Blue Monitor Port Not Working Correctly

[kwabou]

I've had this problem since I got my computer last june, but it's only becoming a problem now because I want a dual monitor display. Here are my specs (Problem explained below):

> CPU: (Sckt775)Intel(R) Pentium(R) D 930 Dual-Core CPU @ 3.0GHz 800FSB
> 2x2MB L2 Cache EM64T
> HDD: 250GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 8M Cache 7200RPM Hard Drive
> MOTHERBOARD: GigaByte GA-8N-SLI nForce4 SLI Chipset LGA775 1066FSB
> DDR2/667 SATA Dual PCI-E Mainboard w/GbLAN,USB2.0,&7.1Audio
> MEMORY: 2GB (4x512MB) PC4200 DDR2 Dual Channel Memory (Corsair Value Select)
> OS: Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Professional w/ Service Pack 2
> POWERSUPPLY: STANDARD CASE POWER SUPPLY
> VIDEO: ATI Radeon X1600 Pro 16X PCI-E 256MB VIDEO CARD

Both monitors are ViewSonic Optiquest Q7 and they both work. Whenever a monitor is plugged in to the blue (normal) monitor port it doesn't display anything however the computer recognizes that it's there. To see a display I have to plug the monitor into an adapter for the white monitor port. If both monitors are plugged in (white and blue ports) only the one with the adapter shows anything. But like I mentioned, the computer knows the other is there. If I set Extend Desktop it does it. I know this because the mouse spends time off the screen as if it were continued and I took a screenshot and it came back how the display should have looked, only I can't see the right half. Thinking it was the video card, I called tech support and they sent me a new one... It does the same thing. I have the newest monitor and video card drivers. I don't know why it's doing this. Any ideas?

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Whenever a monitor is plugged in to the blue (normal) monitor port it doesn't display anything however the computer recognizes that it's there.

When do you plug in the monitors? Before booting, after booting or in Windows?

Does it display anything if you plug it in before you start your computer?

You may need to fiddle with the Catalyst Control Center to get any picture from both connectors. I remember when I had similar problems with my work laptop and an external monitor, I solved them by uninstalling CCC and setting the monitors the "old-fashioned way", like in Win9x, from Control Panel's display settings.

 

[kwabou]

If both monitors are plugged in before booting up sometimes the monitor plugged in to the white port turns on but never gets to the login screen, other times it logs in fine, but the monitor in the blue port still has no display. It's LED is orange meaning it has power, but it's not green like it should be.

Plugging in the second monitor while in Windows does not solve the problem either. XP recognizes a connected device, knows it's a monitor, but using the Control Panel or CCC does not display anything on the second monitor.

I didn't have Catalyst Control Panel installed before. The blue port didin't work then, and it doesn't work now that I have it either. Like I said, you can tell the desktop is being extended, and the device manager shows two monitors connected. I don't know what it is... It's not the video card unless all x1600 do this...

 

[Didou]

Do you tell Windows to use the second screen as an extended desktop in the Display Properties ?

 

[kwabou]

Yes I did. I also tried using the CCC to do the same thing. The same thing happens: The desktop is extended, but the monitor connected to the blue port does not display anything. It doesn't "turn on", the screen just stays black and the LED stays orange. I know the desktop is extended because the mouse stays of the edge as if there's room there and a quick screenshot shows what I should be seeing: A two monitor wide display.

 

[Nodsu]

Maybe look around in the monitor menus for an input selection option? Set it to "auto" or force to analog/RGB?

 

[kwabou]

The menus accessed by pressing the button on the front of the monitor? It only shows up if the monitor is displaying something. And there is no input option or anything vaguely resembling it.

In the device manager I viewed the propertys of the Display adapters. In the list it shows up as Sapphire RADEON X1600 PRO and Sapphire RADEON X1600 PRO Secondary. Apparently the blue port that doesn't work is now the Secondary one (Although this was not the case before I started screwing around trying to get it to work). The Location according to the properties Dialog of the monitor that works is PCI Slot 9 (PCI bus 1, device 0, function 0). The monitor that doesn't work is the same except the function is 1. I have no idea what this means. I also don't know if it is helpful at all.

 

[kwabou]

Problem solved by just getting an nVidia card... I don't know why the ATi card didn't work, but I went through three of them, all with the same or worse problems...