Kinda dual display...

[Beer w/Straw]

My crappy computer failed; could've been the power supply failed also causing the hard drive to fail. Anyway, before that the fan on my video card crocked, hence, it was useless. It was still a computer and useful. I was using the on board video for display both to VGA and HDMI. Attached to a LCD TV and a small monitor. Now, I got a used computer that's just basically the same crap but unbroken. The video card only has HDMI and DVI, the on board video has VGA. However, when I want to try to use both at once I get an error message and it wont boot up. I don't have the wires currently to only use the vid card, but will it work to function two displays at once?

Sorry if this seems pretty garbled; I don't really know what I'm doing.

:EDIT:

Oh yeah, if the computer can run Maple or Mathematica and surf the web it's good enough. I am looking for one system that can host up to five different players in VR at once, but I'm not rushing that one.. And the TV bit was for recreation, having friends over, drink and watch movies off the net.

 

[DaveC426913]

You won't be able to use two monitors unless your video card is capable of outputting to two monitors.

 

[Beer w/Straw]

You won't be able to use two monitors unless your video card is capable of outputting to two monitors.

Can I take it as a given then it can by using one device though?

I was trying the main board AND vid card with the thing.

:EDIT:

I have no idea, could I just turn off one of the displays and it would work with either or when I want?

 

[gmilam]

You can probably switch between the two on an as needed basis. Or get a DVI/VGA cable ( < $10 ) and connect the VGA monitor to the DVI port of the card.

 

[Stoniphi]

Yeah. I have 2 monitors hooked up to my video card, but use them 1 at a time - one for drawing (Ugee USB pen digital input artists monitor) and the other for everything else (NEC PA301w graphic artists monitor).

"Maple or Mathematica" oh my, Beer - you play with those bad boys? *cranks up an eyebrow* My estimation of you has just gone up a couple of pegs.

 

[Sarkus]

My crappy computer failed; could've been the power supply failed also causing the hard drive to fail. Anyway, before that the fan on my video card crocked, hence, it was useless. It was still a computer and useful. I was using the on board video for display both to VGA and HDMI. Attached to a LCD TV and a small monitor. Now, I got a used computer that's just basically the same crap but unbroken. The video card only has HDMI and DVI, the on board video has VGA. However, when I want to try to use both at once I get an error message and it wont boot up. I don't have the wires currently to only use the vid card, but will it work to function two displays at once?

Sorry if this seems pretty garbled; I don't really know what I'm doing.

So you have a video card (HDMI and DVI outputs) but also have on-board graphics card (VGA output)? And you're trying to use both the on-board and the gfx card at the same time to support the two monitors, or just use the gfx card to support both of them?
If the latter, make sure the gfx card is capable of supporting two monitors... and then make sure you have the right cables to attach the monitor to the outputs.

If the former, you may need to adjust your BIOS to allow it. It think the computer will generally be set to auto-detect gfx cards and use them as primary, so you may need to set the on-board as primary. Not saying it will work, but I tried the same once, a while ago, and that did the trick.
Although I was never having a problem getting it to boot up, so it may be an entirely different can of worms.