Can PCI Express and PCI graphics cards work together?

[hzming]

Can PCI Express and PCI graphics cards work together? I don't care about SLI or crossfire, I just like to have more displays.

I am currently using 2 monitors together, one 22 inches @ 1920x1080, the other 17 inches@ 1280x1024. But I have another spare 17 inches monitor, and I want to use it as a third monitor and make a configuration like this [ ][ ][ ]. My motherboard has only one PCI Express slot, and three PCI slots. I am using an Nvidia Geforce 9500 PCI-E card. Can I just put in a Geforce FX 5200 PCI card and make both graphics card work together independantly?

After some days' research, the following is some conclusions about multiple graphics cards working together. Please correct me if I am wrong.

1. Two PCI-express cards can work together. If you don't need SLI or Crossfire, for any motherboard that has 2 or more PCI Express slots (no matter they are SLI-ready or Crossfire-ready mobo) you can put PCI-E cards (no matter Nvidia or ATI cards) in and make them work independantly.

2. Some AGP and PCI graphics cards can work together. But I failed to get a FX6200 AGP work with TNT M64 PCI card.

Can any one tell me if a PCI-E and a PCI card will work together? If can, is there any limitation I have to follow? E.g. have to use the same brand of cards.

Thank you for your help!

 

[505090]

I've done it before but it was a pain to get up and running.

XP will support different video drivers ie ati and nvidia at the same time (some drivers don't get along with each other though)

vista and 7 - will only allow one video driver at a time

 

[geofelt]

I have done this in the past, but the details elude me. As I recall, it was not a problem.

In the Bios, you will have to select which card is used to post messages and be primary.

If your OS needs to run only one driver program, then you may need a different second card. The Nvidia driver is the same for the 6000 series on up. Your 5200 card would have to be changed, but you should be able to get a cheap 6000 series card.

 

[4745454b]

Win7 should also allow seperate video drivers from what I've heard.

Two cards should work fine together, I've done it even with ATI and Nvidia cards back in the day. (AGP and PCI, I've never tried PCIe and PCI.) I don't know why you couldn't get that combo to work, try the 9500GT and and 5200. You'll have to try an older driver, I don't think the newer ones work with the 5200.