Two video cards - how to switch to the *other one* in Windows Vista

[c627627]

Triple boot: Windows 7/XP/Vista.

Both DVI outputs on my video card are used up and I need a third out for HDMI sound. Found out the hard way that my nVidia card can only use whichever two outputs you want at the same time, but not three, so I had to install an additional low end video card just to use its HDMI out for sound.

[I just got rid of my sound card by the way since you do not need a sound card if you use HDMI out from video card or toslink out from motherbaord because sound card only makes a difference if using 3.5mm cables.]


Anyway, I was able to successfully setup both Windows 7 and XP to use the correct video card but Vista is still insisting on using the wrong video card. Swapping video card slots is not an option because the main video card would cover the PCI slot I need to use so that is why I cannot swap video card slots.


_____________________
Intel i7 950 [206] BCLK x 20 = 4.12 GHz @ [1.4000] CPU Voltage & [1.35000] QPI/DRAM Uncore Voltage, Batch 3029A40
2 x 4GB Kingston HyperX T1 DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) [DDR3-1651MHz] 9-9-9-27 @ 1.66 DRAM Bus Voltage
ASUS P6T Deluxe v.1 [LGA 1366 Intel X58] BIOS 2209
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme 1366 RT with 120mm Scythe S-Flex F fan
nVidia GeForce GTX 560 Ti PNY XLR8 1GB GDDR5 822MHz Core Clock
ASUS ATI Radeon HD 5450 [used for HDMI HD sound only]
OCZ Agility 3 180GB SSD
Asus Xonar DX sound card
Antec nine hundred case, two front 120mm fans, one back 120mm Fan, one top 200mm fan
Corsair CMPSU-750TX 750W

 

[nightelph]

Sounds odd. In Vista you are setting this up in nVidia CTRL panel, yes? And it won't let you click it, or physically won't switch feed even though you click it?

How bad do you need Vista?

 

[c627627]

I have Win7 and WinXP on SSD and Vista on a separate HD, which is helpful for testing/imaging purposes. Vista is not used for anything else but I like to have things identical on separate OS to quickly determine OS related issues. The problem will be resolved by replacing the video card with ATI card capable of outputing three simultaneous video outs. ATI has their stuff together software wise, nVidia is clearly inferior, I found that out the hard way. So many unnecessary extra steps to use nVidia, I don't know why they made things complicated.

Anyway, the two video cards are in the sig above and you can't launch nVidia software because Vista insists on defaulting to the card higher up in the slot order, which is the low end ATI I use for HDMI sound only, not video display.

 

[jaymz9350]

If I remember right it difficult if even possible to use two different brands of cards in vista. Some with the way it deals with the drivers differently than xp or 7

 

[c627627]

Yeah there was something about disabling Aero to do it but it made no difference when I did it. It is possible that Win7 and Win XP can do it but not Vista. Going to wait for double DVI ATI cards to go on sale to resolve this issue.

Hopefully they will all have two DVI and and 1 HDMI outs working simultaneously.

 

[nightelph]

I used to run four monitors, two nvidia cards in Vista, seemed straightforward and simple to configure for me. :/

 

[jaymz9350]

Yes but hes talking about an nvidia and amd at the same time, differnt can of worms.