2 Video Cards

Hi. I have a Nvidia graphics card, and an onboard card. I wanted to use both concorrently. At first I was only getting signal from the Nvidia one, but I want both. I changed the settings in my BIOS to Onboard, but it is now only comming from my onboard one. I then installed the Nvidia drivers from Additional Drivers, and then boot hung on checking battery state. I had to remove info from xorg.conf just to boot. Thanks http://ubuntuforums.org/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif

 

The only onboard/add-on GPU's that work together are the newer AMD/ATI types. nVidia is out in the cold here. I assume your better GPU is your add-in card, use that.

 

I honestly don't know what that means, lol.

All I know, is that it worked in Windows 7, until I turned on Aero effects. Since then, it hasn't worked in 7. I made the jump to Ubuntu, and it doesnt work there either.

 

You can't have the onboard active in BIOS along with an add-in. Try disabling the onboard first. I also suspect a driver update for the Windows part, can't say anything about Ubuntu.

BTW, and your card's number is...? We like that kind of detail if you haven't noticed yet.:-D

 

It's a GTX200, and a standard Dell Dimension 3000 onboard Intel graphics controller.

 

you could try running

Code:

lspci -vvv

from a terminal in ubuntu, noting the output, once without your vid card plugged in and then again with it plugged in,

if your onboard disappears then its likely it won't do both,

 

Hi,

I hope you got your dual-monitor issue sorted? It requires that you start tinkering with your x11 settings, very basic stuff, to edit the script so it recognizes both cards first (to do with loading correct modules) and then recognize both monitors & their pixel settings. In light distros it involves configuring the kernel to load appropriate drivers for all devices and then configuring scripts, but ubuntu has the devices & kernel drivers auto-detected matched/loaded.

The nvidia card requires graphics drivers/modules not present native in ubuntu9.0 and below, but 10.0 has them. You ought to be using ubuntu-11_ultimate-edition-2.7/8_dvd version, its the ultimate OS ever and your rig has good specs (you didn't specify the specific monitors and I haven't tried using similar). If not see these google links. Install these drivers drivers for the nvidia and these configuration for the on-board port (it uses latest intel drivers but those are already there).

Connect the monitors and configure them for dual-mode as explained here, here and here. With the nvidia modules now installed I bet the second monitor will work on first try. However if it gets to tinkering with your x11 (you'll have to fish through many forum pages) be sure to differentiate between instructions for Dual-display (twin- or more- -port) cards and your setup. Hope that helps.