Second monitor reads "cannot display this mode"

[rurpline]

I decided to plug in my older dell monitor into my Radeon 6850 since it has a second DVI. The monitor will not work and gives me the "cannot display this mode" message. The PC is not recognizing the monitor nor is the video card. I tried reducing the resolution but that was futile. The monitor is a 6 year old 15 in. My current monitor is a new 24". The ATI control center does not see the monitor. Any suggestions? This has got to be something simple that I am missing.

 

[COLGeek]

Have you verified that the smaller monitor actually works? Try connecting it, by itself, as the primary and see what happens. Also, are you trying in Eyefinity mode? I believe Eyefinity only works at common resolutions. That doesn't keep you from being able to use multi-monitors the "old way" of extending the desktop.

What OS are you using?

 

[Psychoteddy]

I decided to plug in my older dell monitor into my Radeon 6850 since it has a second DVI. The monitor will not work and gives me the "cannot display this mode" message. The PC is not recognizing the monitor nor is the video card. I tried reducing the resolution but that was futile. The monitor is a 6 year old 15 in. My current monitor is a new 24". The ATI control center does not see the monitor. Any suggestions? This has got to be something simple that I am missing.

Standard resolutions:

640x480
800x600
1024x768
1280x720
1280x800
1360x768
1366x768
1680x1050
1920x1080


If none of these work, he's dead, Jim.

 

[rurpline]

Im using win7. The monitor works fine on my old dell xps, it does not work as the primary. Im not sure what eyefinity mode is. The reason for the second monitor is that I want more room on my desktop.

 

[COLGeek]

Are you saying that if connected by itself it doesn't work? But if connected to XPS, it does? Are you using the same DVI cable to connect both? Or are you using a VGA cable and/or VGA/DVI adapter?

 

[rurpline]

That is what I am saying. I have a separate cable for each monitor, both VGA's with adapter's. One thing, if I plug my primary monitor into the lower plug on the 6850, it does not work. The secondary monitor will not work on either plug.

 

[COLGeek]

Are you using DVI to VGA adapters that were provided with the 6850 or with one's you already had? Not all are the same, unfortunately and may be part of the issue here.

 

[rurpline]

Only one came with the 6850, ill switch to see if that solves it.

 

[rurpline]

I tried the secondary monitor on both adapters with no luck. I am wondering if my 6850 is simply defective. This is the first time I've tried to use the lower port.

 

[rurpline]

I just read that on the 6850, one port is DVI-I, and the other is DVI-D, not compatible with VGA.

 

[COLGeek]

[strike]What version of Windows are you using?[/strike]
Seems we cross posted. The DVI-D port definitely won't drive the VGA adapter. What adapters shipped with your HD6850? And, what make/model HD6850 do you have?

 

[rurpline]

By switching to a DVI cable on the primary monitor and utilizing the VGA/dvi adaptor for the older secondary monitor, I solved the issue.

 

[COLGeek]

By switching to a DVI cable on the primary monitor and utilizing the VGA/dvi adaptor for the older secondary monitor, I solved the issue.

Good for you! Have fun!!