Dual Monitors & Phantom Integrated Video

[MattBoySlim]

So, I built a PC using a PCCHIPS P21G (v3.1) motherboard. I wanted to go with a dual monitor setup, so I also installed my ATI All-in-wonder 9700 in the AGP slot. However, when I install windows the integrated video is nowhere to be found.

I did some research and found out that the "S3 UniChrome Pro" graphics is built into the northbridge of the P4M800 VIA chipset on the motherboard. I updated the VIA drivers and tried to install the S3 drivers, but the installation program says that no compatible hardware is found.

I suspected that maybe the onboard video gets disabled when an AGP card is detected. I carefully looked through the BIOS for any option relating to this and found nothing. The closest thing I could find was the "Primary Video Card is AGP/PCI" option, and I don't think that has anything to do with it (I tried it anyway, just in case). So, to test my theory I yanked my ATI and rebooted, and voila! The other monitor turns on and WinXP realizes that the integrated video exists. I say "well, that's a start" and successfully install the S3 drivers. However, as soon as I put the AGP card back in, the onboard video disappears as if it had never been there in the first place.

Anybody have any suggestions?

 

[pat]

The 9700 had dual monitor capability, and that will spare you the horrible performance of the integrated one..

 

[MattBoySlim]

All 9700's have dual monitor support built in except the All-In-Wonder. I can only extend the desktop across one monitor and one TV. Still, I heard from a PCCHIPS rep that the BIOS shuts down the onboard video when it detects an AGP card and there's absolutely zip I can do about it. I guess I'll have to snag a cheap old PCI card and work with that. Thanks anyways.