Configure the DOS videocard as the primary in bios? I’ve never seen a bios that actually lets you pick between various PCI cards but it would probably default to the pci videocard in the first slot.

I checked my BIOS before posting this and unfortunately it isn't one of the rare cases where i can designate a primary video device.

Hopefully I will be able to do as you say and plug things in in the right way where it detects something first, but I'm not optimistic.

You could always modify the cards or the motherboard and have some switches mounted on the case or on on a slot cover that would allow you to disable power going to the cards you do not want to use.

For that matter, you could even use a rotary switch from a data switch.

You would have to make sure to only operate the switch(es) while the power to the computer is off.

Interesting!

I installed a second GPU last night, successfully got XP to ignore 1 card and 98 to ignore the other. Really interesting to note is that the POST messages and pre-load happened on the card that was on the lowest number slot! Hoping that this remains true after getting a card that's optimal for DOS.

Will post results here.