3 Monitors with 2 different graphics cards

[umm1]

Hello,
After searching the net with no good answers, I decided to come here for some guidance since it appears this forum has the most knowledge available on the subject. I am a computer idiot so please try to keep answers as simple as possible.
Here is what I have: nvidia quadro fx1700 and an older ATI model B530. I am running windows 7 64 bit.
My question is, with these 2 cards in, can I run 3 monitors? all being seperate, not one across multiple.
currently the nvidia card only has one port that is working, when i hook up to the second port, windows begins to start and then throws the monitor into standby and switches to the other monitor on the other port. I am able to run one monitor from the nvidia card and one monitor from the ATI card at the same time. I cannot try the ATI card with 2 monitors until i purchase a displayport to hdmi cable, so the monitor that is working is plugged into the dvi port of the ati card. I do not want to buy a cable if it is not going to work to run all 3 monitors, if that makes sense.
I am hoping I can buy a cable and run one monitor from the working nvidia port and 2 monitors from the ATI card (one from the dvi port and one from the displayport.

If it matters, when I go to screen resolution on desktop and click on detect, it does show 4 monitors, 2 detected and 2 not detected, which leads me (again a computer idiot) to believe there is a chance of running 3 monitors if I get the cable and connect all 3. Maybe just wishful thinking.
Thanks for reading.

 

[thently]

Yes it would actally be possible to run 4 monitors. I would update both your nvidia and ATI/AMD vitio drivers and try again with the fx card as you will not need the "extra" cable. Then once both are connected to card go into the nvidia display panel and turn on all the monitors you want to use.

Thent

 

[umm1]

Both drivers are updated. for some reason though, the one port on the nvidia will not work. I tried everything I could think of to get it working, uninstalled/reinstalled(physically and through control panel), tried different cables/configurations. All it will do when plugged into, is when restarting computer, the widows icon comes up saying starting, it spins/thinks for a few seconds, then the monitor goes to standby and the desktop switches over to the monitor plugged into the other port.
This is why I though I could just get the displayport to hdmi cable and run 2 monitors from the ati card and one from the working port on the nvidia card.

 

[mojin7]

Are one of your monitors requiring dual DVI? i ran into this same issue when I got my 2560x1440 monitor.

 

[umm1]

no. just 2, dell 2208WFP 1920x1080 and one 46" sharp led tv (as monitor).

 

[umm1]

Does anyone know if this ATI card, B530, is considered to have displayport ++?

 

[umm1]

Just an update for anyone else whom may search for this answer in the future.
someone in my office found a display port to dvi adapter. We plugged it into the ATI card and 3 monitors are up and running, with each one being it's own (not extended across 2).
So to answer my original post, yes you can run 3 monitors on 2 different graphics cards, at least with the ones I have.
Thanks to all that looked and offered help.