Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Triple Monitor boot behavior

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    4
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post

    Triple Monitor boot behavior

    I would like to determine if the boot behavior of my 2 PCI-E video cards driving 3 monitors is normal, and what others with Dual non-Crossfire cards and triple displays are seeing during post and XP load.

    I have 2 identical ATI x1900xtx and 3 vp2130b monitors connected with DVI-D Dual link cables, XP-Pro, mobo is Asus P5WDH, 650W PSU (which I THINK is enough power). The monitors onboard setup menus are set to input priority DVI-D and all 3 are recognized by XP. In the following routine the monitors are numbered 1-2-3 (left to right).... also monitors 1 and 2 are plugged into the top card which is in PCI-E slot #1, and the third monitor is connected to the card in PCI-E slot #2.

    This whole boot to desktop takes about 1 minute.

    Push power-on button, first I hear video card #1 fan spin-up and see screens 1 and 2 showing bios post. Screen 3 is still black, and second card (in PCI-E slot #2) is not audible yet.

    Bios post finishes in roughly 30 seconds, screens 1 & 2 go to black (with onscreen "no signal" indicator), followed by what sounds like the second video card fan spinning-up (identical sound to first card). All three screens are now black with no signal indicators.

    After about 15 seconds (assuming XP is loading), all 3 monitors in succession (any combination 2-1-3, 3-2-1, 1-2-3) go from black to powered-on state with backlights on but screens still dark, followed by desktops on all 3. Then I logon and all 3 identical (not stretched) wallpapers appear simultaneously.

    So my question is, is it normal behavior that the video cards initialize separately? I am assuming a video card in slot #1 gets priority (based on what I've read about dual cards in Crossfire configuration where the CF card should be in slot 1, but my cards are NOT Crossfire). And to follow-up do others see bios post on all 3 screens, or is there a possible reason why I'm not seeing that?

    Only reasons I can think of are:
    1. my 650W PSU is not strong enough and must manage power to the extent it starts the slot #2 card later?

    2. The bios settings for my P5WDH (currently not OC'd) should be set differently, such as possibly more voltage?

    What if any other bios settings would affect the above scenario? Anyone with knowledge explain what I see and/or whether or not I'm looking for trouble when there really is none?

  2. Received thanks from:

    Zak33 (01-01-2008)

  3. #2
    Fried Chip Extremist alsenior's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Stafford
    Posts
    2,949
    Thanks
    103
    Thanked
    191 times in 145 posts
    • alsenior's system
      • Motherboard:
      • DFI Lanparty Jr x58-T3H6
      • CPU:
      • Core i7 920
      • Memory:
      • 6 x 2GB ocz Gold
      • Storage:
      • 1 TB Samsung F3
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 1gb 4890 vapor-x xfire
      • PSU:
      • xfx 850W
      • Case:
      • Lian-li Pc7
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 X64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2208WFP
      • Internet:
      • 30mb Virgin media

    Re: Triple Monitor boot behavior

    that sounds about right to me. if i remember correctly the bois boot system goes like this.

    Vga bios ( first vga card) -> main bios -> any other bioses(disk controllers, seconard cards).
    Quote Originally Posted by Jay View Post
    What kind of emergency would need Windows 95? I think you are already in a bad state of emergency when your backup plan is Windows 95.
    Beginners guide to raid Beginners guide to raid post edition Hexus.Social - FAQ

  4. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    4
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post

    Re: Triple Monitor boot behavior

    Hey thanks, This topic could easily stray from "Graphics Cards and Monitors" as the specific answer involves bios code and steps a bios makes during post. Your answer did explain the basic routine
    From what I read elsewhere it seems when bios gets to the point of checking system hardware, it looks at the PRIMARY or first video card only, checks it, and gives the bios boot screen that we see, and moves on to checking USB ports (for wireless keyboard allowing delete key bios access), and checks RAM.

    On my system it then seems to reset the 2 screens attached to Primary video card (in slot1).

    Then a few seconds later bios looks for other hardware such as secondary video card, hence the delay on second video card activation? I'm now wondering if bios has already handed-off to XP and it is XP that activates the second video card.

  5. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Just over the hill
    Posts
    585
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked
    4 times in 3 posts
    • shamus21's system
      • Motherboard:
      • GigaByte GA-Z68AP-D3
      • CPU:
      • 2500k @ 4.8
      • Memory:
      • 16gb Timings 9-9-9-24
      • Storage:
      • 60GB Vertex 3 SSD Boot - Samsung 256GB 830 SSD GameFile & 1TB WD1002FAEX Caviar Black BackUp
      • Graphics card(s):
      • MSI GTX 580
      • PSU:
      • Enermax Infinity 720W
      • Case:
      • Thermaltake Armour Super Tower
      • Operating System:
      • Win7 64 bit Home Premium
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407 wfp
      • Internet:
      • Crap

    Re: Triple Monitor boot behavior

    Yes all correct you don`t need any extra power bios setting should be pci`e 1 / pci`e 2 and then PCI Express x1 or pci based graphic cards. note the more cards you have the slower the bootup time.

  6. #5
    HEXUS.timelord. Zak33's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    I'm a Jessie
    Posts
    35,157
    Thanks
    3,105
    Thanked
    3,138 times in 1,916 posts
    • Zak33's system
      • Storage:
      • Kingston HyperX SSD, Hitachi 1Tb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Nvidia 1050
      • PSU:
      • Coolermaster 800w
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Fortress FT01
      • Operating System:
      • Win10
      • Internet:
      • Zen FTC uber speedy

    Re: Triple Monitor boot behavior

    I cant' reply to help, but I've thanked you because that has to be the best description of a problem, well thought out and well worded, that I've seen for months

    Quote Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
    "The second you aren't paying attention to the tool you're using, it will take your fingers from you. It does not know sympathy." |
    "If you don't gaffer it, it will gaffer you" | "Belt and braces"

  7. #6
    Jay
    Jay is offline
    Gentlemen.. we're history Jay's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Jita
    Posts
    8,365
    Thanks
    304
    Thanked
    568 times in 409 posts

    Re: Triple Monitor boot behavior

    what do you mean?


    I had one problem not long ago and it went like this...


    HeLP, me No nOt WHat Me IS Doing. It Not Work After me Mess with The gubbins.
    □ΞVΞ□

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Anyone triple booting?
    By UKMuFFiN in forum Apple Mac
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 02-09-2006, 04:13 PM
  2. Strange SATA HDD/Radeon 9600 behavior (PC freezes)
    By NiTrino in forum PC Hardware and Components
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 29-07-2006, 06:34 PM
  3. GTA Triple pack for the Xbox
    By Nick in forum HEXUS News
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 18-10-2005, 09:00 AM
  4. GTA Triple pack for the Xbox
    By Nick in forum Gaming
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 18-10-2005, 09:00 AM
  5. Triple PSU mod, wat ya think ?
    By Hans Voralberg in forum Chassis and Mods
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 05-02-2005, 12:46 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •