need help with dual monitors

hello and thank you again. i installed a second hard drive with no problems, i install additional ram with no problems.
I'm trying to set up dual monitors and i think i know where the problem is i just want a second opinion since I'm superookie. i installed an agp card with dvi output to 1 monitor (dvi only) with no problems which works fine. i kept the original vga connected to the second monitor (vga only) which is built in, and i cant get the second one to work. no display of any kind. i read that my bios might need to be changed so i checked it out and it has two options: 1) agp/onboard and 2)pci. my question is since the agp and onboard are on the same setting does that mean i can have only one of those at a time? there is also code 10 on the built in adapter. is there any other thing i should check?
also i think that a dual agp video card with 1 dvi and 1 avg will do the trick? i just wanted to check before i bought.
thanks in advance

 

"Code 10 ", that sounds a little hopeful to me. Where do you see that Code 10 error message (a pop-up box or in Device Manager)? Both graphics adapters might be working, but then they need separate drivers and then, maybe the software each run could clash.

You might be close to getting it working or you might have a steep climb.

Like Pete said, add-in adapters usually have two "heads ", does yours only have one DVI connector or two? If there are two, you can get a DVI to VGA adapter to run the VGA (CRT?) monitor.

Matt

 

thanks guys.
mattman- the code 10 appears in the device manager. it shows both adapters, i tried uninstalling and reinstalling then updating the driver for the built-in unit. tried adding new hardware for both the video card and the monitor.
also the new video card is an all-in-wonder 9000 with 1 dvi and 1 tv cable out or in(not sure). is there a tv to vga if it is an out?

 

I think you need to go back into the BIOS for another look. The on-board/AGP and PCI setting is only to tell the BIOS/CMOS which is the primary display - it does not enable one or the other.

Many BIOS programs will automatically disable the on-board device when it detects an add card has been added. That is because most folks who add a card are doing so not only for better graphics, but to free up the system RAM stolen by the on-board graphics. I suggest you go back into the BIOS Setup Menu and check the on-board devices to ensure your on-board device is not set to disabled. You might check your RAM amounts for verification.

To that point, because on-board graphics can steal up to 128Mb of system RAM, you should use, or get a card that supports two monitors - preferably with 2 DVI or HDMI connectors. Most cards come with adapters to D-SUB for use with analog monitors - such entry level LCDs, and all CRT monitors, still popular with engineers and designers.

Do make sure your power supply can support an added graphics card - today's cards easily consume more power than today's CPUs.

Once you get your dual monitor setup the way you like, you will kick yourself for not doing it sooner and in no time, you will wonder how you ever lived with just one. I recommend all multi-monitor users check out UltraMon. And the Exoteric Roach has some nice background images for dual monitors. My background is radio maintenance for Air Force air traffic control, so I use Waveform.

 

I am having second thoughts now because the VGA (built-in) doesn't have any display at all. If it was only a drivers problem, you would still see both monitors working at startup, before Windows loads. The BIOS would run both. Like it has been stated, I expect the built-in adapter has been automatically disabled. The Code 10 error message may be Windows trying to use the wrong drivers for another controller, like the TV controller that Pete mentioned.

If both adapters were running, both screens would run at startup.

Matt

 

the code 10 is on the integrated adapter in device manager. i removed the video card and the integrated monitor works fine.
with everything still connected i reinstalled the video card and it automatically switched it over to the monitor on the card. its like it should be something programmable. im about to throw this thing out the window and buy me an abacus.
thx guys for all your input.
so i dont play games or movies at all, i mostly do photoshop and related programs, i just noticed i have a 250w power supply i just added more ram for a total of 1.00g and an additional hard drive for a total of 180g not including the recovery. which video card do you recommend that has dual outputs starting from $ to $$$

 

There are too many - from $50 to $3000 each. So you determine a budget, then go for a card.

Then use the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite to determine your power supply unit (PSU) requirements. Plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom of the page. I recommend setting Capacitor Aging to 30%, and if you participate in distributive computing projects (e.g. BOINC or Folding@Home), I recommend setting TDP to 100%. Research your video card and pay particular attention to the power supply requirements for your card listed on your video card maker's website. If not listed, check a comparable card (same graphics engine and RAM) from a different maker. The key specifications, in order of importance are:

1. Current (amperage or amps) on the +12V rail,
2. Efficiency,
3. Total wattage.

Then look for power supply brands listed under the "Good" column of PC Mechanic's PSU Reference List. Ensure the supplied amperage on the +12V rails of your chosen PSU meets the requirements of your video card. Don't try to save a few dollars by getting a cheap supply. Digital electronics, including CPUs, RAM, and today's advanced graphics cards, need clean, stable power. A good, well chosen supply will provide years of service and upgrade wiggle room. I strongly recommend you pick a supply with an efficiency rating equal to, or greater than 80%. Look for the 80 Plus - EnergyStar Compliant label. And don't forget to budget for a good UPS with AVR (automatic voltage regulation).

 

The motherboard is an all-in-one type, it will never be a "muscle machine ". It came with a 250 Watt PSU, so the suppliers were not expecting too much "upgrading" (maybe an extra HDD, if that ).

Me, I wouldn't throw a lot of money at a system with modest basic hardware to begin with (eg., the motherboard/chipset). What are the details of the system?

Being a modest system to begin with, I would get a modest graphics adapter to match. There are many, lots, heaps of adapters with dual heads at the modest end of the market. Oohh, I expect it is an AGP adapter which is getting rarer now.

You have done some other upgrading, I agree you need a better power supply as well.

If you want to spend any "big dollars ", I suggest you look at being able to carry that piece of hardware over to your next computer. An AGP graphics adapter will not carry over because they are being phased out. Thus, I would choose a modest card/adapter and as you said it does not have to run games, but check it is recommended to run the applications you want to run on it.

BTW, the extra head you mentioned that is on your ATI adapter sounds like what I would know as an S-Video connector. It would run a television, if you have a spare TV, with the right connections, that might work as a second monitor.

Matt

 

is there such a thing as a s-video (out) to vga (in)?
my card has a s-video out

 

The adapters seem to go the other way, VGA to s-video.

They have "converters ", but I think they are the reverse as well.

I saw a USB to VGA adapter, I don't know how that works, but a new graphics adapter would probably be cheaper.

 

thanks for all your help. just noticed i had an amazon gift cert stashed.
just ordered a new video card.