Multiple monitors - Vista does not detect new second monitor

[Jeanne]

I have recently purchased a new quad-core, Vista PC with dual NVidia cards.
I am trying to set up multiple monitors, but the second monitor does not seem
to be recognized - although the display under control panel sees two
monitors. When I connect everything and reboot, the second monitor stays in
power save mode.

I am guessing that the PC is not really "seeing" the second monitor and the
two in the display is a mirror, but am unsure on how to verify this. Is
there a way to force it to detect the new hardware? Windows Vista helps and
support says it should auto-detect, but if it does not, I cannot find a work
around to force it to see this new monitor.

Any ideas?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

If you swap the connectors does the PC see the problematic monitor but not
the first anymore?

 

[ramses]

I have recently purchased a new quad-core, Vista PC with dual NVidia cards.
I am trying to set up multiple monitors, but the second monitor does not
seem
to be recognized - although the display under control panel sees two
monitors. When I connect everything and reboot, the second monitor stays
in
power save mode.

I am guessing that the PC is not really "seeing" the second monitor and
the
two in the display is a mirror, but am unsure on how to verify this. Is
there a way to force it to detect the new hardware? Windows Vista helps
and
support says it should auto-detect, but if it does not, I cannot find a
work
around to force it to see this new monitor.

Any ideas?

Did you set the monitorsettings ?
Rightclick on the desktop
Change personal preferences
Monitorsettings
Click the 2 checkboxes

 

[alexB]

Also, did you purchase both monitors with the machine? It seems you did not.
there is a chance that the connector/spatter you are using is incompatible.
When you buy the complex they make sure to give you the right splitter
otherwise you may be stuck with the old one that you got years ago when you
bought you monitors and the cards had different pin configuration. This is
what happened to me when I upgraded my Graphics Card and since then I cannot
use dual monitors. Do not have time to buy a new connector.

 

[John]

I have recently purchased a new quad-core, Vista PC with dual NVidia cards.
I am trying to set up multiple monitors, but the second monitor does not
seem
to be recognized - although the display under control panel sees two
monitors. When I connect everything and reboot, the second monitor stays
in
power save mode.

I am guessing that the PC is not really "seeing" the second monitor and
the
two in the display is a mirror, but am unsure on how to verify this. Is
there a way to force it to detect the new hardware? Windows Vista helps
and
support says it should auto-detect, but if it does not, I cannot find a
work
around to force it to see this new monitor.

Any ideas?

I'll give you how I do it on my Vista with nVidia:

On Desktop, right-click.

nVidia Control Panel

Display

Set up multiple displays

1. Choose the nView display mode to use. (Check) Configured independently
from each other (Dualview).

2. Select the displays you would like to use. Your two monitors should be
showing. If not, click on "My display is not shown on the list." You could
check for a rigorous detection, etc.

If the correct displays are shown, press Apply at the bottom. Be ready to
answer Yes when it asks if you want to keep the change.

You should be up and running. The nVidia Control Panel has other
adjustments to match color, etc. Also, there are several ways to configure
dual monitors. They can't do everything, but they do a lot.

Sometimes this process will change the resolution of your main monitor. If
that happens, upgrade your nVidia software.

John