Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT User manual

ENGLISH
10881-301-0100
2003.12.15
User Guide

2 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
Overview
Thank you for purchasing a Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT (Satellite Graphics Technology) graphics
card. Your Matrox card is a high-performance graphics card that plugs into an expansion slot inside
your personal computer. Your Matrox graphics card supports DualHead features and OpenGL stereo-
output. With DualHead features, you can use an analog grayscale monitor (for example, a Siemens
21105 or 21106 grayscale monitor) and, at the same time, a standard analog or digital computer
monitor.
Hardware supplied
Software supplied (for Windows 2000/XP)
! Matrox PowerDesk-SE – to use your Matrox graphics hardware
! Other software – see the CD-ROM Readme file
Installation overview
To install your Matrox product:
1 Install the Matrox card – see “Hardware installation”, page 3.
2 Connect your monitors – see “Connection setup”, page 5.
3 Install the software – see “Software setup”, page 7.
Matrox card (PCI) 1 stereo-output adapter
(DVI to DVI + Stereo)1 3W3 cable
(3W3 to 3 × BNC)1 DVI-to-HD15 adapter
Note: If your Matrox product is already partially or fully installed on your computer, some
or all the installation information in this guide may not apply to you. However, this
information may be useful if you need to reinstall your Matrox product.

Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide 3
Hardware installation
This section describes how to install your Matrox card. For information specific to your computer,
like how to remove its cover, see your system manual.
1Open your computer and
remove your existing graphics
card*
If a graphics card isn’t already installed in
your computer, skip to step 2.
a Turn off your computer and all
peripherals such as your monitor or
printer.
b Open the computer and remove your
existing graphics card (if any). (If
graphics hardware is built into the
motherboard of your computer, this
graphics hardware should automatically
disable itself after your Matrox card is
installed.)
2Choose a PCI slot
a Most computers have different types of
expansion slots. Choose a PCI slot for
your graphics card. Your system manual
should identify the location of eachtype
of expansion slot in your computer.
b Remove the cover for the slot you intend to use (if it’s not already removed). Save the
screw for the mounting bracket. (If another slot is uncovered, you can seal it with the
cover you just removed.)
WARNING: To avoid personal injury, turn off your computer, unplug it, and then wait for
it to cool before you touch any of its internal parts. Also, static electricity can severely
damage electronic parts. Before touching any electronic parts, drain static electricity from
your body (for example, by touching the metal frame of your computer). When handling
a card, carefully hold it by its edges and avoid touching its circuitry.
* With multi-display mode, you may be able to use your existing graphics card. For Windows 2000/XP, see Windows 2000/XP
online help under “Install additional monitors”.
AGP slot
PCI slot (64-bit)
(Back of computer)
PCI slot (32-bit)

4 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
3Insert your Matrox card
a Position your Matrox card over the
expansion slot you’ve chosen.
b Push the card in firmly and evenly until
it’s fully seated in the slot.
c Replace the screw to secure the bracket
of your Matrox card to the computer
frame.
Your Matrox card is now installed.
Before restarting your computer, connect your monitor or
monitors (see “Connection setup”, page 5).
After connecting, restart your computer and install your
Matrox software (see “Software setup”, page 7).
Note: If you’re using a PCI graphics card in a PCI-X compatible slot, your choice of PCI slot
may affect your card or system performance. For more information, see your computer
manual.
WARNING: Inserting your Matrox card
into the wrong type of slot could damage
your card, your computer, or both.
If you’re using a 32-bit PCI slot, only part
of your card’s edge connector should be
inserted into the PCI slot (the part closest
to the back of the computer).
AGP card
PCI card
32-bit
64-bit
WARNING: If your computer doesn’t restart after your graphics card is installed, turn off
your computer to avoid damaging electronic parts. For troubleshooting information, see
page 9.

Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide 5
Connection setup
This section describes how to connect your monitors and your stereo device to your Matrox graphics
card.
1Connect the stereo-output
adapter
Connect the stereo-output adapter to the
main connector (
A ) on your graphics card.
If you already have a monitor connected to
the main connector, disconnect that
monitor and, if present, disconnect the DVI-
to-HD15 adapter.
2Connect your analog grayscale
monitor
Connect the 3W3 cable included with your
Matrox product to the secondary connector
(
B ) on your Matrox card.
Connect the BNC connectors on your 3W3
cable to your analog grayscale monitor.
WARNING: Don’t change monitor connections while your computer is turned on. While
your computer is turned on, itmay be using monitor settings that are specific to the current
monitor connections.
Some devices may be permanently damaged if incorrect settings are
used.
WARNING: If an unsupported monitor is used with your Matrox product, this monitor
may be permanently damaged. For standard computer monitors, your monitor should
support Plug-and-Play and a display resolution of 1280 × 1024. For analog grayscale
monitors, a list of supported monitors is available on the Matrox Web site
(www.matrox.com/mga).
Stereo-output
adapter
Note: To use stereo-output with your Matrox product, you need to connect the stereo-
output adapter even if you’re only using an analog grayscale monitor.
3W3 cable

6 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
3Connect the stereo device
Connect your stereo device (for example,
your 3D glasses) to the stereo connector
(mini DIN, 3 pins) on your stereo-output
adapter.
4Connect your standard
computer monitor (optional)
Connect your standard analog or digital
computer monitor to the main connector
(DVI) on the stereo-output adapter.
If your monitor has a DVI connector,
connect it directly to the main connector
(DVI) of your adapter.
If your monitor has an HD-15 connector,
use the DVI-to-HD15 adapter included with
your Matrox product to connect your
monitor to the main connector.
Make sure the connectors are firmly in place. Your Matrox card is now installed. Restart your
computer and install your Matrox software (see “Software setup”, page 7).
Note: When connecting the BNC
connectors on your 3W3 cable to your
monitor, make sure the Green (
G ),
Horizontal Sync (
H – gray wire), and
Ve r ti c a l Sy n c (
V – black wire) connections
are firmly in place and plugged into the
correct input.
Stereo
device
Monitor cable
(DVI)
DVI-to-HD15
adapter
Monitor cable
(HD-15)
Note: To connect a digital monitor (a
monitor that uses digital input, usually a
flat panel monitor) to your Matrox
product, your monitor must have a DVI
connector.
Some monitors with DVI connectors
support both digital and analog input. If
you’re using one of these monitors with
your Matrox product, make sure it’s configured to use the correct type of input. For more
information, see your monitor documentation.
DVI connector
(digital)
HD-15 connector
(analog)
DVI connector
(analog/digital)

Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide 7
Software setup
This section describes how to install Matrox software for Windows
2000/XP
. (For other operating systems, see the Readme file in the root
folder of the Matrox installation CD-ROM.)
You may need administrator rights to install certain software. For
more information, see Windows documentation.
1Install display driver
Windows detects new hardware when you restart. If Matrox display drivers haven’t been
previously installed, Windows prompts you to install a display driver. Follow the on-screen
instructions. (The Matrox Windows 2000/XP display driver is in the
Win2kXP folder of your
Matrox installation CD-ROM.)
2Install optional software
After your computer restarts, the setup program shows you a list of additional items you can
install. Follow the on-screen instructions.
3Configure your monitor settings
To take full advantage of your graphics card, make sure you have the correct monitor settings
selected in Windows for
each of your monitors:
a Right-click your Windows desktop background, then click Properties " Settings "
Advanced " Monitor . If you’re using a multi-display desktop, select a display before
clicking
Advanced .
b If “ Hide modes that this monitor cannot display ” is available, make sure it’s enabled.
Under
Screen refresh rate , select the highest refresh rate listed.
c Click OK " OK .
For more information on Windows monitor settings, see Windows documentation.
WARNING: If incorrect software monitor settings are applied, some monitors can be
permanently damaged. For more information, see your monitor manual.
Note: Settings for your analog grayscale monitor are preconfigured in the display driver.
If an unsupported monitor is used with your Matrox product, this monitor may be
permanently damaged. A list of supported analog grayscale monitors is available on the
Matrox Web site (www.matrox.com/mga).

