2 graphics cards = Head wrecked

robbie1876 · 28-08-2007 4:07pm #1

I am trying to install two graphics cards so I can use 3 monitors - seems simple enough on the surface, but I can't get Windows XP Pro to boot properly with both installed - Windows works fine when I remove one or either of them, but with both, it just hangs after the bios screen, or just at the screen to choose Safe mode (if I have aborted windows loading)

Card 1 - PCI - ATI R7000
Card 2 - PCI-E - ATI RX300 (I have also tried an RH300 and an X1550, same problem)

I have the most up to date drivers installed for the cards.

At one point I managed to boot into windows, but have no idea what was different then. That time, Windows could see both cards and I could use all 3 monitors perfectly, the way I wanted. But after a reboot it went back to the same old problem. Because of that time it worked, I know it can work, but it's wrecking my head!!

I've also checked the bios - it sees both cards and I've tried setting each of the cards as the boot card in turn, several times - no difference.

Any advice or suggestions are welcome at this time.....

8T8 · 28-08-2007 4:15pm

Well to take a rough guess if you installed the driver for both that may be the problem as the Radeon 7000 is much older than the Radeon X300/X1550 series and use different build drivers.

All I can suggest is;
1) Format HD
2) Install PCI-e card (don't install PCI card)
3) Install Windows
4) Install current ATI display driver
5) Install PCI card but dont install it's driver see if stock Windows driver works.
6) Try multi-display setup

Mountjoy Mugger · 28-08-2007 4:21pm

What about uninstalling all the current drivers for the cards first and then using Driver Cleaner to get rid of any baggage? It's a bit less drastic than doing a wipe.

robbie1876 · 28-08-2007 5:10pm

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I used Driver Cleaner to uninstall everything ATI related, rebooted with just PCI-E card, installed the drivers, rebooted with the PCI card in too, installed the Windows stock driver and everything was perfect. I could use the three monitors exactly the way I wanted from Windows.

However..... rebooting windows causes exactly the same problem. So it appears that the cards will work together fine from Windows, but will not boot into Windows when drivers are installed....

Ok next thing is to repeat the process but use ATI drivers for the PCI card instead of stock drivers. Back soon....

Thanks for the help so far.

Mountjoy Mugger · 29-08-2007 10:33am

Any update?

robbie1876 · 29-08-2007 12:19pm

After trying several different combinations of drivers and constantly wiping and reinstalling them, I gave up! I figured that maybe there was a hardware incompatibilty between the two cards, but had nothing to base that on. Anyway, I picked up an nVidia FX5200 PCI card this morning and put that in alongside my ATI PCI-E card. Success! Worked first time, and worked perfectly.

I know from searching on the subject that it is almost pure luck if your two graphics cards happen to work together. There is a great database (which I found after the event of course) here - http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/db.asp - where you can see if other people have had success with installing two cards, and you can check what card will work with your existing card.

Thanks for the help!

Robbie

2 graphics cards = Head wrecked

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