Nerd Expo

First, your video card needs to support dual monitor. When you first connect both monitor, they may both work but are duplicates of each other. Here's how to fix that problem.

Startup the Dispaly configuration as follows:
(Bottom Left)Start->Setting->Control Panel->Display

In Display Configuration, click on the Settings tab. If your video card supports 2 monitors, the picture should show 2 monitors. Click on the 2nd monitor to select it. Now select the option "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor." by click the box next to it. The 2nd monitor is part part of the desktop. You can access it by moving the mouse to the right.

Say your 2nd monitor is on your left, you can drag the 2nd monitor icon and move it ot the left ot the 1st monitor.

The 2nd monitor is probably on 8bit color right now. Select the 2nd monitor, left click them mouse, and choose properties. You can configure this monitor to the way you want it.

I originally had hope to play games and have another application running at the same time, but that generally doesn't work as the game will take over and shut the 2nd monitor down.