Need help with an Optiplex 390 Dual Video Configuation

Older models with integrated video do not support dual monitors. It's either vga or hdmi, but not both. You need a dedicated video card for dual support.

From your manual: 

<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

Before Connecting Mutiple Monitors or a Monitor and a Television to Your Computer

To support dual monitors or a monitor and a television, you must have an optional graphics card. If you are connecting more than one monitor, ensure that the connectors on your monitors (whether VGA or DVI) match the available connectors on your computer, or that you have any necessary adapters. For example, if you have a VGA monitor that needs to be connected to a DVI port on your graphics card, you must have the optional DVI adapter.

Thanks Mary, but this is an Optiplex 390, not a 320.  It has an HDMI and a VGA port.

But you can only use one or the other, not both.  You still need a discrete video card to run dual monitors.  The HD 6350 and HD 6450 were offered as options for discrete video cards on this system.  

downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx

The 390 uses the H61chipset which according to Intel is capable of driving two independent displays.

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/chipsets/mainstream-chipsets/h61-express-chipset.html

Dual monitors for this system does require windows 7 if you are running a different operating system that may be the issue.

I'd also update the chipset and check with Intel to see if there's an updated video driver.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&ProductFamily=Graphics&ProductLine=Desktop+graphics+controllers&ProductProduct=Intel%c2%ae+HD+Graphics&ProdId=3231&LineId=1100&FamilyId=39

Does VGA video work normally when you first power up the system?

Sorry what?

http://content.dell.com/us/en/business/d/help-me-choose/hmc-graphics-optiplex.aspx?ref=CFG

According to this (Compare Side-by-Side) it does have dual monitor support. Integrated Intel Graphics HD 2000, same card in 990 and usable with a Display port adapter. So why cant this be done with my HDMI connection?

I have confirmed personally that this model does have full dual monitor support with the Intel Graphics HD 2000.

While logged into windows 7 reseat your HDMI connection and then go to the device manager and click on the "Action" drop-down menu and select "Scan for Hardware changes". Windows 7 should detect and allow you to configure the secondary monitor.

If it still doesn't work then I would suggest contacting Dell techncial support there may be an issue with the chipset on your motherboard and they can help you confirm.

Steve DB - Order the following Item Number: 331-3213 - Video Cable, HDMI-to-Single link DVI (1920x1200), One DVI Connection, Dell OptiPlex 390.  It cost me about under $12.  It converts the HDMI output to DVI.  One monitor would utilize the VGA output and this other would use the converted HDMI to DVI output.  I have done this and haved confirmed it to work with a desk flat panel monitor using the DVI and then a VGA cable 15 feet away to a large screen LCD TV wioth a VGA input.

PT - Emergency Management Solutions, Inc.

We have the HDMI Adapter which works OK but in advanced graphics properties it only give option of single screen so no option to  extend desktop on this model – do you know if theres an Dell update/driver which sorts this ?

We have the OptiPlex390 with Intel Graphics HD 2000 however require Windows XP.

We are running many Optiplex 390's (hundreds). Most are setup with dual monitors using the onboard VGA and HDMI ports (We have HDMI to DVI converters on the HDMI ports). We are also able to run as many as 4 monitors using both onboard ports and a dual output PCIe card. Here is what one of our techs had to say about this configuratin: Ok, I have an answer for those needing 3 or more monitors. Once the additional video card is connected an error message will come up at the next boot stating there is a non-standard video set up present. Choose F2 and go to the Video settings and check the Allow Multiple Monitors box, by default the multiple monitor option is turned off. The video set up options in the bios did not even show up until I had connected multiple monitors.