Multiple video cards - how?

[Tom (25)]

Hi all,

What's the process to run 2 monitors off of one PC??

I have an up to date PC system. (NF7 MB, 2800+ CPU, 512mb ram and a current NVIDIA video board). I also have a spare monitor which I'd like to put to work.

So, I thought of getting a cheapie PCI video card - and then what??

Is ther anything to be done in the BIOS?

I assume the OS (Win xp pro) would have no problem recognizing it.

Now, will the desktop appear on both? If not, how can I direct which one gets the desktop?

How can I direct the applications toward a specific monitor? Such as Excel on one and Word on the other - just an example?

Not that important, but would I need separate screen savers and wallpapers? This goes to trying to understand how the OS will handle multiple monitors.

Questions, questions ....

Thanks for any 'enlightenments' )

-=tom=-

 

[Mark Ryan]

Tom,

What OS? What NVidia card, does the NVidia card already have 2 x 15way heads? or maybe an SVI (think that's what it's called) head?

Afaik, Windows98SE onwards sorts out the displays almost automatically, I've only ever played with Windows98SE using two video cards, one was AGP and other was PCI, the BIOS was set to init the AGP first and once I had the drives for them installed it was a simply 'play' with the display preferences. My other experience was with a G450 Matrox card, which had dial 15way heads, and the drivers supplied sorted the displays out.

Not a lot of help here, but it's my experiences that may help.

Re:

Mark

"Tom" wrote:

Hi all,

What's the process to run 2 monitors off of one PC??

I have an up to date PC system. (NF7 MB, 2800+ CPU, 512mb ram and a current NVIDIA video board). I also have a spare monitor which I'd like to put to work.

So, I thought of getting a cheapie PCI video card - and then what??

Is ther anything to be done in the BIOS?

...

 

[Phil Weldon]

The operating system handles dual monitors; some display adapters are "dual head" and can drive two monitors with different content (extended desktop or multiple independent images). The newer Microsoft operating systems are more flexible for dual monitor setups. If your operating system is Windows 2000, for example, read the information under "multiple monitors" in the operating system Help File.

Phil Weldon,

"Tom" wrote:

Hi all,

What's the process to run 2 monitors off of one PC??

I have an up to date PC system. (NF7 MB, 2800+ CPU, 512mb ram and a current NVIDIA video board). I also have a spare monitor which I'd like to put to work.

So, I thought of getting a cheapie PCI video card - and then what??

Is ther anything to be done in the BIOS?

...