So I just acquired a second monitor today. I have a Radeon X800XL which has two monitor ports; standard VGA, and DVI with a DVI to VGA converter. I'm running XP Pro, and from all I've read and heard, using dual monitors with XP and this card should be no problem.

I have my primary monitor hooked up to the VGA port and it works fine, then I hooked up the second monitor to the VGA-DVI converter into the DVI port. The problem is, there's no display at all on the 2nd monitor. It has power, and the connections are fine.

I tried the usual desktop properties "extend my desktop to 2nd monitor" but that did nothing. I also downloaded ATI's own HydraVision software for multiple displays and after fiddling with options and settings in there it's still not working.

Now I know there's a dual desktop section in the ATI Catalyst Control Centre, but for some reason the CCC refuses to open since Cat 5.9 was released (which is obviously a problem in itself).

Anyway, anything I could be doing wrong here or something I've overlooked (besides trying to get the CCC working)?

Thanks

EDIT: Before anyone asks, I'm posting this here because I don't feel like giving away all my personal info to ATI to use their tech support.

You may have to go into the Advanced section of the display control panel and enable the second monitor under the displays tab. If your drivers are installed correctly the displays tab will have an ATI logo on it.

I'm not sure about the X800XL but every dual display ATI I have used will display your boot screen on both monitors (IE, it will duplicate the display) if they are hooked up at boot time. Try rebooting and see if the card at least senses the second monitor. This will go away once windows has finished booting.

Tried the reboot and still get a black screen. I also tried advanced properties. The second monitor under advanced has a properties tab which is greyed out. Also if I hover the mouse over the 2nd monitor screen in the main display tab it says 'Not Active'.

I think this is related to the Cat Control Centre not being able to start. I haven't been able to fix that either, despite a complete uninstall/reinstall. I click the CCC icon, get the hourglass for 3 seconds, and then nothing happens (although I can see the process in task manager, but it never shows up on screen).

EDIT: Ok, cleaned all drivers out again, installed Omega drivers instead of the official Cats, and I can use the CCC again. There's a panel in there called Display, but it only recognizes my main monitor as being hooked up and the space where a 2nd monitor would go says 'disconnected'.

Checked the connections as well but no change. Also double checked that the monitor works. Unless there's a special option to enable the DVI port (which doesn't make sense and I couldn't find one) I don't know what I'm doing wrong here.

you might try ultramon you can get the demo at

http://www.realtimesoft.com/ultramon/

basically it helps you out alot, at least it did for me. It makes it easier to change from monitor to monitor and such, try it out if you like.

If you swap which monitor is on each connector does it make a difference? Do both monitors work on the VGA? Do they both not work on the DVI?

Have you checked the device manager, do you see both displays listed there as active and installed? There's nothing you should have to do there.

Neither work at all on the DVI. They should, but they don't. Only one monitor (the one on the VGA) shows up as installed in device manager.

EDIT: well for now I threw in an old 2MB ATI card I had lying around and that seems to solve the issue... except that it'd be a lot easier with both on the x800. And for some reason, enabling the second monitor (even on it's lowest possible graphical settings) causes my games to lag unplayably even though my framerate is the same as before. Bah....

Try replacing your VGA to DVI converter, or it might be the card.

Yeah, I have a similar card and have had no problems getting it to run both monitors. Your games run for shit with that second card installed because it's a shitty card...

If I remember correctly that DVI to VGA adapter that came with the card is a little squirely - you have it well seated and screwed down, right?

The DVI converter's in there and screwed down tight. I've checked it twice.

I dunno, maybe I'll have to just talk to ATI and/or get them to give me a new converter.

Christ I'm an idiot. It just ocurred to me that I never bothered to check the VGA plug itself. Found a bent pin and straightened it out with a knife; now everything's working perfectly.

Thanks anyway though guys.

haha, glad you fixed it ;)

Ive got the exact same card with a no-name VGA-DVI converter, it worked fine when I got it free from a friend, still does except the goddamn CCC wont run on my box. It says Catalyst Control Center has created errors, blah blah balhg. Other than that, its a great card.

Posted by Jesus Jones Ive got the exact same card with a no-name VGA-DVI converter, it worked fine when I got it free from a friend, still does except the goddamn CCC wont run on my box. It says Catalyst Control Center has created errors, blah blah balhg. Other than that, its a great card.

CCC stopped working for me when the 5.9 Cats were released. From what I read, you need .NET framework 1.1 or above installed or CCC won't open. Even that didn't fix the problem for me, but switching to the unofficial Omega drivers cleared it up. http://www.omegadrivers.net/