System specs:
AMD Athlon 3200+ 64 bit (not in 64 bit mode)
2 Gig DDR RAM
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 256
Catalyst 5.12
Windows XP Home SP2

I do gaming and also work on this computer and I recently added a second monitor I had laying around. Using the RGB out for my primary (19" monitor) and the DVI out (with a DVI to RGB adapter) to my secondary (21" CRT monitor), I am able to go to "Stretched Horizontally." I don't like the Stretched mode as the refresh rate is limited to 60 hz and the taskbar stretches across both monitors.

ATI's website says that there is a mode called Extended Desktop. I assume this is very similar to nVidia's "DualView" mode. However, it isn't even an option in the Catalyst Control Center. I've gone through ATI's support website (which isn't half bad, by the way) and after a week of back-and-forth they are saying it's a problem with my Windows installation and I have to repair or reinstall Windows! Gimme a break!

For example, when I right-click on the desktop, choose Properties, choose Settings, I get a single monitor shown that labels itself as [multiple monitors] on Radeon 9800 Pro. It's supposed to have two monitors shown so I can choose the option to "Extend my windows desktop to this monitor" but there's no second monitor shown.

Anyone had this problem? Any suggestions before I plow into reinstalling XP? *shudder*

See my attachment for a screenshot of the display properties.

Thanks,
Jamon

Attached Images

props.jpg (38.1 KB, 4 views)

Hya Jamon51 , welcome to PCHF.

You probebly already tried reinstalling ATI's drivers? And you could give this a go:


Or since you probebly have tried all options already by the sound of it , try a repair windows install:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

You'll keep all youre data but will have to update windows again.

Thanks for the tips. I was hoping to not have to go to those lengths. One thing I am going to do is back up my important files so I can try some solutions without worrying about them messing up my files.

-jamon

Indeed always a very good idea. O0 Let me know how you get on.

Well I fixed it! I was reading a tutorial about installing dual monitors and they said to check the device manager to see if there were any other video cards installed. I knew there weren't, but it made me think--well, check it anyway. I went there and what do you know--under Display Adapters, the Radeon 9800 Pro (Secondary) was disabled. Don't ask me why--I dunno how it got that way.

So if you have this problem, do this:
1. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties
2. Go to Hardware and choose Device Manager
3. Expand the Display Adapters tab and check to make sure they are all enabled. If not, enable them. You might have to restart to get it to work (I didn't but you never know) but it should work then.

Thanks!
Jamon

Good to hear you fixed it. And thanks for posting the fix. O0

Indeed strange that the secondary was disabled , but it works now , thats what matters.


Marked as Fixed.