DreamScene and Vista Ultimate: Not so Ultimate after all

Dual monitors (with two video cards) apparently is TOO Ultimate...

from WinCustomize Forums

I have a rather high-end system.  Specs are below.
CPU: Q6600 @ 3.2GHz (Intel, obviously)
RAM: 8GB DDR2-800MHz 5-6-6-18 OCZ Vista Upgrade
GPU1: NVIDIA 9800GX2 in Dual-GPU mode
GPU2: NVIDIA 7900GTX
HDD1: Western Digital Raptor 150GB 10k RPM
HDD2: Western Digital Caviar 750GB
HDD3: Western Digital Caviar 750GB
HDD4: Western Digital Caviar 120GB PATA
OS: Windows Vista Ultimate x64 Service Pack 1 w/lastest Windows Updates
MON1: Acer AL2216BW 22" @ 1680x1050
MON2: ViewSonic VA721 17" @ 1280x1024

Latest graphics drivers are installed.  Apperently, there is some stupid rule with DreamScene which states that only operation with one graphics card is supported.  Now, I have two graphics cards for a reason.  Specifically, in order to use multiple displays, the 9800GX2 must be switched from Multi-GPU to Multi-Display and back again to play games.  This is annoying.  My motherboard supports more than one PCI-E videocard, so when I upgraded to my 9800GX2 I kept my old 7900GTX in to drive my second monitor.

When I ran DreamScene on both monitors with the 7900GTX, it was fine.  Both monitors were hooked to one card.  Now that I have two separate cards, this ugly limitation (which is only software, my hardware laughs at DreamScene, bring on Crysis!) rears its head.  Anyone know if there is a workaround or whether DeskScapes 2.0 will allow use of multiple display adapters?

20,612 views 29 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sounds like it could be a driver related issue? I've heard people having tons of problems with the 9800GX2, mostly driver related issues. It was rushed to release before nVidia had a chance to really polish the driver support for it.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
With the 9800GX2 in Multi-GPU mode (showing up as a single GPU as far as rendering tasks go) and the 7900GTX disabled, DreamScene/DeskScapes works fine. My point is that there is a Windows error because DreamScene does not support multiple video adapters, SLI or not. I was looking for a workaround.
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I will report that as a issue/feature request. I can say that in the support department there might be one machine we could hook another video card in to test this out. This pretty much means that we will have to build something to try it out. In the mean time I will drop the line to the developers and QA to see what is possible.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks! Remember, the 9800GX2 works fine by itself when it is in Multi-GPU mode ("SLI on a stick") and SLI videocards (when I had 7900GTX SLI) work fine with DreamScene/Deskscapes. You can have two videocards physically present in the system (two 7900GTX, two 9800GX2 GPUs in one slot) but DreamScene only cooperates when the GPUs are presentings themselves in a teamed fashion.

However, when GPU teaming (I can't speak for CrossFire but I imagine the same rule/logic applies) is employed and there is an addiional videocard present to drive another monitor or two, DreamScene will not run. The exact error message is this:
"Windows DreamScene can't run as your desktop is now configured. WIndows DreamScene cannot run because teh computer is currently using more than one video adapter."

Apparently this was not a limitation in the preview builds of DreamScene (based on my Googling).
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I know a great deal has changed in Desksacpes since the first concept thanks to SP1 and multiple other factors. Which brings me to the next question. Which OS version, Bit speed, and just because I cam curious what processor? Also are you on SP1 yet?
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am running Windows Vista Ultimate x64 Service Pack 1. The processor is an Intel Q6600 (quad core CPU) overclocked to 3.2GHz (no way instability from overclocking is causing the problem, I tried DreamScene with one monitor, one adapter etc. etc.)
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have seen the same behaviour. Dreamscene will work on my primary and secondary monitor (mirroring, which is lame, but another issue), which is attached to one display adapter, but not play on monitor 3 which is hooked up to another display adapter in the same scene.

If the programmers are looking for way to "hook" to the different monitors so one can pick which Dreamscene plays on what, you might want to check the Milkdrop visualization source code (released at v1.04 I believe) for Winamp (free) which lets you choose which monitor is used for their "plays on desktop" feature - which does what Dreamscene does, only with music driven Winamp visualizations.

