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I'm trying to connect a new Pro 7 to two external monitors (Acer) through the Surface Dock. I'm using two USB C to HDMI cables.
The Surface can detect the monitors and assigns them numbers (2 and 3) but the screens remain black and no numbers (or other display) shows up.
If I disconnect one of the monitors, the other one immediately turns on. It's quite bizarre.
I have updated the driver, downloaded firmware updates, disconnected/reconnected everything, and generally done everything that it says on the support page.
I would be grateful if someone could let me know what I need to do to fix this.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Since the trick that works for me as per your suggestion is to reset the video driver by using Win+Ctrl+Shift+B . If a particular monitor still doesn't work. I will do a Win+Ctrl+Shift+B again and the windows OS detects all the monitors. Running a PowerShell script is a better solution I feel. Thank you.
Yesterday, for no good reason, my two extra monitors worked. Today, neither of them worked. Thanks for the Wn+Ctrl+Shift+B tip....I raced to it but, unfortunately didn't work for me. I second that: "Hey Microsoft - you suck"!
Arrrggghhh. This thing sucks. It worked, then it doesn't, then it does, now it doesn't, no, wait, it does ...
I had two monitors working relatively well for almost a year. By 'relatively' that means about 4-5 times a week I would have to unplug and replug monitors in, power down and power back up in order to have both monitors work. Then MS had an 'update' and no matter what I tried I could only get one monitor to work. I tried everything that has been discussed here (within reason). My last attempt was active cables and nothing happened.
Then I stumbled across the "magic bullet" of Win+Ctrl+Shift+Band VOILA! It works again.
Hey Microsoft - you suck.
I've had a similar situation recently with my surface book 3 trying to communicate with two additional external monitors.
What finally ended up working for me was noticing that my surface dock 2 was not labeled as "Surface Dock 2" like it normally is under the "Devices and Printers" list. It was given some other "Unknown USB device" name instead. I right clicked it and uninstalled that device. Then I reconnected the Surface Dock 2 and everything was detected again. My monitors are now working!
Something in the way Windows 10 was communicating with the dock was wrong. This apparently reset some internal settings are got things going again.
Hope this helps others.
I'm not sure if anybody has actually seen the info in this link, but like AndyEllison said, the dock can only support a certain number of monitors and at a capped frequency. Not to mention, I'm pretty sure that includes trying to keep your Surface devices screen still displaying with two or more monitors connected at the same time. I have two 32" QHD monitors connected to my SD1, but I have my SB2's screen not displaying anything with my current monitor configuration. Hope this helps.
