having 2 video cards?

[chockomonkey]

I want to put in another videocard in order to have a 3rd monitor. However, when i put in another videocard, i get no video whatsoever. My main card is VGA and the aditional one is PCI. Am i missing something? Help me out guys.

 

[boardmonger]

First off I assume you are using windows.

If you are sure that the card is installed with the drivers. (checked in the device manager)

You should check to see if extra monitors show up in the display properties under the settings tab. It could be there and is just not enabled. (right click on it and enable it.)

Sometimes I have seen windows not detect the second card and the only way I could get it to work was by setting the bios to boot off the pci video card and once I got into windows it installed and allowed me to use the pci card. Most of the time i could then change the bios back to agp and the pci display would still show up, but once I had to leave it as PCI in the bios video card type and just change my primary display in windows using the display properties: settings tab.

I hope this helps and good luck!

 

[chockomonkey]

i meant agp vs. vga.

and perhaps i wan't clear, but i mean when i put the card in, i get NO video AT ALL. none of the monitors show anything. the computer doesn't even sound like it is booting up all the way.

 

[ThomasE66]

What are the cards?

 

[chockomonkey]

What are the cards?

my main one, which is the one connected in the agp slot (which works fine solo), is an ati radeon 9800 pro.

the one i'm trying to add is an old voodoo 3

 

[Phranq]

a voodoo 3, wow, sorry i can't help you i wasn't even into computers when those came out.

 

[ThomasE66]

Try and see if you can get just the Voodoo 3 working first. Then try adding the AGP card.

 

[chockomonkey]

a voodoo 3, wow, sorry i can't help you i wasn't even into computers when those came out.

yeah i know... i would use something better, but i don't want to buy anything and that's the only pci card i have.

 

[chockomonkey]

Try and see if you can get just the Voodoo 3 working first. Then try adding the AGP card.

if i can't get it working would it sugest a conflict between newer and older hardware? 'cuase the card works find in this older computer i took it out of.

 

[ThomasE66]

if i can't get it working would it sugest a conflict between newer and older hardware? 'cuase the card works find in this older computer i took it out of.

Could be something like that.

I know you don't want to spend any money, but you can get a PCI Geforce 4MX variant for about $50.

 

[chockomonkey]

Could be something like that.

I know you don't want to spend any money, but you can get a PCI Geforce 4MX variant for about $50.

yeah but i don't want to get something if it isn't going to work... ya know?

 

[scottatwittenberg]

i would still try that voodoo on its own in your good computer.. see if it works... then look in the bios.. i have no idea what settings could prevent them from both working but htere might be one..

 

[chockomonkey]

i would still try that voodoo on its own in your good computer.. see if it works... then look in the bios.. i have no idea what settings could prevent them from both working but htere might be one..

well i tried this. i set up my computer to use a pci card, and then took out my agp one, and it still won't boot up...

i'm going to go buy a cheap pci one here in a sec. i'll report back later tonight

 

[chockomonkey]

well i tried this. i set up my computer to use a pci card, and then took out my agp one, and it still won't boot up...

i'm going to go buy a cheap pci one here in a sec. i'll report back later tonight

Well i ended up buying an ATI radeon 9250. Had some trouble for awhile in that my 2 cards were fighting over irqs or something... but now it all works thanks for the help guys!

 

[klowngoblin]

umm... i have a 9800 pro and and it has VGA and DVI so you can have dual monitors with 1 card, the 9800 actually comes with a DVI to VGA adapter so just plug both of them in, windows will see both monitors and you are ready to go after you enable the 2nd in display properties, why did you buy another card? that will slow down your machine, infact i am running dual 19" samsungs with my radeon