What I do for now, while waiting for a more robust Dreamscene is that I play one Dreamscene on the primary and secondary and then let Winamp play the Milkdrop visualization on the desktop on monitor 3. :)

It's a shame "horizontal span" (treating two monitors as one wide one) graphics card desktop modes don't work in Vista AND Dreamscene doesn't work in XP (which still supports horizontal spanning). That's what we call a "no win" in these parts. ;)
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I can't even play DreamScene at all because multiple display adapters are detected... How are you getting DreamScene to play with two display adapters?
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm doing this on Vista 64. One primary card is an 8800gt the other is an 8600 gt (it may help that they are both 8 series cards). Dreamscene defaults to the two monitors on the primary. I'm using the latest 175+ series Nvidia drivers. I hope this information helps in some way.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's probably me having a 7900GTX and a 9-series. Somehow, despite Vista's ban on loading different drivers (i.e. ATI and NVIDIA) you can load drivers from the same manufacturer that are completely different as long as they are wrapped up in the same package.

I can play DreamScene with the 7900GTX shut off though.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I spoke with the developers on this question and they thought it would be possible. However when we went to try it on a test machine the machine died horribly and we had to reimage it back today.

I just wanted you to know that I was still looking into this but that the furture was a little bit brighter!
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi Seabass,

I would like to say there are many people in this situation and your effort to get it addressed is greatly appreciated!

I have dual ati cards (3870's with latest drivers) with 4 monitors (and fyi: q9450 w/ vista 64bit 4gb) and have yet to see a dreamscene/deskscape X-(

For other with this problem, many people have used WUD to download the pre-release that apparently didnt have this limitation (I havent tried this, so just putting it out there!).
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for looking into this. I can say though that your app isn't the only one that does not work correctly with dual monitors/graphics cards. Microsoft Flight Simulator X (with Acceleration expansion) will not launch if more than one monitor is detected. It claims that the graphics hardware is insufficient (even though it will run on either a 9800GX2 or a 7900GTX, but unlike its vanilla cousin, it is not smart enough to just blank out the second monitor and stop complaining).
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, i own crossfire WWW Link <--my rig

on my crossfire i have 2 monitors for multitasking and gaming/media works great with deskscapes no problems my friend has Nvidia with SLI, running x2 8800GTS's and he has problems all the time with the drivers, i dont know of any fix but i know he complains about it alot
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

We did try it out on one of our systems here for testing. However with the new releases this test got pushed back. The QA department is helping with this effort so the moment I know something I will post about it. My apologies for the delay however please note how many massive releases have been going on. I only bring it up so you know we are not ignoring the problem simply trying to find time.

Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'd rather have a quality solution that requires waiting than a rush-job or see the issue dropped entirely. Does this have something to do with DeskScapes 2.0 being developed right now?
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Yes I believe that some of it dose yes. Please know that multiple updates to current software are circling the QA department but like all releases they have to be tested. We never want to release anything incomplete.

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That's fine, I'll wait. I know I have a very unusual setup (Rhino 3D also acts funny with it). If only multiple monitors and SLI were not mutually exclusive...
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
No update on the matter yet. I will look into QA again to see what might be going on. There has been a lot of shifting of personal of late so it might have been shuffled. I will let you know as soon as I can.
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I really want to buy DeskScapes 2.0 for my big desktop computer, but until I know I can use DreamScene/DeskScapes with multiple monitors I'm holding off...any news?
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Same issue here running 280GTX and 8800GTS 320mb in non-sli. I can run 2 monitors on either card and it works but when I run 3 in any configuration it doesn't work because it uses both cards. Hope this gets worked out!
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Guess what? I just realized that this isn't even a problem! As long as you have access to deskscapes 2.0 that is.

Just go into desktop background, select a deskscape, and check "use internal player" and it'll work. It only displays on the monitors on the primary adapter, but atleast it works, and all we really want is it to be on our primary monitor anyways. Ironic nobody noticed this yet ha ha


If you select a still wallpaper first, then a dream, the secondary card will continue to display the still wallpaper even :)

I put my two "wing monitors" on the secondary card so they're a still image and then primary 22" is a dreamscene. Looks awesome

Update: I just noticed that this is truely the ultimate setup for multiple monitors. You can maximize pages on the two monitors on the secondary card, and the dream keeps playing! that was always annoying when you'd maximize on one screen and it'd pause on all of them.
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Uhhh...actually it still is. I wanted DreamScene across all monitors including the ones on the secondary card. DeskScapes 2.0 does not do this, as you have stated. Also, when you have SLI-on-a-stick like I do, this means ONE monitor on the primary display card (hence the problem).