Had to use VGA cable with new LG 2290 monitor.

[AF6LJ]

I experimented by adding the digital cable (the NVidia has two ports). The computer now thinks I have two monitors. The second input displays a virtual (empty) desktop in which I cannot bring up the taskbar. Just can't operate with only the digital cable alone.

I will not investigate this further, since this system gets replaced (7 years old) with a new (I5 Quad 2500X and Windows 7 Pro 32 bit) in about a week or so.

Might think about putting Linux on the older system, but space (and the KVM switch) will be an issue.

Thanks everybody. Stay tuned for Chapter 2.

If you are running XP
the DVI wasn't directly supported and needed a driver installed on Windows XP.
I can tall you on newer hardware and Windows Vista and Seven the support is not a problem not even a problem at the BIOS level.
My roommate is using a six year old Vista box and has a ViewSonic monitor with a DVI cable.
All works fine.

[KA9JLM]

I suspect we may have a cabling/connector issue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface
Scroll down to the connetor section. I suspect the video card output is DVI-A and the monitor input is DVI-D.
This will not work as the DVI-A spec had NO digital output. It's analog only. The monitor is expecting digital signals on a DVI-D port.
Either use the VGA output or upgrade the video card.

The NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT is DVI-I Dual Link and should work, with the proper drivers, and proper cable.

DVI-I is both digital and analog.

[W9GB]

I experimented by adding the digital cable (the NVidia has two ports). The computer now thinks I have two monitors.

Correct.
The NVIDIA software OR MS Windows Video/Monitor configuration (screen resultion, setup, etc.) can change that defualt condition.

gb