How to add a graphics card (for dual monitors)

[Bazzer Smith]

I wnat to try to use two monitors so I have twice the desktop space.
Any my PC only has one video port at the back so I was lead to believe
I could just buy a graphics card and add thatto get the desired result.

Anyway I got a Radeon 9950 Powercolour because it was the cheapest
the store had and I thouoght it would probably do the job?
However when I read the installation instructions it said I needed to
disable the existing graphics, including onboard which mine is
(Radeon Xpress 200), which is not what I wanted to do because
then I am back to one video port, however the new card has two
connections on it, one standard (CRT?) like the old port and a different
one (DVI-I, I believe). Does this mean I can use two monitors from this
card (with a converter to convert the DVI-I back to the CRT port I need?
Or does just it mean I have the option of using one or the other but not
both?

I was thinking of just sticking the card in my PC and seeing what happens
without doing any of the installation stuff on the disks supplied and then
maybe trying the installation stuff if that didn't work. However I have not
tried
that yet for fear of damaging the card or worse still my PC hardware (is
that
a likely scenario?).

Any advice appreciated!!

PS It says read your user manual to find out how to disable you existing
graphics,
however it doesn't mention anything in there. It's a HP system, this one:-

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/documentSubCategory?lc=en&cc=uk&dlc=en&product=1839474&rule=26857


Actually maybe it does.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=uk&dlc=en&product=1839474&docname=bph07111


Anyway I think I will send a email to HP as there is an option there
to do so.

I will send then a copy of this post any let you know of the the advice they
offer.

 

[Clint]

Yes, you can run dual monitors right off the card, so you should be ok with
disabling the on-board video card. I wouldn't bother installing the stuff
from the CD it came with, but I'd download the latest drivers before getting
started.

We used several of the 9550's in some Dell's at work that we wanted to do
exactly what you're trying to do. We use a DVI->VGA adapter to plug in two
CRT's, since that's what we had around the office. Both the monitors are
plugged into the video card itself, rather than the one that was built-in to
the computer.

Clint

 

[Bazzer Smith]

Well I have sent HP an email and will await a response. Be interesting to
know how good their customer support is!!

 

[Mangyrat]

you should be able to use that new card with the VGA port and the DVI port
just get a DVI to VGA adapter and plug it in.
that's what im doing on 2 different systems well it was 3 but my laptop
died.
you have to disable the built in video card no mater what so start with that
and install the new card if it didn't come with a adapter for the DVI go
back to the store and tell them you need one they cost around $8
the rest is set up stuff in the control panel to enable the 2nd monitor set
the res crap like that.

now go here and start reading the forum and check out the tools junk like
that you can also see some nice systems with 12 or so monitors set up and
runing in the gallery.
http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/
any problems you have ask in that forum.