Two monitors, One Computer, Need Help Troubleshooting

[alliedblog]

Hello and thank you for reading my post ...

I have a computer system with an integrated monitor card and a second
PCI card with two monitors attached. I went through the control panel
to activate the two monitors and on my desktop, I can drag icons from
monitor to another, however when I try to actually use my computer,
the whole system stalls - I've searched for other threads, but did not
find one with this specific issue - any ideas on what to do?

Thanks a lot!!

 

[Bob I]

If you can drag icons from one monitor to another, you ARE actually
using your computer. Try explaining what you are ACTUALLY doing when the
computer "stalls".

 

[alliedblog]

Hello - thanks for reading my post and sorry for being unclear. I
meant that I can see the desk top and I can move my mouse from one
monitor to the other, however, when I try to open a program, it gets
stuck. Thanks for your help!

 

[Bob I]

1. What program is giving you problems, and two, what do you mean by
"stuck". Error messages? Computer stops responding to the mouse,
keyboard? Remember we (folks who read your request for help) can't see
you or your PC.

 

[alliedblog]

Thanks for the response Bob - I was trying to open Mozilla in the
second monitor, and the hourglass kept going and going and yes, the
computer stopped responding to the keyboard and mouse (that is a
little more descriptive than stuck!) ... the other time, I was not
even opening a program. I had the two monitors on and I was doing
something non-computer related and it did the same thing - the
computer stopped responding to the mouse and keyboard. Thanks again
for your help!

 

[Bob I]

The hourglass keeps going and you may move the cursor around? I suspect
that the issue is not the monitor. Does this happen if you remove the
second monitor or switch to "clone" instead of "extend my desktop".

 

[alliedblog]

Hi Bob - thanks for the response. My computer seems to work fine when
I do not have the second monitor hooked up. I do not have those
problems with my computer not responding with a single monitor. Also,
the time that my computer was just sitting there when it got stuck
(when it was unresponsive to keyboard and mouse), there was no
hourglass, it was just a pointer. It just booted up and then would
not let me do anything.

I am not sure how to set my monitor up on clone mode - does that just
mean when I do not have the "extend desktop" option selected? I have
not tried that so I will check and let you know. Also, I should
probably point out that my computer is old and it is an eMachine, I
don't know if that makes a difference or not - I am running XP, but if
there is a minimum processor speed that is needed to support this
option, that may be the problem too. Also, my monitor card will only
allow me to select 16 and 24 bit color, just in case that is an issue
too. Thank you for all your help!

 

[Bob I]

Please include/quote past text, otherwise we have to remember what was
said. That sounds like you may not have the correct video card driver
installed for this unit. Please visit the manufacturers web site for the
video adapter, and get the current version and install it.