8 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
4Set up your display software
Use Matrox PowerDesk software to change certain display settings or access Matrox features.
To access PowerDesk, double-click its icon ( ) on your Windows taskbar. To see the
PowerDesk icon in Windows XP, you may need to click the
Show hidden icons button ( )
on your Windows taskbar. For more information on how to use Matrox PowerDesk, see the
online help.
5Using multiple displays in independent mode
If you want to use a standard computer monitor and an analog grayscale monitor, you may
want to modify your multi-display setup to use independent mode. In
independent mode,
you can select a separate resolution, color palette, and relative virtual position for each
display. To enable independent mode, from Matrox PowerDesk, click
Multi-Display Setup "
Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT " 2 displays, Independent mode " OK . You need to restart
your computer for changes to take effect.
6Using stereo in independent mode
If you’re using multiple displays in independent mode and you want to use stereo-output
with your grayscale monitor, you need to set the display associated with your grayscale
monitor as the main display.
a Right-click your Windows desktop background, then click Properties " Settings .
b Select the second display associated with your Matrox graphics card.
c Make sure “ Use this device as the primary monitor ” is enabled.
d Click OK . You may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide 9
Troubleshooting
Basic procedures
This section explains basic procedures that are referred to by some troubleshooting items in this
guide.
Restarting in VGA mode
Windows 2000/XP – What follows is information on how to restart your computer in VGA mode .
If your primary display is usable :
1 Restart your computer, click Start " Shut Down " Restart " OK .
2 Before Windows starts, press [F8] for the Windows startup menu to appear. (If [F8]
doesn’t work, instead try pressing and holding [Ctrl] before Windows starts.)
3 Select “VGA mode”, then press [Enter].
If your primary display is unusable :
1 Restart your computer. For more information, see your system manual.
2 Before Windows starts, press [F8] for the Windows startup menu to appear.
3 Select “VGA mode”, then press [Enter].
Main troubleshooting
This section addresses possible problems that could prevent you from using your computer.
Problem Computer doesn’t display information or boot after Matrox card is
installed
1
Cause Your Matrox card may not be properly installed.
1
Solution Make sure your Matrox card is properly installed. Specifically, make sure the card is firmly
inserted in its expansion slot and that all connections to it are firmly in place. For more
information, see “Hardware installation”, page 3.
2
Cause There may be unsupported graphics hardware in your computer.
1
Solution If an unsupported graphics card is plugged into an expansion slot, remove it.

10 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
2
Solution If a graphics adapter is built into your computer motherboard, your system may not have
automatically disabled it when you inserted your Matrox card. Check your system manual for
instructions on how to disable your computer’s built-in graphics adapter.
3
Cause You may have connected only a standard computer monitor that doesn’t support Plug-and-
Play.
1
Solution Use a standard computer monitor that supports Plug-and-Play or use a grayscale analog
monitor.
4
Cause Your computer BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) settings may be incorrect.
1
Solution Change your BIOS settings, specifically the AGP aperture size . For more information on your
computer BIOS, see your system manual.
5
Cause Your computer BIOS may not be up to date. For more information on your computer BIOS,
see your system manual.
1
Solution Reinstall your previous graphics card and, if possible, update your computer BIOS. This can
usually be done with software from the manufacturer of your computer. Contact your system
vendor or manufacturer to get a BIOS update for your computer.
To get the correct BIOS update, you may need to know the serial number your computer
displays when it restarts. (This number is usually in the lower-left corner of the display.)
6
Cause The BIOS of your Matrox graphics card may need to be updated or restored.
1
Solution For advanced users – If you have another VGA-compatible graphics card (PCI), you can try
resetting the BIOS of your Matrox graphics card.
1 Turn off your computer and insert the other graphics card into an expansion slot. For
more information on expansion slots, see “Choose a PCI slot”, page 3.
2 Plug your monitor into the other graphics card and restart your computer.
Note: Make sure your computer uses the other graphics card to control your primary
display. The graphics card that controls your primary display is the one that first
displays information when you restart your computer.
Your computer BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and the slot type (PCI, or AGP –
see “Choose a PCI slot”, page 3) of each graphics card help determine which graphics
card controls your primary display.
To control which graphics card is used for your primary display, you may be able to
change the configuration of your computer BIOS. For information on how to change
your computer BIOS settings, see your system manual.

Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide 11
3 Insert your Matrox installation CD-ROM.
4 Click Start " Run , type D:\Sysutils . You will need to use the PBIOSWin program to
update the BIOS of your Matrox graphics card. For more information on how to use this
program, see the
Readme file in the Sysutils folder.
5 Turn off your computer, remove the other graphics card, then plug your monitor into
your Matrox graphics card.
6 Restart your computer.
7
Cause The power supply of your computer may not be powerful enough for all the devices on your
computer.
1
Solution For advanced users – Remove unnecessary devices from your computer (for example, an
unused network card or an extra CD-ROM drive). For more information, see your system
manual or the documentation for each device.
2
Solution You may be able to upgrade the power supply of your computer. We recommend a power
supply of 300 Watts or more. For more information, contact your computer vendor.
Problem Wrong color balance, screen image off-center, or no picture at all
1
Cause Your monitor video controls may be improperly set.
1
Solution Adjust your monitor controls (brightness, contrast, and so on). For more information, see
your monitor manual.
2
Cause Your monitor may not be properly connected.
1
Solution Make sure you’re using the correct connectors (see “Connection setup”, page 5) and that all
connectors are properly fastened.
2
Solution Make sure the monitor power cable is firmly in place.
3
Solution Make sure the connection to the back of the monitor is firmly in place.
If your monitor uses BNC input, make
sure the Red (
R ), Blue ( B ), Green ( G ),
Horizontal Sync (
HSYNC – white or gray
wire), and Vertical Sync (
VSYNC – black
wire) connections are firmly in place and
plugged into the correct input.
Bayonet Nut Connect (BNC)

12 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
3
Cause If your monitor uses BNC input, one or more connection settings may be incorrect.
1
Solution Set each of your monitor RGB input and sync switches (if available) to 75 ohms, with the
sync set to “external”. These controls are usually switches on the back of your monitor.
4
Cause If display problems occur after the startup screen of your operating system, your software
monitor settings may be incorrect.
1
Solution Make sure correct software monitor settings are selected.
If your primary display is still usable, see “Configure your monitor settings”, page 7.
Otherwise, see the next troubleshooting item.
5
Cause If you’re using an analog grayscale monitor, it may not support the monitor settings used by
your graphics card.
1
Solution Make sure your Matrox product supports your analog grayscale monitor. For more
information on what monitors your Matrox product supports, see the Matrox Web site
(www.matrox.com/mga).
2
Solution You may be able to obtain a software upgrade to support your analog grayscale monitor. For
more information, see “Customer support”, page 30.
Problem After the startup screen, or after display settings are changed, the
screen image is garbled or unusable
(blank screen, rolling or overlapping screen images)
1
Cause The Matrox display driver may be trying to use settings your monitor doesn’t support. This
can happen if a monitor was never selected in the software and the display resolution was
changed to one your monitor doesn’t support, or if the monitor connected to your computer
was changed without changing it in the software.
1
Solution Windows 2000/XP –
1 If your primary display is unusable, restart your computer in VGA mode (see “Restarting
in VGA mode”, page 9).
2 Right-click your Windows desktop background, then click Properties " Settings .
3 Move the Screen area (Windows 2000) or Screen Resolution (Windows XP) slider
down to its lowest setting, then click
OK .
4 Restart your computer normally.
WARNING: If incorrect software monitor settings are applied, some monitors can be
permanently damaged. For more information, see your monitor manual.

Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide 13
5 Make sure the correct monitor is selected in Windows (see “Configure your monitor
settings”, page 7).
6 Restore your original display settings (see steps 2and 3).
2
Cause Files on your system may have been deleted or corrupted.
1
Solution Remove, then restore Matrox software:
Windows 2000/XP –
1 If your primary display is unusable, restart your computer in VGA mode (see “Restarting
in VGA mode”, page 9).
2 To remove Matrox software:
a Click Start " Settings * " Control Panel " Add/Remove Programs (double-click*)
" Matrox PowerDesk-HF and Driver " Change/Remove " Yes . (* Depending on
your version and configuration of Windows, this part of the step may not be
necessary.)
b Click No if you’re asked to restart your computer.
c Click Matrox PowerDesk-SE " Change/Remove " Yes .
3 Restart your computer.
4 After removing Matrox software, install thelatest display driver for your Matrox graphics
card. You may also need to reinstall other Matrox software.
3
Cause You may be using a standard monitor that doesn’t support a display resolution of
1280 × 1024.
1
Solution Use a computer monitor that supports 1280 × 1024.
Note: Before removing software, make sure you have all the necessary files to reinstall
software that may still be needed.
Note: Windows 2000/XP – You may need administrator rights to remove certain software.
For more information, see Windows documentation.
Note: Be sure to check for any last-minute release notes at the end of this manual and in
the Matrox CD-ROM
Readme file. Also, check the Matrox Web site
(www.matrox.com/mga) for the latest Matrox software, technical support, and product
information.

14 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
Extra troubleshooting
Graphics
The following troubleshooting items address problems related to graphics cards.
Problem Can’t use Windows, Windows reports a configuration error, and/or
can’t install or uninstall Matrox display driver
1
Cause The problem may be specific to the motherboard in your computer.
1
Solution There may be a software update available for your motherboard. To find out what
motherboard model your computer is using, see your system manual. For more information,
contact the maker of your motherboard or computer. Many motherboard or computer
manufacturers have software updates available on their Web site.
2
Cause Files on your system may have been deleted or corrupted.
1
Solution Remove, then restore Matrox software. For more information, see page 13.
Problem Monitor settings aren’t automatically detected
Note: Windows 2000/XP – You may need administrator rights to install certain software.
For more information, see Windows documentation.
WARNING: If incorrect software monitor settings are used, your display may become
unusable and
some monitors can be permanently damaged. For more information, see
your monitor manual.
Note: Settings for your analog grayscale monitor are preconfigured in the display driver.
If an unsupported monitor is used with your Matrox product, it may be permanently
damaged. A list of supported analog grayscale monitors is available on the Matrox Web site
(www.matrox.com/mga).

Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide 15
1
Cause Your monitor may not be Plug-and-Play. Most new monitors are Plug-and-Play but many
older ones aren’t. Software can’t automatically detect settings for monitors that aren’t Plug-
and-Play.
1
Solution Manually select your monitor settings in the software. For more information, see “Configure
your monitor settings”, page 7.
2
Cause If a monitor was changed or added while Windows was running, the new monitor may not
be detected by the software.
1
Solution Restart your computer. If your monitor is a Plug-and-Play (DDC) monitor, it should be
automatically detected by the software.
3
Cause You may be using BNC connectors with a Plug-and-Play monitor. The Plug-and-Play feature
of a monitor can’t be used with BNC connectors.
1
Solution If you’re using a standard analog
monitor with an HD-15 connector
at the back of the monitor, use this
connector instead of the BNC
connectors.
Note: Windows 2000/XP – To check if your monitor settings are properly selected:
1 Right-click your Windows desktop background, then click Properties " Settings "
Advanced " Monitor . If you’re using multiple displays in independent mode, select a
display before clicking
Advanced .
2 For Plug-and-Play monitors:
# If you see the name of your monitor or “Plug-and-Play”, your monitor settings are
properly selected.
# If you see the wrong monitor name or Default monitor , your monitor settings
aren’t properly selected.
For non Plug-and-Play monitors (monitors using BNC connectors don’t support
Plug-and-Play), you have to manually select your monitor settings. For more
information, see “Configure your monitor settings”, page 7.
BNC (Bayonet Nut Connect)
connectors HD-15 connector

