Can I run integrated graphics AND a Discrete card?

[Brothernod]

I have an ASUS p5e-vm hdmi and an 8800GT.

I want to run 2 monitors off of the 8800GT and 1 off the integrated graphics, but I can't seem to get windows or the bios to see both at the same time, it's 1 or the other.

Is this a flaw with my board, with the design of my board, or not possible to do at all?

 

[digital_exhaust]

not possible to do at all?

That's the answer 99.9% of the time... I have heard of some boards that will allow you to use both, but I have never seen it myself...

Just add a second cheap Nvidia pci card to run your third monitor...

 

[Brothernod]

My graphics cards would be blocked if I used the PCI slot for an additional card, which only leaves the PCIe-1x slot, which is being used by my tv tuner......

So that's not really an option with this board.

Anyone have this board that's tried to do what I am?
My 8800gt is supposed to run a monitor and my tv.
The onboard is supposed to run my 2nd monitor.

I just stumbled on this and only have a few more days to return the board if I need to pick another solution :/

 

[qwakrz]

The only 2 chipsets I know this can be done on are the ATi 690 and 780 chipsets, I believe its only possible with an ATi graphics card as well though.

On my 690G board I have run my LCD TV off a 3470 PCIe card and the 7" case LCD off of the onboard to reduce the loading on the 3470 chipset for HD playback.

 

[BUFF]

it's also theoretically possible on nVidia 6xxx & 7xxx IGPs (& of course the forthcoming ones) using an nVidia discrete card too but many mobo mfrs didn't design their mobos/BIOS for it.

 

[Zardoz]

Most motherboards do not allow this, when a add in card is installed the motherboard will shut off the integrated video, however there are some motherboard that will do this.

 

[Brothernod]

I don't understand why they would do this. I mean I'm paying to have the onboard graphics card, why would they even put a 16x slot on their if it removes the use of the onboard card, I mean I should pay to have both if I can't use em. :/

I'm kinda bummed if this is true, not really sure what other mobo I'd get this one was almost perfect before this.

 

[RAMBO29]

I also havent seen anything yet.it seems that you have to choose either one.

 

[kohan69]

ati igp + newer ati gfx card does rather well, even 'hybrid crossfire' but since there's no real standard on the issue, many igps are incompatable w/ a grapgics card

 

[Brothernod]

ati igp + newer ati gfx card does rather well, even 'hybrid crossfire' but since there's no real standard on the issue, many igps are incompatable w/ a grapgics card

You misunderstood.

I don't want to combine my card + igp into some freakish hybrid crossfire setup.

I want them running separately and independently at the same time. I had hoped to use the igp to power 1 monitor while the card powers a 2nd monitor and a tv.

I guess I'll have to call them up about it tomorrow.

 

[Brothernod]

Well I called Asus about it yesterday.

The sudo-knowledgeable tech indicated that there is no way to know whether the system will allow you to run a discrete card at the same time as the integrated graphics (even though their bios indicates you can and nothing in the manual states you can't). He rambled on something about a lower end card with a crossfire chipset (funny cause I thought crossfire was AMD's brand) would be more likely to work with the Intel chipset than the high power nvidia I have. He intimated that there is no way to be sure though. He said that the system would get confused cause the integrated card and discrete cards share resources.... I took this as a sign of ignorance and didn't bother to question further, but I'm pretty sure the whole point of a discrete card is for it to be self sufficient so I don't know what resources they'd be sharing unless somehow they're sharing the same pci-express lanes or something. The whole the system would get confused logic doesn't make any sense since if you have 2 discrete cards there are no problems.

Of course I think this is utter crap since I really don't see any reason you shouldn't be able to use the integrated parts. I mean I can add a network card and still use the integrated one.... so what's the deal.


/rant


either way, there you go. I bought the I35 abit board (on sale for $100 today at newegg) and an 8400 (for $25) and I guess that'll be that.... still kinda bummed about this.