Dual Graphics Cards - Need Tech Asst.

[flampoo]

I have an NVIDIA GeForce 4MX420. The one recent card that Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow doesn't support. $%&*@#!. Anyway, I understand that you can hook up two graphics cards in the same PC. I want to buy another one so I can play the game. Prolly a 64MB ATI or something from the GeForce 3/4 family.
How do dual graphic card setups work? I'm not doing this so that I can have two monitors but more so I can play this game. Having an extra monitor is just a bonus if it works.
Is there a master/slave card setup? Is it a pain in the ass?

[DaveMMR]

I have an NVIDIA GeForce 4MX420. The one recent card that Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow doesn't support. $%&*@#!. Anyway, I understand that you can hook up two graphics cards in the same PC. I want to buy another one so I can play the game. Prolly a 64MB ATI or something from the GeForce 3/4 family.
How do dual graphic card setups work? I'm not doing this so that I can have two monitors but more so I can play this game. Having an extra monitor is just a bonus if it works.
Is there a master/slave card setup? Is it a pain in the ass?

I'm running two video cards in my PC right now... and I want to shoot myself for having gone that route.  I could go into details about why I have to have two different cards (both ATI) but I won't bore you.

Also, I have the dual monitor setup.  I can see it being useful for Adobe (and it is) but most of the times it's a big pain in the arse.  It's more of a space waster than anything useful.

Anyways if the above sentiments haven't convinced you to just buy one all-around better card I'll give you some tips.  First AFAIK you can only have one AGP card.  The other will have to be PCI.  Secondly (with my setup) I had to choose which card was the primary in the BIOS setup (something like Primary Display Driver and you can choose PCI or AGP).

Now here's another kicker... one game I installed (thus far) did not like dealing with two cards (that game was Neverwinter Nights) and refused to run until I set up hardware profiles.  In one profile I disabled the secondary PCI card (which I use for capture) while in the other profile both cards are active and PCI is the primary (because ATI wants it that way).

Anyway my head is spinning from this and my final recommendation is just to get a brand new ATI card (AGP is your motherboard could fit it) to replace your current card.  128MB cards are not as expensive as they used to be btw.

One more thing: I remember when I first got a 3-DFX card back in the stone age (1997) it wasn't a stand alone display card but something you 'piggybacked' off your existing cards.  I haven't seen these around... do they still make them?  

EDIT: Almost forgot - if you really want two monitors (I'm still sticking to my opinion of it being pointless though) you do not need two video cards.  Both ATI cards I have ATI 7500 and ATI AIW both have two inputs for monitors.  Well they are different but they come with adapters so you can hook regular CRTs to the digital (??) inputs.

EDIT NUMBER TWO: I spent a week playing with this whole dual-card mess tweaking stuff.  Was it worth it?  Well... it just saved me a few bucks that's really all.  Others may provide additional tips but if not (or you still have more questions) then feel free to ask to me anything else about it.

[JAMMA Guy]

You mean the 3DFX Voodoo 2's in SLI mode  

They stop making those a long time ago  

It was primary for computers with no AGP slot with onboard graphics.  You could slap two of those PCI monsters in your computer and have great graphics (at that time ... hehe).

[DaveMMR]

You mean the 3DFX Voodoo 2's in SLI mode  

They stop making those a long time ago  

It was primary for computers with no AGP slot with onboard graphics.  You could slap two of those PCI monsters in your computer and have great graphics (at that time ... hehe).

Yup that's exactly what I had.  I know 3DFX is now a distant memory but I didn't keep up with the graphic card tech scene after I discovered that I didn't care about 95% of the games that utilized them.

[Tailgunner]

If you dig a little deeper, the first 3DFX powered cards were strictly 3D accellerators that piggybacked off of regular video cards. I have one of those still in an older system, a Diamond Monster 3D that's piggybacked to a Diamond Viper.

Back on topic, I'll second DaveMMR in that two video cards generally aren't worth the trouble.

[Spaced Invader]

My vote...get a new card that fully supports DX9 and Ebay the GeForce 4MX420. Just my opinion.

[Sephroth57]

www.pricewatch.com

great prices on video cards, get a nice 128MB or 256MB