected vga and the other DVI? I have seen such issues of the two not getting along and the DVI monitor taking control and the VGA monitor not being recognized. I have only seen this issue with ATI and not NVida.

Not really sure if this helps, but it's something to look into if this is in fact how your monitors are connected.

[Panama Red]

Stvy: No greyed out options, no second monitor even showing in Display Properties.

Ex12: Exactly as you describe. The one being recongnized is on the dvi, the vga is ignored. One monitor is vga only the other has dual inputs. That pretty much limits my connection options.

I have a duplicate card due in tomorrow and I'm going to set it up in my shop on another pc. That will tell me if it's the card or the Dell configuration.

[Extremerc12]

Panama: If you could, let me know how that goes. Coincidentally, the issue you stated is the same issue a friend of mine is having. He also has a Dell Machine that I believe is not allowing his card to use dual display.

Thanks

[Urban Earth]

Try disabling the DVI card and get the vga working. Then go and add the second card back into the profile.

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by Urban Earth Try disabling the DVI card and get the vga working. Then go and add the second card back into the profile.

The dvi and vga are on the same card. Adding a separate vid card disables the onboad vga connection. No way to "get the vga working. Then go and add a second card"

[Panama Red]

Update time. I received 2 more of the same vid card today. One is for stock, the other I installed in a used pc I'm preparing for a customer. It uses a Foxconn mobo w/onboard vga and pci-e slot, similar to the Dell causing me grief. I installed the new vid card, loaded the drivers from the enclosed Sapphire cd, rebooted and both connections show up in the Display Properties. I'm taking the other new card with me to the customer's site tomorrow to see if I can rectify this issue. Also taking a dual head pci card just in case the problem persists. Gotta believe it's something Dell has done to the bios.

[Panama Red]

Final update. I went back to the business this morning armed with the new vid cards. I opened Display Properties before shutting down the machine and to my shock and awe - both monitors were now showing! I powered up the other monitor, activated it in the settings and configured it for an Extended desktop. Works exactly as it should. No one else has messed with it since I was there last and I don't have a clue what caused the 2nd monitor to suddenly appear. Oh well, they think I'm a hero and they gave me more work to do but this one still baffles me.

[Extremerc12]

Maybe it is just one of those quirky Dell things. I still can't get this Dell that I have been playing around with to allow dual monitors. Dell was unable to help as they don't understand why I want both to work.