New Dual Monitors: Too many pixels, Help plz!

[mjd]

Hi folks,

I bought myself into a corner and would like some suggestions on reasonable ways out.

I have:
Mobo (Crossfire, dual PCIe, etc): Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 rev 2.0 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128425
GPU: Cyclone GTX 460 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127510
Monitors: Two Dell U2410 (both 1920 x 1280) http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...n&sku=320-8277
PSU: CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005
OS: Win 7 Pro

I was running two smaller monitors on this GPU, but now with my newly purchased bigger monitors, it is failing. I want to use one monitor vertically and one horizontally. One for gaming, one for browsing, irc, etc.

If I add a second stand-alone PCIe card, will the desktop be shared over the two monitors?
Should I ditch my current (SLI) card and get dual crossfire?
What's a reasonable path to get both monitors working consistently. One with full screen gaming/media and one with boring desktop apps?
Is there a single GPU that could support this scenario?

Thanks in advance,
-M

 

[96Firebird]

It should be fairly straight forward in the Nvidia control panel. What problems are you having?

 

[Zargon]

sounds like you are doing something wrong?

 

[betasub]

it is failing

How is it failing? Please try to provide a more detailed description of the change in your situation that has caused this fail. For example, you have moved from two monitors to two different monitors - please specific the connections (DVI etc) and resolutions at each stage.

 

[mjd]

Your questions are reasonable. I'll try to explain best how it fails and how I get there.

The Setup:
I have both monitors in their own DVI port on the GTX 460.
I have the up-to-date NVIDIA drivers already installed for the GPU (up-to-date as determined by the auto-updater, last installed 6/21)
I boot up and then configure both monitors to max depth and 19x12. One monitor vertical, one horizontal.

The Failure:
Sooner or later, one of the monitors (or both) will start spewing random pixels into about 10x10 vicinities. Or the whole screen of one monitor will go big-pixel streaks of similar colors.

The reason that I believe this GPU doesn't support both monitors at the same time is that the spec from http://ww.nvidia.com/object/product-geforce-gtx-460-us.html says:
Maximum Digital Resolution 2560x1600
And my 2 x 1920 x 1280 is more pixels than 2560x1600

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

The GTX 460 supports 2560x1600 per DVI output.

 

[notty22]

I would check cables and connections ,maybe the seating of the card and screw. Especially since you were just running dual monitors. Were you using the same monitor cables ?
Try installing the particular monitor driver if you haven't. Maybe its a timing issue.
Make sure under windows power management that you have this to off

 

[mjd]

The GTX 460 supports 2560x1600 per DVI output.

I'll take your word for it. That's not how I understood it. My mistake.

 

[Diogenes2]

Sooner or later, one of the monitors (or both) will start spewing random pixels into about 10x10 vicinities. Or the whole screen of one monitor will go big-pixel streaks of similar colors.

Sounds like the GPU is failing ..

 

[taltamir]

Call video card maker, this sounds like the GPU is faulty and needs to be replaced under warranty.

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

Memory failure causes that.

 

[Idontcare]

I'll take your word for it. That's not how I understood it. My mistake.

Definitely do what notty22 recommends, I have GTX460 with dual 19x12 screens. It works, I assure you, but as others have alluded to, your particular symptoms are strongly indicative of a failing/dying video card and not the symptoms of an improperly configured multi-monitor setup.

 

[mjd]

- Reseated the DVI
- checked the PCIe
- Turned-off PCIe power saving in windows 7

Things are working in this very first session. I will call the GPU maker if the bad things happen.

After further research, yes this card should be able to handle 2 19x12 monitors.

And thank you all for your help. Further suggestions are welcome.

 

[Chapbass]

Don't really have anything to add that isn't covered here, but mjd, do yourself a favor and listen to the guys here, they all know this stuff in and out .

Definitely sounds like a failing video card *IF* the reseating of cables didn't do it. MSI is a pretty solid company, so if it keeps happening give them a call and they should have no problems replacing it for you.

 

[LokutusofBorg]

I'm running two WFP2408 19x12 monitors on a GTS 250... no problems.

At work, I have two U2410s running on a GTS 240... no problems.

 

[mjd]

Don't really have anything to add that isn't covered here, but mjd, do yourself a favor and listen to the guys here, they all know this stuff in and out .

Definitely sounds like a failing video card *IF* the reseating of cables didn't do it. MSI is a pretty solid company, so if it keeps happening give them a call and they should have no problems replacing it for you.

Yup, you guys/gals have never steered me wrong. And quite frankly, I was thinking the same things that you guys answered. Let's hope the power saving and reseating helps. RMA is not usually fun.

I'm running two WFP2408 19x12 monitors on a GTS 250... no problems.

At work, I have two U2410s running on a GTS 240... no problems.

Thanks for the confirm. I checked at work and I'm on a similarly powered Quadra, so my card has enough horsepower for sure.

-M