Problem with New Geforce 8800 GTX

[Primaryman]

OK I've gone out and spent alot of money on a new Core 2 Duo machine and I'm in the process of installing all my software, hardware and games etc...

I've come across something incredible strange however and I'm hoping one of you guys could help.

On my old machine with a ATI X800 card, which had one DVI and one analog output, the "Settings" tab of the "Display Properties" showed a piture of two screens, you could tick the "Extend my Windows Desktop onto this monitor" button and set the 2nd display to a different resolution and move it in relation to the main monitor to reflect its location on your desk. My main monitor was 1280x1024 and my touchscreen was 800x600. This worked perfectly.

Now with my new Nvidia 8800GTX, which has two DVI outputs, the same "Settings" tab only shows one monitor. I have to go into the nvidia advanced settings to enable the second monitor BUT this is where it gets real stupid! It only gives you the option to clone your primary monitor onto the second (Totally Useless) or span across both using the same resolutions. I cannot find anyway of changing the resolution of the second monitor. When I go to the setting to change it, the option to change is greyed out! So to get it to work I have to run my primary monitor at 800x600. STUPID!!

To make matters worse with both monitors running at 800x600 I go to the Touck Kit drivers to tell the computer which monitor is the TS but all it shows is a single monitor of 1200x600.

It would appear that the 8800GTS isn't producing two seperate monitor outputs but one single monitor output that is split down the middle with each half being sent to the seperate outputs. Windows and Touch Kit as a conciquence only read this as being one big monitor.

Does anyone else have a 8800GTX or another Nvidia card and has got it to work like my old ATI. I can't believe I got the top of the range video card and I can't play games with my Touchbuddy (gosh that sounds dogdy ).

PS: I'm using the latest Forceware Drivers 97.92 from the Nvidia websie

[ruggbutt]

Set up your monitors in the nVidia control panel, not the Desktop/Settings panel. Windows doesn't do as good a job as the nVidia drivers do.

[Primaryman]

Thanks Ruggbutt but (lol two butts) I have been trying to set up the monitors in the Nvidia control panel since there isn't any option in the windows "settings" tab of the "display properties". Thats what is so strange, if there was I'd be fine because this is what I used for my old ATI X800.

The Nvidia control panel has the ability to span your desktop over two monitors but they have to be set to the same resolution and it also reports back to windows as one large monitor rather than two seperate individual displays.

To me it just seems a stupid restrictive way to do dual head as opposed to the way ATI did it. Hopefully I've got this all wrong, I don;t really want to have to stick in a cheap PCI video card.

[Primaryman]

OK, I've looked around a bit and I think I may have the solution. When I tried this I booted the computer with just the primary monitor plugged in, I then plugged in the second one. Nvidia picked up the extra monitor but Windows didn't. Some people have suggested I reboot with BOTH the monitors plugged in and hopefully Windows will see both and I'll get the typical "Seetings" dialog box I'm used.

I'll have to wait till I get home to try this so I'll keep you informed.

[Dodger]

Actually that sounds like a very good suggestion. How did it go?

[ruggbutt]

Sorry, I figured you had both monitors plugged in. As I said, don't bother setting them up in Windows as it will piss you off. You can set the resolutions of each monitor separately. When you have the nVidia control panel open, choose the monitor whose res you wanna change, right click and choose change resolution. If the res won't change to the res you want, uncheck the "Show only physical panning resolutions" box.

[Primaryman]

Back home and I can confirm now that as everyone pointed out I needed to have the 2nd monitor plugged in at boot time. Once I did this and rebooted both monitors appeared in the "Settings" tab, yippie.

I did what you said Rugg and configured them in the NVCP. There was an option called "Dual View" which wasn't available before.

All is good with the worlkd again. I'll fill you in on my new machine later when I'm all set up.

Thanks for your help guys.

[ruggbutt]

Originally Posted by Primaryman

All is good with the worlkd again. I'll fill you in on my new machine later when I'm all set up.

Thanks for your help guys.

Great news! Glad to cya up and running. You're welcome too, that's why we're here.