MultiMonitor Problem

[PDT 200]

Hey Guys, I have 3 video cards, a GeForce 6600, and 2 GeForce 6200 NVidia cards. The computer sees them fine (XP system P4 2Gb). All of them have either 256 or 512mb. The problem is when I undock the various views they all go where I want them but when I go back to full screen I loose one of the monitors. The undocked window reverts back to it's original location. The following are pics show what happens.
In the setup/display FS9 doesn't seem to recognize one of the 6200 cards. All I get is 6600.1, 6600.3, 6200.1, and 6200.2. It's only showing 4 monitor conection and not the 5 I've got. Any Ideas out there?

Normal desktop:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-3/1159387/VIDPROB1a.jpg

FS9 in undocked Windowed mode:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-3/1159387/VIDPROB2.jpg

Now the problem, Full screen: You can see where the desktop is overlayed in the middle of the overhead screen
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-3/1159387/VIDPROB3.jpg

Close up of outside view reverting to main monitor:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-3/1159387/VIDPROB5.jpg

Pic of overhead screen showing overlay of Undocked outside view and desktop
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-3/1159387/VIDPROB6.jpg

Hope somebody has a suggestion for a fix. I might have to install another video card, but I would think that with each card being dual head. The really funny thing is the card that has only one monitor connected is fine it is the 6200 card with 2 connected that FS9 is't seeing both monitors. If I sound a bit crazy I've been fighting this for 3 days now and I'm about to go nuts. The fix has got to be simple. Most current drivers are installed but I'm about ready to go back to the old standby 77.77 drivers from a long time ago.
Regards all,
Brian

[BHawthorne]

I don't think another video card would be the answer to the problem, as another one would probably behave the same. Geforce cards are a universal driver, therefore I wouldn't expect a video card swap to change the issue. The only things that would change would be the shader compatability and the max pixel width. I'll look into the issue with a few cards on my end to see if I can't reproduce the issue.

What version of the video driver are you currently using? How do you have the displays setup in the display manager? 1 top, 1 middle and 3 bottom? What resolution are each? Is the full screen resolution the same resolution as the windowed version? Often a smaller or large full screen will push windows around on the other monitors. That info will help me troubleshoot much easier. :)

[autocadplease]

I'm no expert, but doesn't FS9 just use the "monitors" Windows XP provides it? So, I would say it isn't a FS9 display problem but a Windows XP problem. Are your desktop display settings the same as the FS9 settings?

[BHawthorne]

I'm no expert, but doesn't FS9 just use the "monitors" Windows XP provides it? So, I would say it isn't a FS9 display problem but a Windows XP problem. Are your desktop display settings the same as the FS9 settings?

DX9c will tend to see the same resolutions XP desktop sees, yes. It could very well either be an XP or a nVidia driver issue. I have enough hardware to attempt to reproduce the issue. I only have 7 and 8-series hardware though. I almost suspect this might be a nVidia driver issue. It wouldn't hurt to revert back to 77 drivers if those have been known to work good for you. I'm having some pretty annoying opengl issues with the current drivers atm myself, but that's another issue altogether. There is no value in using the newest drivers just for the sake of newness. If 77.77 work I'd stick to them. :)

[PDT 200]

Been trying everything I can think of to get the 5th monitor to be seen in full screen mode and it just won't show up. All FS9 sees is 4 monitors in full screen. I can put all the pop ups into position on all the monitors but go to full screen and BAM one of the monitors looses it's pop up and the popup goes back to the main screen. I have 4 video cards now and FS9 still won't see any more than 4. Is ther something in the FS9 config file that sets a limit on displays? If I absolutly have to I can network another computer into the setup by I was hopeing against that. I've changed drivers and right now the highest I can get to work in the system is dated 10/22/06. Anything newer and XP won't start. It's gotta be something simple that I'm not seeing.
Regards,
Brian:(:mad::(

[mlscotti]

Hey on an unrelated subject, i love your set up. Are you using Project Magenta for the cdu and the overhead? Are they both touch screens? I am thinking of doing this same setup. Kind of like future aircraft stuff...:roll:

[PDT 200]

