[AG-TECH] Video Card/Monitor Issue

[Mike Weaver - MICS/USDOE]

Hi all,

Here's a weird one - anyone experience anything similar or have any ideas?
When we reboot our Display machine (specs to follow), we get no video on
display #1 (operator console), but the 3 projector displays (2,3,4) work
fine.  The console monitor is not getting a signal from the video card.
When we boot the machine, we get POST & the initial W2K splash screen on the
console monitor, but when the resolution changes and the additional video
drivers/cards are activated, the signal drops.

If we logon and change the resolution in the display control panel (all done
blindly), then video is restored on the console monitor until the next
reboot.  We've adjusted IRQs and all other resources, there are no
conflicts.  The hardware, etc... specs on the display machine are as
follows:

Dell Precision Workstation 530
Dual 1.7 GHz Intel Xeons, 1 GB ECC RDRAM
Windows 2000 Professional SP3 w/ various hotfixes
AGP Video Card (displays 1&2): 3DLabs WildCat II 5100 64 MB (dual outputs, 1
RGB, 1 DVI)
PCI Video Card (displays 3&4): Matrox G450 MMS 32 MB (dual outputs, 1 RGB, 1
DVI)

Added bonus question - We're thinking about replacing this machine anyway,
for various reasons, including this one.  Any recommendations for system &
video cards?  Does anyone have any experience w/ the 3DLabs WildCat 4 series
8x AGP cards?  They appear to have 4 outputs (2 RGB, 2 DVI), but may only be
dual-headed.  This is unclear, but there are only 2 chips on the board.
Other AG-Tech messages asking for a 4-head AGP video card haven't seemed to
turn up much.  Mention was made of a couple of boards that appeared to be 4
PCI chips with a PCI/AGP bridge to the AGP slot.  Not the best performance
architecture...  Also have heard of some problems with the Matrox Parhelia
w/ other Matrox boards installed.

Anyway, any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated!!


Thanks,

Mike

--
Mike Weaver
Sr. Network Administrator
SC-31/Germantown Building
US Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20585-1290
Voice: 301-903-0072
Fax: 301-528-2701
Email: weaver at er.doe.gov