Beginner's Question: Adding a 2nd Monitor to my XP System

[chenHu68]

Hello

I just got a new 22" monitor, which my Nvidia Quadro FX3000 is able
to drive without problems (I'm not a gamer - just regular office type
applications user).

Instead of eBaying my old 17" monitor, I thought maybe I can use it to
increase my monitor real estates. The FX3000 video card comes with two
DVI ports, so I hooked up the old screen to the second DVI port on the
FX3000, but everything just slowed down to a crawl, obviously the card
can't handle 2 monitors.

Do you think installing a second PCI video card would solve the
problem? I don't have any experience building systems so advice is
appreciated. Also, would I need to buy any special software for the
two video cards to work together?

Thanks.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I just got a new 22" monitor, which my Nvidia Quadro FX3000 is able
to drive without problems (I'm not a gamer - just regular office
type applications user).

Instead of eBaying my old 17" monitor, I thought maybe I can use it
to increase my monitor real estates. The FX3000 video card comes
with two DVI ports, so I hooked up the old screen to the second DVI
port on the FX3000, but everything just slowed down to a crawl,
obviously the card can't handle 2 monitors.

Do you think installing a second PCI video card would solve the
problem? I don't have any experience building systems so advice is
appreciated. Also, would I need to buy any special software for the
two video cards to work together?

First - dual monitors should not slow down your system.

I would update the software (drivers and such) for your video card.
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

 

[chenHu68]

First - dual monitors should not slow down your system.

I would update the software (drivers and such) for your video card.http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Thx Shenan - I will update drivers & try again.

I misspoke when I said the "system slowed down" - it wasn't the entire
system that slowed, rather the display: the mouse movement became
jittery, and any video files would show a single frame every couple of
seconds, etc. Other than the graphics/display, everything else was
normal.

 

[AlmostBob]

common occurrencs with new multi monitor setups
the graphic card driver installed at appropriate refresh rates, resolutions
and color depths for the primary monitor, when the second monitor is
connected the card tries to drive that monitor at the same settings, often
causing problems when the settings are not native to the monitor,
settings changes for the second monitor, to scan rate of 'optimal' 'or
'default' and ensuring that the screen resolution and color depth are
appropriate. may solve the problem,
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