GA-MA69VM-S2 which graphics card should I buy?

[Dark Mantis]

Hi I want to support 2 x displays using Windows 7. Any recomendations as to which Graphics card I should add?

Just to quote your original post. Are you now saying you want to run more than two displays  at once?

[absic]

Hi Wally,

What Graphics Card did you actually get?

The ones I linked to had one DVI and one VGA port for example: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/512mb-sapphire-hd-5450-pci-e-21(x16)-1600mhz-gddr3-gpu-650mhz-80-cores-d-sub-dl-dvi-i-hdmi I assumed that you want to run 2 standard monitors and a card like this one would do that.

[jannie]

Hi Wally..At last a Scotsman..Hi and welcome to the forum...we can start speaking Dorrich, that will confuse them hahahah
All kidding aside Wally.they are two great guys and will give all the help you need......Why dont you go to the suggestion page and join our poll to give Absic and DM help. ( come on lets forget culloden )hahahahah
Cheers Dave

[wally]

DM - No I only wish to support two displays in extended mode at the same time - a couple of 19" DEll's
Absic - The device I bought only has one DVI and one HDMI. A DVI convertor came with it. So only 2 ports. I was happy with this as I was clear in my mind that I would continue to use the onboard VGA plus the one additional from the new board. That was the reason for me stating near compatability with the onboard graphics.
jannie - hoots mon. I do appreciate the help that I am receiving and in no way am I looking to appear negative. If it seems that way then apoligies. I am just frustrated that what I thought would be a simple task is now turning into a saga which has already consummed to many of my remaining hours.
If the advice is 'Forget it' because it is considered not possible to drive 2 x displays using the onboard and new board graphics then please say so and I will go away.

[jannie]

Hi Wally..These guy's are the experts mate and they will keep you right..Just keep asking them the questions and they will solve your pronlem.I use a kvm switch and run four computers off the one monitor,I find it very handy...hope everything works out ok for you.Dont give up.
Dave

[absic]

Hi Wally,

Sadly I have to say that with the Graphics Card you have bought you won't be able to do what you want.

You really need to take it back and exchange it for a card that has either 2 DVI outputs or 1 DVI and 1 AGP port. This will allow you to disable the On-board graphics chip and you can run 2 monitors from the one Graphics Card. If you look at the image in the link I provided previously, you can see the 2 monitor connectors.

If you want to use the Graphics card along with the On-Board Graphics chip then you will need to exchange the 5 Series card that you now have for one of the 4 series cards.

[wally]

Thank you Absic - I now clearly understand my options.

Knolwedge dispels fear....

[Dark Mantis]

Hi wally
Just to dispell any confusion I think that absic made a typo above and instead of AGP meant VGA.

[absic]

Yes I did mean VGA, sorry about that! 

[j2o]

hi wally fae sunny fife lol .going down the nvidia route gtx480 sli aint supported yet on o/s windows 7 they are way be hind as pre .  as for the ATI route it has to be a 256bit or 320bit card not the new gen of 128 bit cards . not to sure how up to date ati are with there drivers with o/s7
try these guys
 www.ebuyer.com  5star used for years

[wally]

A happy ending......
I ended up talking to a very knowledgable young guy ( looked about 12) in my local PC repair shop. He politely informed me that it is a well known fact that Windows 7 is very unhappy supporting multiple graphics drivers and that the only way ahead was a multi-port card, exactly as Absic has already said. So I walked away with an Nvidia 8400GS. It took less than 5 mins to pop it in and W7 to load it's resident driver. It now works like a dream and I wander where two days of my life have gone!
The learnings from this are as follows:-
1. The name of a graphics card eg HD 5450 describes the architecture and NOT the product hence the confusion applied to me buying an 8450 as wisely recomended but getting a single port device not a dual port.
2. Don't assume that your operating system interperates the world using the same logic that you do.

If anyone ever comes accross anything which details why two such devices are not supportable I would love to read it.

Meanwhile thank you ll who have offered support and I wish you 'Good Day'

[absic]

Hi Wally,

pleased you have got it sorted and I'll have to try and explain things in a better way. I would hate to think I was responsible for causing lost days or grey hairs!