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Optiplex 990 Multi-Display settings in BIOS
Hello,
does anybody know what the bios setting "Video" -> "Multi-Display" -> "Enable Multi-Display" effect? It just says "This option enables or disables Multi-Display. It should be enabled for Windows 7 32/64-bit only. This feature is not applicable to other operating systems."
By default its disabled.
I am using a HD 6450, not the onboard video.
Thank you
Daniel
acmd9
1 Message
2
July 13th, 2011 07:00
I had this same question and here is the answer from a Dell support chat:
... this model does something different from our other systems in regards to onboard video and video cards.If you have that setting enabled, and a video card installed, and you're running Windows 7 with both drivers installed, you can use both the onboard video and the additional card
AbbyNormal_CM
1 Message
0
July 18th, 2011 14:00
When combining a dual monitor card with the integrated video port offer the ability to run a three-monitor set up? I have tried to install two video cards to set up a three monitor set up and it failed.
ericisright
2 Posts
1
September 8th, 2011 21:00
All this means is that you can use the displayport and vga at the same time for 2 different monitors. I have a ATI 6670 and it completely disables the onboard intel video.
farmcredittech
2 Posts
0
December 17th, 2011 03:00
We are trying to run 3 monitors from an Optiplex 990. Did this solution work? I've tried installing 2 cards for the ability to run 3 monitors with no luck. I can run 2 monitors from a single card plugged into the primary PCI express slot, but every time I plug in the second card into the PCI express slot #2 all three monitors go blank.
If I can use the on board video along with a single card, we can live with it. What are the required settings?
I've also thought of purchasing a triple monitor capable card for my next step if the onboard and single card setup does not work.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
speedstep
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47K Posts
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December 24th, 2011 10:00
Cant use onboard with x16 video get an ATi card with eyefinity and some mini display port adapters.
While Eyefinity is a fantastic tool, it does have a couple major drawbacks in a budget-oriented environment. The most significant restriction is mandatory DisplayPort use. In a triple-display setup, at least one monitor must use the card's DisplayPort output. If one of the displays doesn't have a DisplayPort input, the user must purchase an active DisplayPort to HDMI/DVI/VGA converter in order for it to work. The active part is key because it means a low-cost passive converter won't work. Unfortunately, most active DisplayPort-to-HDMI/DVI converters seem to be in the $100 range.
http://support.amd.com/us/eyefinity/Pages/eyefinity-dongles.aspx
JHarbin
2 Posts
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January 5th, 2012 13:00
Maybe you have the same problem I had. I have the Two DUAL HD 6350 cards and found there is a setting called CrossFire that is on by default. When I turned it off I was able to connect monitors to both cards.
farmcredittech
2 Posts
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January 6th, 2012 06:00
Where is the switch setting?
JHarbin
2 Posts
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January 9th, 2012 06:00
It is in the Catalyst Control Center. There may be other ways to get there, but here is how I found it.
1. From the Catalyst Control Center Start Screen choose Performance - AMD CrossFire.
2. Un-check "Enable CrossFire."
speedstep
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January 10th, 2012 11:00
A different approach would be.
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Operating System
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* • Display Rotation: 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°
* • Aluminum enclosure that is non-toxic and recyclable
* • Easy driver install
* • Friendly software:
o - Identify Monitors
o - Multi-Display Control Panel
o - Shortcut to access Windows
o - Display settings dialog box
jnelsoncpath
1 Message
1
February 10th, 2012 10:00
I have an Optiplex 390 with an integrated intel video card and an ATI HD 6450 PCI x16 card, and have enabled that BIOS setting. After a reboot, the computer installed drivers for the integrated Intel card. It complained that my ATI drivers were not functioning. With another reboot, all three lit up and work very well. I highly recommend three of the same monitors though so the color schemes and such look the same.
tomwp
3 Posts
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April 19th, 2012 19:00
Did you ever get this working? I am having the same problem and I have disabled cross fire.
danstoner
2 Posts
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August 23rd, 2012 06:00
The Optiplex 990 works for me (on Linux) to run 3 monitors from one add-in PCIe video card plus the onboard Intel video.
I have Optiplex BIOS A05. I believe I enabled the video Multi-Display setting to get this working.
The add-in PCIe video card is not one from Dell, it is 3rd party nVidia Corporation GT218 [GeForce 210] (unsupported by Dell).
We have another Optiplex 990 with BIOS A13 that does not seem to have a "Multi-Display" choice or a video menu, we have not yet determined if that system will work. The user is actually trying to run two PCIe cards + the onboard Intel for 5 monitors total.
- Dan Stoner
dstager
1 Message
0
November 7th, 2013 06:00
Hi,
You can have both the PciExpress card and the Onboard video working in tandem.
I just did. : My PC is Dell Optiplex 990, Mini tower, Intel i5-2400 3.10Ghz, 8Gb Ram. Windows 7 Professional 64 bits
Video Card ATI Radeon HD 5450 (4292MB)
1 - you probably have the ATI driver installed since it came with Dell base settings, but boot with PciExpress monitor(s) plugged in just to be sure.
2- reboot, go to turn on the bios multi monitor option
3- boot with only the onboard monitor: make sure you have the intel drivers installed
4- reboot with all your monitors connected.
I have 2x23" on the PciExpress card (via the 2xDVI dongle) and 1x17" on the mother board via the VGA connector.
It even seems like I can put something else on the Display port... but I didn't try.
Hope it works for you too.
Dante
bsbbcac
1 Message
0
October 29th, 2014 15:00
I have a triple monitor set up working on a Optiplex 990 with an ATI card and the integrated DP in windows 8.1, but how did you get it to work in Linux? I am having trouble with it. I can only get the two video card monitors to show.
danstoner
2 Posts
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October 30th, 2014 08:00
I started with the nvidia-settings GUI to create a base xorg file. Then I tweaked it and added the third monitor for Intel integrated graphics manually. Using Xinerama features.
I had to modify the configuration at least once due to changes in the binary nvidia drivers. The distro was probably Ubuntu 12.04. There have been a lot of changes to the graphics layers in newer Ubuntu so not sure if this config would still work.
Below is a pastebin of my xorg config. I copied and pasted from my email archive since I don't have access to the live machine anymore.
3 monitors total: two widescreens rotated into portrait mode, one normal monitor
http://pastebin.com/dJ7zA4hQ
Good luck!