I have to work within certain restrictions.

I have to use a corporate version of XP.

I can install any software and hardware I want, but nothing can be loaded during OS install.

I need:

-software to backup the image to an external drive and I need to be able to schedule it during the night.
-one card with 4 vga or dvi output. 2D doesn't have to be a powerhouse, but does have to work with XP and be reliable.

Possible? Buying the software is not a problem. I can't use raid cards, b/c the corporate version of XP won't support loading the raid card drivers during install.

Budget is pretty open.

oh yeah and thanks in advance.

[Edited on January 15, 2009 at 11:26 AM. Reason : so long and thanks for all the fish.]

1/15/2009 11:05:44 AM

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/graphics_cards/qid_series/qidpro/

+

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/

1/15/2009 11:57:38 AM

This is good. I haven't kept up with current multi monitor cards. I've got a matrox 4 head in my home computer, but it's always good to get second opinions.

Recommendations for a external 5.25 IDE USB 2.0 drive enclosure that will also accept 3.5 in IDE hard drives?

[Edited on January 15, 2009 at 12:32 PM. Reason : yo?]

1/15/2009 12:28:50 PM

Troll new egg and see what they have. I'm not sure I've ever seen an enclosure that accepts HDD of different sizes. But, I'm sure there's one out there somewhere.

[Edited on January 15, 2009 at 1:43 PM. Reason : typing FTL]

1/15/2009 1:36:07 PM

Quote :

"-one card with 4 vga or dvi output. 2D doesn't have to be a powerhouse, but does have to work with XP and be reliable. "

You could use a gpu with 2 outputs and use 2 of Matrox's Dual Head to Go's. Which lets you use a high resolution on a single output and then splits the signal to 2 monitors.

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/dh2go/

1/15/2009 3:50:09 PM

Quote :

"Can I connect multiple DualHead2Go/TripleHead2Go units in one system? Although it may be physically possible to connect multiple DualHead2Go/TripleHead2Go units on the same system, Matrox does not recommend doing so. The included Matrox PowerDesk software supports a configuration of one unit per system. Adding more than one unit per system has not been tested."

[Edited on January 15, 2009 at 11:18 PM. Reason : thanks for lookin out though.]

1/15/2009 11:18:23 PM

They don't recommend doing it, but there are quite a few people that run 6 monitor setups with 2 triple head to gos. I plan on doing it eventually for a nice FSX setup. I am planning on running dual 27" and triple 20" non widescreens.

1/16/2009 10:41:39 AM

^ I seriously doubt you could run all that off a single card. Even if you could, I wouldn't.

1/16/2009 10:45:09 AM

Most enclosures just have the connection type. You get a big enclosure that holds 5.25s as long as the 3.5 is the same connection type (IDE) it might rattle around a bit but should be good. Im always pulling enclosures apart to do drive swaps as well as hook up extra cd/dvd drives together.

Also, look into a bracket that shrinks a 5.25 into a 3.5. Ive seen them, they just screw into the bay. that might work for ya if you dont want it rattling around.

1/16/2009 11:20:03 AM

^ good call. i was just looking for an all in one that would come with that bracket. i'm lazy.

1/16/2009 12:36:50 PM

Quote :

"^ I seriously doubt you could run all that off a single card. Even if you could, I wouldn't."

I would buy all the monitors under the assumption that I would need another GPU to run in SLI, test the performance with the single card and then make the decision whether to get another card.

1/16/2009 12:48:20 PM