Setting up Vostro Desktop 200s with Dual monitors (Extended Monitors)

Very simple your cards have two DVI connectors just hook up a monitor to each and enable the extended display in the settings. right click on open desktop and select properties. go to the settings tab and select both monitors and extend the desktop.

Figures Dell would dumb down the cards. At this point you have two options. Either purchase new 2400 cards which would drop right in without a hitch. The cards would be the same, with the only difference being the output connectors.

The other option would still involve getting a new video card. Since you have only one main video connector you would have to obtain a PCI video card to add into one of the PCI slots.

My recommendation would be just to get full retail versions of the 2400. You will run into far less issues just swapping out the cards.

That is what I was hoping I could do but the only outputs that I can find on the video card (2) are the DVI output and an S video output.  The cards that I have from dell do NOT have dual DVI outputs

I've been doing a search to find out more on the 256MB ATI Radeon 2400 Pro Card that I have but most of my searches come up with the following card:  http://ati.amd.com/products/radeonhd2400/specs.html.  This HD version is not what I have as it boasts to DVI outputs.

Do you think that I could purchase the card above and swap out my old ones smoothly?  From reading other forums the two primary concerns with running dual monitors on this dell system are that you must be using either a high grade of vista or XP and that you need to have a card that will suport the lower power supply that these systems have.

One website suggests that the Vostro 200 only has a 250watt power supply but I can't find spec.s anywhere else.  Most of the cards I have been looking at need 350-375watts.

Once again thanks for all feed back.

This card has a DVI and VGA output and is a 2400 so you would only have to replace the current card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131082

and another

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102811

You can also go here

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=48&name=Desktop-Graphics-Video-Cards

And search for some more. You best route would be a direct replacement. While you could add in another card and set the bios to see both, haveto fiddle with running two drivers and not to mention you will be putting an additional load on the powersupply.

To me replacing your current card with retail version is the best way to go

So I've done a bit more digging:

** vostro 200s only have a 250 watt power supply

** there is only 1 PCIe slot

** there are 2 PCI slots available

** the tower is a "slim tower" so any card would have to be a small card (not full width)

I am not using these machines for gaming I just want to be able to use extended windows on dual monitors for running spread sheets, email, and accounting programs.

Is there a video card that someone can recommend that will  replace the current PCIe card with a card that has dual VGA or dual DVI outputs?

OR

Is there a video card that can be added in one of the spare PCI cards? If I use this second option how difficult is it to get the computer to see and use both video cards.

Thanks for your help!