16 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
Problem 3D and video programs don’t work
1
Cause Your computer may not have given an interrupt request (IRQ) to your Matrox graphics card
or may have given one used by another device in your computer. This may be because your
computer’s “Plug-and-Play” feature is turned off.
Windows 2000/XP – To check the display adapter’s IRQ:
1 Click Start " Settings * " Control Panel " Performance and Maintenance * " System
(double-click*)
" Hardware " Device Manager . (* Depending on your version and
configuration of Windows, this part of the step may not be necessary.)
2 Click the plus sign to the left of the Display adapters . An “ X ” through an icon means the
hardware has been disabled. A circled exclamation point through the icon means the
hardware has a problem.
3 Double-click the name of your Matrox display
adapter to open a properties dialog box. The
type of problem is displayed in the
General tab
" Device status area. Check also the Resources
tab
" Resource type list for an Interrupt Request .
1
Solution Change settings in your computer BIOS setup utility.
If your computer has the options of enabling Plug-and-Play detection, or assigning an IRQ
to a VGA adapter, make sure they’re enabled. If your computer doesn’t have these options,
you may be able to manually assign an IRQ to your graphics card using the BIOS setup utility.
For more information on the BIOS setup utility of your computer, see your system manual
or contact your system manufacturer.
2
Cause Your computer’s other BIOS settings may be incorrect.
1
Solution Reset your computer BIOS settings to the factory defaults using your computer’s built-in
BIOS setup utility. The factory defaults are usually the “safest” settings. Check your system
manual for more information.

Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide 17
Problem Using multiple displays under Windows 2000/XP, program doesn’t
work with main graphics card
1
Cause Your main graphics card may not be controlling your primary display. The graphics card that
controls your primary display is the one that first displays information when you restart your
computer.
A program that doesn’t recognize multiple displays may not work with a graphics card unless
it’s controlling your primary display.
Your computer BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and the slot type (PCI, or AGP – see
“Choose a PCI slot”, page 3) of each graphics card help determine which graphics card
controls your primary display.
1
Solution If you’re having problems with a program that can be moved on your Windows desktop, run
this program on your primary display. Make sure the program window doesn’t overlap any
other display. If the program doesn’t work with the graphics card controlling your primary
display, or you want your main graphics card to control your primary display, see the other
solutions.
2
Solution Change the configuration of your computer BIOS so that the slot type of your main graphics
card has priority for becoming the primary display. For information on how to change your
computer BIOS settings, see your system manual.
If your computer BIOS doesn’t let you select which slot type has priority for becoming the
primary display, a BIOS update may be available to let you do this. (The BIOS of most
computers can be updated with software.) For a possible BIOS update for your computer,
contact your system vendor.
3
Solution If there’s a graphics controller built into the motherboard of your computer, by changing
your computer BIOS settings, you may be able to change which device controls your primary
display. For more information, see your system manual.
4
Solution If you don’t need to use the graphics card that’s controlling your primary display, remove it
from your computer. If your primary display is controlled by the motherboard of your
computer, see your system manual for information on how to disable this graphics controller.
2
Cause The program you’re using may not work properly with systems using more than one display
at a time.
1
Solution An update may be available for the program you’re using. This update may fix problems this
program has with multi-display systems. For more information, contact the software
distributor for the program you’re using.

18 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
2
Solution Windows 2000/XP – For advanced users – To use a program that doesn’t support multi-
display systems, you can disable all displays other than your primary display:
1 Double-click the PowerDesk icon ( ) on your Windows taskbar to access the
PowerDesk main interface. To see the PowerDesk icon in Windows XP, you may need to
click the
Show hidden icons button ( ) on your Windows taskbar.
2 Click Multi-Display Setup . Make sure you’re using 1 display .
3 Click Start " Settings * " Control Panel " Performance and Maintenance * " System
(double-click*)
" Hardware " Device Manager . (* Depending on your version and
configuration of Windows, this part of the step may not be necessary.)
4 Click the plus sign to the left of the Display adapters .
5 For each display adapter, except for the one controlling your primary display, right-click
the name of a display adapter, then click
Disable " Yes .
6 Restart your computer for changes to take effect.
Problem Not all graphics cards in the computer are fully supported
(Software doesn’t work with a certain graphics card, or another
graphics card doesn’t work at all)
1
Cause If you have different models of graphics cards in your computer, your Matrox display driver
may not support all the graphics cards in your computer.
1
Solution Under Windows 2000/XP, a display driver may support one or more graphics cards. If a
display driver doesn’t support a certain card, a different display driver must be used for that
card. Software that depends on a certain display driver may not work with a graphics card
that’s not using the same display driver.
2
Solution If a graphics card isn’t supported, you may need to remove it. If there’s a graphics processor
built into the motherboard of your computer that’s not supported by your software, see your
system manual for information on how to disable this graphics processor.
Note: Your primary display can’t be disabled.
Note: To restore display adapters, repeat steps 3–5, but click Enable in step 5.
Note: A Matrox driver package that supports multiple graphics cards may be available. For
more information, see the Matrox Web site (www.matrox.com/mga).

Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide 19
2
Cause Windows 2000/XP – If the Windows method for display driver installation was used (instead
of running the setup program included with your Matrox display driver), the driver may not
be installed for all the graphics cards it supports.
1
Solution Run the setup program included with the Matrox display driver. The setup program
automatically installs the display driver for each Matrox graphics card it supports.
Problem In multi-display mode, displays aren’t numbered consecutively
1
Cause If you have more than one graphics card in your computer, the
display numbering may not be consecutive for the displays of a
multiple-display card (for example, a DualHead supporting
card). Display numbering depends on the types of expansion slots used in your computer
(AGP and PCI) and the BIOS settings of your computer.
1
Solution Windows* 2000/XP – Move the displays in Windows.
(* Only while using multiple displays in independant mode. For more information, see PowerDesk help.)
1 Right-click your Windows desktop background, then click Properties " Settings .
2 Select a display and move it according to the physical position of the monitor it’s
associated with.
Problem Screen image defects appear, program doesn’t run properly, or
Windows doesn’t work properly
(example: mouse pointer not drawn properly)
1
Cause Some programs may not work properly with some Matrox acceleration.
1
Solution Disable specific types of software acceleration:
Windows 2000/XP –
1 Double-click the PowerDesk icon ( ) on your Windows taskbar to access the
PowerDesk main interface. To see the PowerDesk icon in Windows XP, you may need to
click the
Show hidden icons button ( ) on your Windows taskbar.
2 Click Help " Troubleshooting settings .
3 Disable one or more features. For more information, see Matrox PowerDesk help.
Note: In multi-display mode, you may have limited control over the arrangement of
your displays. For more information, see Matrox PowerDesk documentation.

20 Matrox Parhelia Precision SGT – User Guide
4 Click OK or Apply for your changes to take effect. (Depending on the feature you
disabled, you may have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.)
2
Solution Disable Windows effects:
Windows 2000 –
1 Right-click your Windows desktop background, then click Properties " Effects .
2 Disable one or more features under Visual effects .
Windows XP –
1 Right-click your Windows desktop background, then click Properties " Appearance "
Effects .
2 Disable one or more features.
3
Solution If possible, update your Matrox display driver. Matrox makes new display drivers available on
the Matrox Web site (www.matrox.com/mga).
4
Solution Windows 2000/XP – Disable Matrox hardware acceleration:
1 Right-click your Windows desktop background, then click Properties " Settings "
Advanced " Troubleshooting .
2 Move the Hardware acceleration slider to None .
3 Click OK " OK to accept the changes.
Problem Program window or dialog box doesn’t appear on screen
1
Cause Another window or dialog box may be covering the window or dialog box you want to see.
1
Solution Move, close, or minimize any window or dialog box that may be covering the window or
dialog box you want to see.
Note: If your Matrox product was provided by the manufacturer of your computer, check
the Web site of that manufacturer for the latest display driver. A display driver provided by
the manufacturer of your computer is more likely to be tested with your computer model.
Note: If you identify a program that doesn’t work well with Matrox acceleration, please
contact Matrox technical support (see page 30) and describe the problem. This
information may help us come up with a fix or work-around in a future driver release.