# Dual Display help **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 31, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407 "2006-01-31T21:42:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![caymus28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@caymus28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caymus28)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/1 "2006-01-31T21:42:26Z")
I just got another monitor from my friend and would like to set-up a dual display system. I have searched for help, and tried windows troubleshooter to no avail. Hopefully someone out there can help! The facts are forthcoming: Windows XP SP2, Athlon 2800+, 512 mb RAM Primary Video Card: ATI Radeon 9550 AGP (has 10-pin? and DVI connections, as well as s-video) I have the second monitor plugged into the motherboard monitor connection, but absolutly nothing shows up on it (yes, it has power)…well, nothing except for Please Check Signal. Under display properties, i only have the Radeon 9550 listed as a primary display, and can select Radeon 9550 secondary (assuming this is the DVI connection), but I cannot select the motherboard video output. I have tried installing a generic driver, but device manager says that the driver is not working ☹ I Don’t know what other information might be needed to help me, please feel free to ask away for clarification. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![bradministrator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a698b9/32.png) [@bradministrator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bradministrator)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/2 "2006-01-31T21:52:19Z")
The onboard video card may be disabled by the presence of a card in the AGP slot. Or it may be disabled in the system BIOS. You might be able to get a DVI-to-VGA adapter and run both monitors off the Radeon. ---
**Author:** ![caymus28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@caymus28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caymus28)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/3 "2006-01-31T21:52:31Z")
Both monitors are the garden variety plug and play style, with regular 10 pin connectors. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/4 "2006-01-31T22:06:03Z")
Reboot and go to the system setup (aka BIOS setup) screen. Make sure the on-board video is not disabled. ---
**Author:** ![caymus28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@caymus28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caymus28)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/5 "2006-01-31T22:46:19Z")
Thanks Brad, who knew it was that easy?! :smack: I just bought the adapter and all is well! Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/6 "2006-01-31T23:17:47Z")
I recommend a dual monitor management utility. I use ultramon , but it isnt free. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/7 "2006-01-31T23:51:36Z")
> [@Harmonix](#): > > I recommend a dual monitor management utility. I use ultramon , but it isnt free. What functionality does it add, beyond what Windows XP itself can do? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/8 "2006-02-01T00:28:42Z")
It’s on the website. [www.ultramon.com](http://www.ultramon.com) I Mainly use the 2nd taskbar, ‘move window to other monitor and resize’ hotkey (note: Theres a bug with differently sized monitors in particular I use a 20 in Wide screen and a 17 incher. The switching windows across monitors and resizing them is fine, but sometimes when you open a new window it will be partially off the screen. I think the problem is that it opens the window in the 17 incher, but trys to open a window the size of the 20 incher.). Occasionally I also use the lock key to window/monitor ability as some full screen programs(games mostly) don’t play well with dual monitors. You can run your mouse off the screen of hte game and onto the 2nd monitor. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/9 "2006-02-01T00:45:53Z")
The on board video will be AGP and your plug in is AGP. You can’t do both at once. It’s a hardware conflict. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/10 "2006-02-01T01:13:00Z")
Your card suports Dual Monitor Mode, and is all you need for a video card. The card should have come with an adapter for changinging the DVI ouput to a second VGA output. All monitor cabling must be done when powered down. Install the adapter and then the second monitor to the adapter. The computer has to start with the monitors connected and powered up, to detect them both. Only one of the two monitors will likely have the windows desktop when XP starts. Right click the screen and choose properties. Click on the settings tab near the top right, and click the advanced button at the lower right. You should be in the advanced window now. Click on the tab that has the video card’s name or something close to the name. The advanced panel that shows up will have multiple options, and you need to click the “Display Setting” option. It should now display a menu you can set up the dual monitors with. A display mode of “Dual View” will give you a sepperate desktop area on both monitors. You can also set witch is the primary display and secondary. I had to be a bit more generic in the end discriptions, because my current drivers are nvidia thus they don’t exactly match the ATI driver’s menu. I’ll check back in later. You definately have to have the adapter to turn the DVI into a second VGA. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-display-help/342407/11 "2006-02-01T01:18:52Z")
I won’t use the extra program for managing the displays. The ATI drivers are all you need. “Right Clicking” on the options in the driver’s advanced options menu will give you a help window on the option right clicked