Windows 7 Dual Monitors - Turning off a monitor causes desktop to rearrange resulting in significant amounts of lost productivity.

Anonymous
2010-02-03T17:25:23+00:00

I have 2 monitors connected to a nVidia FX 580 card running Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. One monitor is connected via DVI and the other via DP (Display Port).

If I turn off the DP monitor, I hear the windows sound indicating hardware was "removed". When I turn the monitor back on, I hear the new hardware sound, windows re-detects the monitor as if I just installed it, and my entire desktop icon layout and any windows I had open are then all rearranged and takes a significant amount of time re-organizing to get back to where I was.

I leave my PC on 24hrs a day for several reasons - and for years have always just turned my monitors off when not in use.

I need to be able to turn off my monitors without windows deciding that I have "removed" a monitor.

I work for a medical imaging software company where we provide complete hardware and software solutions for use in Radiology departments in hospitals. These systems typically have 3 or 4 monitors connected, all via DP these days. Because of the possibility of the users desktop getting messed up if they happen to turn off a monitor, we are unable to install systems with Windows 7.

While many may see this as nothing more then a inconvenience, this is a show-stopper as far as we are concerned. As of yet I have not found a workable solution to this issue.

So here's the question: How do we disable this new behavior in Windows 7 and allow it to understand that the monitor hasn't gone away and that the desktop should not be rearranged simply because the monitor was turned off?

Thank you.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2015-02-28T12:44:10+00:00

I've written a little utility to address this issue. It's still very thrown together, but opensource, so you can compile from sources if you've got any security concerns.

Hope it works out for you!

http://www.ninjacrab.com/persistent-windows/

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-08-04T20:24:33+00:00

    Actually, this really is a graphics card and/or graphics driver issue.  On one of my Windows 7 x64 machines, I was running an ATI Radeon X1600 card (with latest drivers at the time) and I experienced the same symptoms.  I swapped the graphics card out with an NVIDIA GeForce GT 220 (plus the latest drivers) and the problem went away.  I was then able to gleefully power on/off any monitor of my choosing without affecting the desktop and monitor configuration.

    So, try different (newer or older) drivers, and if that doesn't work, try a different video card.  It's not like there's some secret Windows setting that disables monitor detection...or is there?  :P

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-07-28T22:27:25+00:00

    This isn't answering the question.  The poster wants Windows to leave his desktop and monitor configuration alone even though he powers off a connected monitor.  This makes perfect sense, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the graphics drivers, etc.

    Said another way, he (and others) want the display setup to persist until they explicitly change it.  It should not respond in any automatic way to connects and disconnects of monitors.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-05-11T16:53:49+00:00

    I have the same problem, I want my primary monitor to be the right hand monitor and when I leave my computer for a bit the screen saver kicks in and it locks, I log back in and it thinks the screen extended to the left is now extended to the right, needless to say it is annoying to have to go and readjust where the screen is located every time I log back into my computer.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-02-04T16:36:38+00:00

    Hi Mrsmith123,

    Please note that, we cannot make windows to ignore any hardware changes, as this will detect any hardware changes and will install the respectful drivers for the drivers.

    Also note that the issue which you are facing might due to the change in resolution, which will rearrange the desktop icons.

    In order to troubleshoot this issue you need to update the drivers for your monitor and also the graphic card drivers.

    I recommend you to update the graphic drivers and see if it makes any difference. You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps.

    1. Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

    2.      In Device Manager, locate the device, and then double-click the device name.

    3.      Click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver and follow the instructions.

    Now try to follow the below provided link to Update a driver for hardware that isn't working properly and check for the issue.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Update-a-driver-for-hardware-that-isnt-working-properly

    To update the drivers for your monitor you need to contact your hardware manufacturer.

    For more information in troubleshooting Troubleshoot multiple monitor problems

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Troubleshoot-multiple-monitor-problems

    Thanks and Regards:

    Shalini Surana - Microsoft Support.

    Visit our  Microsoft Answers Feedback Forumand let us know what you think.

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