WinXP - Dual Monitors

[ggitech]

I have an XP machine, and I'm trying to setup Dual Monitors. I've been told that XP doesn't support Dual Monitors, but it can be done. So, here's my question:

I have an integrated AGP card, and an NVIDIA GeForce4 AGP card(64mb). Even though I have two video cards, since they're both AGP, I can only run 1 card/monitor at at time. So, in order to solve the issue, I'm looking at a Matrox Millenium 2 4mb Video Card. The MM2 card has 2 "heads", so that I can hook up both monitors to the same card. But, can I hook up one monitor to the NVIDIA card, and the other on the MM2 card, and still have an extended desktop?

What I'm trying to do, is have an extended desktop, running off 2 different cards (AGP & PCI). The PCI card is 4mb, and that's ok, because I'm only looking to have 1 program on that screen. On the AGP card, which is a 64mb card, I'm looking to run games and do whatever else, all while having an extended desktop. (i'm not looking to run games on both screens, just the 64mb AGP card - I've heard rumors that most games will see both monitors, and just automatically run off the correct one)

Can someone please help me out!? Thanks!

I have other threads on this, but not much feedback - Thread749-602210 and thread779-603428

 

[pbwarrior]

We run Windows XP Pro and have a Matrox G450 dual head card on our graphics editors system. He runs 2 21" Viewsonic monitors and it does a great job. I know Windows XP Pro will work with dual monitors.

I do not know about another card however. Most of our machines will either work PCI "OR" AGP. It is a setting in the bios.

We did experience a problen with the ATI dual head card. It would boot using both monitors and then would shut one of the monitors down.

The ATI worked fine in WIN2K. I believe this was a driver issue.

 

[ggitech]

I had looked at the BIOS, and the setting is on Auto - the only other option is AGP, but I don't think that'll work, since both cards are AGP, and won't both run at the same time.

 

[ggitech]

I had looked at the BIOS, and the setting is on Auto - the only other option is AGP, but I don't think that'll work, since both cards are AGP, and won't both run at the same time.

I spoke with a Dell tech, who told me that he himself had the MM2 card, and it worked fine - however, i didn't get a chance to ask him about having 2 monitors on different cards

 

[franklin97355]

You could do it with a pci video card along with your agp onboard.

 

[DantheSaxman]

XP does support dual monitors. You also have to make sure that both video cards you are running also support dual monitors. If they don't, you will find that one of the cards will shut down when it senses the others presence.