Nope I'm using the FeelThere/Wilco ERJ-145. bottom most monitor just above the throttle is a touch screen. The overhead is a 22" widescreen and just under that is a section with 8 GoFlight modules for the overhead. I use the overhead monitor to ensure that the switches have done what they have supposed to. I can't use the GoFlight config program because it doesn't have access to the many mouse click points on the overhead. I had to use FSUIPC the latest version to capture the mouse clicks and map them to the switches. Doing this you lose the indicator lights on the GF switches and buttons. The upside is you can fly just about any aircraft if you want to take the time and map the various switches to the different aircraft. My next mapping will be for a 737. Same switches same labels just different airplane.
Still have a lot to do with this setup. Floors need carpet and the second yoke needs to be placed. The outside skin attached, panel and interior painted. Panel lights and fans for air circulation also need to be placed and wired. Finally the other screens and projectors have to be positioned and mounted. Now if I can just get this monitor problem resolved.
Regards,
Brian

[PDT 200]

Have hit a MAJOR snag. The hard drive on my fltsim system died. I'm hopeing I can get it to BestBuy or Circuit City and see if they can't salvage any of the data and maybe ghost it to a new SATA drive. Thankfully I have another computer I have stolen the HD from to rebuild the sim with. Not sure why it went "QUEEP"and died but with the new hard drive up and runing the system doesn't display a "D" drive for the old drive although during startup it shows the old drive. At least I have all my keys for my addon stuff so I can reload if necessary and start new.
Regards,
Brian

[AndyT]

That sounds more like the drive controller is going bad, not the drive itself.

[PDT 200]

Unfortunatly just prior to it dying the machine was knocked over and the drive made a funny clunking noise. After that on restart, it would get to the windows XP screen and the little bar would go back and forth and then the system would go to a blue screen with writing and then restart. wouldn't even come up in safe mode. Blue screen would go by so fast I couldn't even start to read it. So for now I'll bring this other HD up to speed and see what happens.This drive is a SATA drive wher the other was just IDE. Maybe I'll even put X-Plane 9 on this one to see how it works. This means reinstalling FSX as well along with the SP's. SP2 won't load without a very current video driver that can handel DX10 even though I don't have VISTA. Crazy!:shock:
Regards,
Brian

[AndyT]

You had a head crash. Thats what the clunking sound is.

I run SP2 with XP and I'm using pre-DX10 video drivers.
What video card are you using?

[BHawthorne]

SP2 won't load without a very current video driver that can handel DX10 even though I don't have VISTA. Crazy!:shock:
Regards,
Brian

If it's a current XP driver, it can't handle DX10. DX10 is Vista only. Not sure what you mean by this.

[PDT 200]

I didn't think DX10 worked with XP. I'm using a GeForce 6600 AGP card from XFX with 256mb and 2 GeForce 6200 PCI cards from EVGA, one with 512 the other with 256. I'm slowly working my way through the various drivers (forceware from Nvidia) to find one that won't lock up my system. Tommorow I will take the old HD and see what can be done to retrieve the info and transfer it to a new drive. I would really hate to lose all my FSUIPC mapping for the ERJ as well as a bunch of custom scenery for various airports that I use. One being a VERY extensive version of KELM with surrounding buldings and roads. The Arnot Mall and the now old Wal-Mart,the extended runway and new taxiways to support it as well as the big mueseum and hangers.
Regards,
Brian

[PDT 200]

The problem about DX10 is now moot. I had to build a new computer from the ground up. Specs:
ASUS P5K-E MoBoard FSB1066 capable
Intel QuadCore 2.4Ghx
2gb Ram
650GB Hard drive SATA
PCIE 8800GT
PCIE 8600 GTS
PCI 6200
XP of course sees all the monitors no problem.
Ok now the fun part, FSX "sees" all 5 of the monitor connections in the Settings/Display
FS8 "sees" all 5 monitors
FS9 still only "sees" 4
It sees 2 connections on the 8800, only 1 of the 2 connections on the 8600 and the 1 on the 6200. However I can atill move all the windows to the proper screens in window mode. But go to full screen and I lose one from the 8600.
Is there a limitation built in to FS9 that nobody talks about?
BAFFELED,WOOZY, and FRUSTRATED.
On the good side using FS9 with all the sliders maxed and UT, FE, GE, UTraffic, MegaScenery I'm getting 32FPS with absoultly no blurries or stutters.
Regards,
Brian