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

Anonymous

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.

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Anonymous

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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68 additional answers

Anonymous

2016-07-01T22:59:43+00:00

I'm an IT guy. I also find it ridiculous that this problem still persists after 6 years, but not surprising. We can either complain to each other or find a solution. While the "Motion Detect Killer" appears to be a consistent solution, I found a better solution that worked for me.

I used a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter cable to fix the problem. (Amazon purchase.) I have a Nvidia NVS 310 Displayport card feeding two DELL U2415 monitors. This problem went away when I ditched the high quality DP cables and used the cheap DP -> HDMI adapter cables I also had available.

You'll know you fixed the problem when you power off the monitor and you don't hear Windows make the disconnect sound similar to when something is removed from a USB port.

Good luck!
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Anonymous

2016-06-30T14:09:11+00:00

I have discovered Ubuntu doesn't do this - Micorsoft are so bad at user interfaces its a joke.
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Anonymous

2016-05-13T11:42:54+00:00

I bought one of these little "Monitor Detect Killer" devices but the problem is this has HDMI connectors and if your setup uses DisplayPort running in resolutions above 1080 (e.g. UHD / 4K) then HDMI going through DP > HDMI > DP adaptors can't handle this resolution. At least I have not found any adaptors that can work properly with the Monitor Detect Killer device without limitations. Support from the supplier of the device is non-existent. They have ignored my emails.
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