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HD 7950 windforce. Can't enable 3 monitor display

stewg

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HD 7950 windforce. Can't enable 3 monitor display
« on: January 30, 2013, 04:55:27 am »
Hi Guys. I just bought a Gigabyte HD Radeon 7950 Windforce Graphics card which is running beautifully, EXCEPT I can’t get a 3 monitor display going. Here is my setup

GA-MA790fxt-5udp Mobo
AMD phenom II x4 940
8GB RAM
Windows 8 Pro
Benq xt2420t monitor
TWO x HP W2371D monitors

The Hp monitors have VGA and DVI outputs only. The benq has VGA, DVI and HDMI. I have attached the benq via hdmi to hdmi on GPU, one hp via DVI to DVI port on GPU and the 2nd hp from the DVI on the hp via a DVI to Display port cable to the DP to mini DP adapter that came with the GPU, which of course is plugged into the mini DP port on the GPU

I can get two monitors going but not the third. When I go into display settings in windows control panel, the 3rd monitor is there but when clicked on, the selection is “disconnect display”. When I click on it and select “Extend desktop..” I get a message saying I need to apply the setting. When I do, I get a message saying “display settings cannot be saved”

Now I have searched the forums and there are various posts about active vs passive adapters. I realise that a display port has to be used in order to enable this type of GPU to control more than 2 monitors. I have no idea whether the DVI to DP cable I have is active or passive and don’t know how to tell. I can say that if I disconnect EITHER of the other monitors, this 3rd monitor with the DVI to DP cable works just fine with either of the other monitors. I don’t know whether this sheds any light on the adequacy of the DVI to DP adapter cable in relation to supporting a 3rd monitor or not. I would have thought that if it works fine in a two monitor setup from the mini DP port in the GPU then it shouldn't be the reason for the 3 monitor setup not working, but I will defer to more knowledgeable users than myself on that point.

If anyone can provide a solution that would be great. I am perfectly happy to buy another adapter/cable if anyone has one that they currently use or have used in this situation that has enabled a 3+ monitor display. Otherwise is there a setting in windows or CPU or GPU bios that needs to be flicked? I haven’t  touched the GPU bios at all.

Thanks in advance

Stew