Hardware Tips: Broaden Your View by Adding a Second Monitor

What should you do with your bulky old CRT monitor now that you've got a fancy new flat-panel display? Keep using it, of course. One of Windows' handiest features is its ability to use two monitors at once, which can double your PC's work area. Setting your system to use two monitors can save you time and reduce wear and tear on your wrists.

All you need are a second monitor, a graphics card to drive it, and a free PCI or AGP expansion slot for the card. Do your homework, though, before you buy another graphics card. Some won't play second fiddle, and others require updated drivers to do so. Ask the card's manufacturer about these and other restrictions, and check Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility List.

To avoid using a second expansion slot (and having to configure two different boards), buy a graphics card that supports two monitors, such as the Matrox G450 or the ATI Radeon 7500 .

After installing your new board and hooking up your second monitor, right-click the desktop and select Properties to open Windows' Display Properties dialog box. Select the Settings tab to see pictures of the monitors, labeled 1 and 2 (see FIGURE 1). Click the image of the number 2 monitor, and when Windows asks if you want to enable it, click OK.

Now set the resolution and color depth for the second monitor. You can change the relative position of the two screen displays by dragging one monitor picture above, below, or to either side of the other. Make sure Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor is checked, and click Apply or OK. The second monitor will now display half your desktop.

Note that changing the position of the pictures won't change one monitor from primary to secondary. Your primary monitor displays your PC's initialization data when your system starts, and it's the display most of your applications will appear on. (For programs that don't support multiple monitors, it's the only monitor they'll appear on.) Be sure to designate your best monitor/board combo as the primary. In Windows 2000 and XP, right-click the desktop and select Properties, the Settings tab, the Advanced button, and finally the Monitor tab. Make sure Use this device as the primary monitor is checked.

In Windows 98 and Me, the primary monitor is solely determined by your PC's BIOS. If you're using two PCI graphics boards, the BIOS usually selects the card that is closer to the CPU on your motherboard as the primary, so just swap the position of the cards in the expansion slots to change the primary monitor.

If you're using one PCI card and one AGP card with Windows 98 or Me, the BIOS usually selects the PCI card as the primary, but most users have the better graphics card in the AGP slot. To fix this, check the Setup program of your PC's BIOS. Some motherboards let you choose between AGP and PCI as the primary expansion slot. If yours doesn't, your motherboard vendor may have an updated BIOS version that adds this capability.

Note: For a visual tutorial on a two-monitor setup, watch our video.