Dual Monitor Problem...Please Help.

I recently got a new video card (BFG Nvidia Geforce 6600oc 256MB) and a new monitor so I decided to go dual monitors so I could surf the web while playing games but I have a poblem. Whenever I right click on my desktop and go to the settings tab under perfomance, it only shows 1 monitor. But when i click on advanced in the settings tab and go to my video card options, I click "detect displays" and the text comes up at the top of my current screen but not on my second one. But when I go to display settings and click single display it will let me choose my second or my primary. So I know the video card is detecting both monitors. When i choose "Horizontal Span" the display device options only let me choose either monitor paired with a TV. It wont let me choose both monitors together. What I think is happening is that Windows is only detecting the monitor i have set as primary in my video card options. I can switch back and forth between monitors but can't make them both display at the same time. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Here is a screen shot of my settings tab:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/Jake73/ah.jpg

 

Does no one know how to fix this???

 

When I first tried to do this, it confused the hell out of me. Mine's the nVidia GeForce FX 5600, so it looks like it's an earlier version than yours. I've had the pc for over a year and only recently needed to have two monitors. Has yours got a set up wizard like this ?

http://www.jiggyjigg.com/upload/files/9/nview.JPG

I haven't got the second monitor connected at the moment, as I only use that setup when I have to. I seem to remember when I first connected the 2nd one, it came on when windows started, but then quickly went onto standby. I used the nView Desktop Manager (icon in the taksbar and also in control panel) to set it up. I've just had a look and it seems not to show the second monitor, which I guess is because it's not connected at present. When it was connected, it asked which monitor you wanted as primary and secondary, and which way round you wanted them. It took a bit of working out, and to be honest, I didn't think it was as self explanatory as it could have been. There's a setup wizard, and I just did it by trial and error. One thing I did notice was that it asks which programs you want it enabled for. Also, you can drag windows across to fill both screens, but only if they're not maximized. Sorry it's a bit vague, it was about 2 months ago when I did it. If I remember anything else about it I'll let you know.

Don't know if this is any help - http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...display_multi_monitors_overview.mspx?mfr=true

or - http://nvidia.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...F90ZXh0PWR1YWwgbW9uaXRvcg**&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

Yea I have that and I have gone through it all and havnt got it to work. and those links dont help.

 

In display Properties , settings. do you have the box checked Extend my windows desktop onto this monitor? This might be a dumb Q. do you have both moitors pluged into the card.and not one in card and one in onboard.

 

I dont even have that check box in my settijngd tab.... look at the screen shot. My settings tab is way different then all of my friends that have xp professional.

 

This is what shows in Display Properties (settings) on mine.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b384/12quidkidinnit/New%20Album/ds2.jpg

It didn't look like that until I enabled both monitors in the nView Desktop Manager menu.

I can't remember exactly which other boxes I ticked in the desktop manager menu when I set it up, apart from the one in the pic I already posted where it says enable windows spanning across monitors.

From the picture of your display settings, it looks like either one monitor isn't being recognised, or the nVidia software for that graphics card isn't installed. http://www.jiggyjigg.com/upload/files/9/dunno.gif

 

I just turned my other PC on (I'm running xp home) With just one monitor and my properties looks the same as yours, then I shut down and hook another monitor up and I have the same as 12quidkidinnit .How are you hooking up the 2nd monitor.