No video when I add a second video card

[JerseyFrank]

Hello, relevant system info...

MSI x58 Platinum SLI
EVGA Geforce GTX 295
MSI GeForce 9400 GT

This is a brand new system. When I install 1 video card, I get video. When I install the 2nd one, I get nothing out of any DVI port on either card. I installed Vista Ultimate with just one card installed. I haven't done any updates to Windows, nor installed any updated drivers. I figured I should still be able to get video during POST regardless of what Windows is about to do.

I do NOT want to run the 2 cards in an SLI configuration. I'm "simply" trying to build a system that can support 3 monitors. It may be important to note that the GTX 295 has 2 GPUs running SLI on a single card. AFAIK, the 9400 GT card doesn't even support SLI.

Should I be tinkering with something in the BIOS? What am I doing wrong?

[Likay]

Try first seeing if you have video with either card alone installed. (just for check).

If you don't have video during the p.o.s.t then it seems to be a bios thing. Check and see if you can find any options that might fit in the videocard area (pci-express etc....).

(insert usual warnings about biostinkering here...) In other words: Keep in track what changes you make and find out first how to reset your motherboard if you manage to tinker with the total wrong parameters.

cheers

[JerseyFrank]

If I use either card alone, I get video.

Would there really be something in the BIOS to enable the 2nd 'PCI-E 2.0 x16' slot to be an additional video card? Obviously, I'm not next to the machine at the moment.