Two monitors, only one port on GPU...

[habanero84]

Hey guys. I've looked around on your site a bit and found many topics on this subject, but none of the solutions seem to be helping me here.

So my GPU only has one DVI port on it, and here I am with two monitors. It never even occurred to me that Nvidia wouldn't put two ports on that thing, because, come on...

My motherboard, however, also has a DVI port on it. Score! Problem: windows 10 doesn't detect the other monitor and I'm not sure how to wake it up.

GPU: Nvidia GeForce 1070
Motherboard: MSI Gaming M5, Z170A

I'm looking through the motherboard manual here and the most I can get on the subject (alongside some very cryptic bios info that doesn't seem to pertain) is that it has onboard graphics, the DVI port supporting a max of 1920x1200@60hz.

I've poked around in windows display settings and nothing seems to acknowledge the existence of the other monitor. Can someone give me a moron-proof solution to this? I'm techier than your average old person, but not entirely comfortable playing in bios.

Thanks so much.

 

[habanero84]

Okay, answering my own question here, but just in case anyone else is seeking the same solution...

Windows 10 boots too fast for you to go into the BIOS yourself. So you hit your windows button on the bottom left corner, go to Update and Security, Recovery, then restart now. Follow the prompts. Troubleshoot, Advanced Options, UEFI firmware settings, Restart.

I'm lucky enough to have a GUI for my motherboard, (graphical user interface), so I just clicked on Motherboard Settings. Then Advanced, then Integrated Graphics Configuration. Enabled that. Left the memory share at 32mb. Went back to main screen and hit "Save and reboot."

Windows10 loads, still no second monitor. I right click my desktop, hit Display settings, still no second window recognized. I waited a moment and then opened the device manager to poke around. The computer gave a beep and the second monitor lit up. I don't know if it was me poking around in the device manager or that I'm a dink and forgot to wait for it to download a driver or something.

Anyway, problem solved. Thank you Google, thank you Tom's, and thank you bravery. (hah)

 

[king3pj]

In case you want to use your 1070 to drive both monitors instead of using the integrated graphics there are a couple ways to do this.

First, what monitor do you have? Most modern monitors have more than one kind of input. If your monitor accepts HDMI or DisplayPort you can use one of those to connect your second monitor to the 1070. My 1070 has 3 DisplayPorts and I use 2 of them to drive my dual monitors.

If both of your monitors really do only accept DVI you need a DisplayPort to DVI adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Plated-DisplayPort-Adapter/dp/B00BI3YEQO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1481261851&sr=8-4&keywords=displayport+to+dvi+adapter