Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (
More info?)
On 5 Sep 2005 18:27:24 -0700, carmaski@yahoo.com wrote:
> Thanks Sharon for responding to this.
>
> Hardware: -
> My motherboard is from Elitegroup ECS K7S7AG. Its north and south
> bridges are SIS 746 + 963.
> GPU: SIS Xabre 200 AGP 8X 256-bit GPU, 200 MHz - I think it's the
> graphic card. It says that it has 64MB memory on-board.
>
> This chip is not mentioned on the windows website
> (http://support.microsoft.com/d efault.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;3073 97) -
> however a search on the net says that this chip does support dual
> monitors.
>
> BIOS:
> In the BIOS I have the option of "Primary VGA" - with the
> options of AGP or PCI. I have to set this to PCI - whether I have a
> card or not - because without it the computer just hangs and I have
> to reset the BIOS.
>
> I did take a look at the database -only a SIS Xabre 400 was listed
> - so I think that a SIS Xabre 200 also would work.
>
> So does this give you more information to better answer my question? I
> can just go out and buy a new PCI card - but I want to know for sure
> if it would work. If this new card disables the onboard graphics card
> - then I am in a fix and would have to buy another card or a dual
> card - both of which would be costly.
>
> Thanks for taking your time.
Sometimes BIOS settings are a part of a particular version of a BIOS but
are not totally supported on the actual board. The system board manual or
system manual will have details on what is present and what's supported.
You say that you've read your adapter is supposed to support a second
monitor. Is there a second port already? If no, then an additional card
will be needed. Also, the onboard chip is probably already AGP so if you
were going to add a second card it would be PCI.
As far as setting AGP first or PCI first, that depends on your final
hardware configuration.
I once had an HP with an onboard AGP chip. I added a Radeon VE (dual head)
PCI card. Adding the card, automatically disabled the onboard chip as noted
in the owner's manual and confirmed in the HP forums that were available
back then. With this configuration (AGP disabled), I still needed to switch
BIOS settings to start PCI first. Not really logical but a quirk of that
particular motherboard. When the first startup did not send a video signal
to the monitor, it didn't take long to figure out what needed to be
changed.
I wish I could give you a more concrete answer about what *you* need with
*your* system but I'm not familiar with that chipset, board or system. When
making the switch on my system, I did search the database at the
realtimesoft.com site that I mentioned before. And I spent some time
reading in their forums. They're a knowledgeable group and were very
willing to help out.
There is a program for sale at that site for customizing a multiple monitor
setup but its use is not a prerequisite of using their forums or for using
a dual monitor setup. It is a nice "extra" though so after you have
hardware setup, you may want to check it out.
--
Sharon F
MS-MVP ~ Windows Shell/User