Fire GL 8800 : Cannot detect both monitors contemporarely

[trovatore]

I have a Dell Precision 350 with an ATI FireGL 8800 card. Actually it is the OEM version Fire GL E1.

I have tried both the Fire GL E1 (Dell drivers) and the more up to date IBM/Schneider Digital 8.023 drivers but with the same results :

I can use the monitor connected to the vga, I can use the monitor connected to the DVI-I (through a DVI/VGA adapter), but when I connect both the monitors, only the monitor connected to the VGA interface switches on.

Thank you in advance for any help.

[caveman-jim]

I Googled 'how to enable firegl 8800 dual display'

https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206...winxp-3051.txt

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATI Fire GL 8800/8700 Graphics Accelerator
ATI Fire GL Video Driver for
Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows XP.NET 64bit
Release 11.2002
Windows NT 4.0 Driver Version 4.10.1381.3051
Windows 2000 Driver Version 5.12.2195.3051
Windows XP Driver Version 6.12.10.3051
Windows XP.NET 64bit Driver Version 6.13.3663.3051
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please read the entire contents of this document. Information in this file may not appear in printed documentation or online help.

NOTES: (1) The term 'Fire GL' used in this document refers to the following graphics accelerators: Fire GL 8800, Fire GL 8700
(2) Fire GL 8800 provides VGA + DVI-I (digital/analog) monitor connectors, Fire GL 8700 provides VGA + DVI-D (digital-only) monitor connectors

3.2 Setting a DualScreen Configuration
---------------------------------------

NOTE: For settings in the DualScreen dialog you need the following:
- Two monitors connected to the card
- Both monitors switched on when you start your computer

1. - Windows NT 4.0: Select the 'DualScreen' dialog in the 'Display Properties' window.
- Windows 2000/Windows XP: Select the DualScreen dialog via Display Properties > Settings > Advanced > DualScreen.

Refer to the context sensitive online help for more information on setting up your 'DualScreen' configuration.

2. Select your Primary Monitor. The primary monitor is the left monitor or top monitor, respectively, of a multiple-monitor desktop. Monitor icon 1 is for the monitor connected to the VGA connector, monitor icon 2 is for the monitor connected to the DVI connector.

3. Select your Desktop Setup
Select 'Disable Secondary Monitor' if you want to work in single-monitor mode with the primary monitor.
Select 'Clone Mode' if you want the display of the primary monitor duplicated on the second monitor.
Select 'Extended Desktop Horizontal' if you want to see the left section of your display on the primary monitor and the right section on the second monitor.
Select 'Extended Desktop Vertical' if you want to see the upper section of your display on the primary monitor and the lower section on the second monitor.
NOTE: The Extended Desktop settings will deselect the 'hiding modes that the computer cannot display' option in the Monitor panel. Do not reset this option manually if you have an Extended Desktop enabled.

4. Select the 'Window Placement' settings:

Select 'Use HydraVision for Placement' to define your window placement with the HYDRAVISION(TM) desktop management software.

NOTE: HYDRAVISION(TM) installation is an option of the video driver installation and may not be automatically installed on your system.

'Fullscreen' - Select if you want a full screen window displayed 'On all' monitors, or only on the 'Current monitor' - that is the monitor where your mouse cursor currently is.
'Windows' - Select how you want to display sizeable windows that normally appear in the middle of the screen: 'Unchanged', or 'Move'd fully to that monitor where the top left corner of the window is.
'Reports' - Select a monitor where you want to display Windows messages that normally display in the middle of the screen. This keeps the screen area of the other monitor free for your work. You may alternatively opt for displaying the reports 'Unchanged'.

NOTE: These options are unavailable if 'Use HydraVision for Placement' is selected.

5. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your DualScreen settings.

NOTES: (1) Both monitors will operate with the same resolution. Check the documentation of your monitors and make sure that each monitor supports your resolution and refresh rate setting.
(2) The Settings dialog will display the corresponding DualScreen resolution. For example, 1024x768 is a single-screen resolution, using only one monitor. 2048x768 indicates the same resolution for 'Extended Desktop Horizontal' using both monitors, and 1024x1536 indicates the same resolution for 'Extended Desktop Vertical' using both monitors.

[trovatore]

Thank you very much for the quick reply.

As in point 3.2 I have :
- Two monitors connected to the card.
- Both monitors switched on when I start my computer.

But when I go in
Display Properties > Settings > Advanced,
in the ATI Configuration Panel there is no DualScreen tab.

I am using driver version 6.14.10.6497

[caveman-jim]

Update to the March 2005 unified drivers listed here - http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/x...legacy-xp.html - for the 8800, and retry.

[trovatore]

I managed

Thank you very much for your support.

I managed

The step that I followed are :

1) Enable the second monitor in
Display Properties --> Settings --> Advanced --> ATI Displays tab
It is a button to switch (for some reason I didn't understand it was to be switched)

2) Change all the DisableDualView in the registry to 0 according the suggestions found in
http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33854212
and restart the computer.
This operation allows to have two displays in
Display Properties --> Settings
and to be able to click on
Extend my windows desktop onto this monitor.