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
    2013-06-03T05:15:16+00:00

    Same problem here with Display port and a second monitor with Windows 8. Hoping someone finds a solution.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-07-15T16:04:39+00:00

    I am also experiencing this issue with dual HP LA2405x monitors, one on an Intel HD integrated graphics DisplayPort, and the other on an nVidia GeForce 210 DVI port.  I am running Windows 7 x64 SP1 with the latest drivers for both video cards.  The symptom is that if I shut the primary monitor off (DisplayPort), when I turn it back on the icons are all rearranged.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-07-22T08:24:44+00:00

    Hi Mark,

    Considering the age of the thread and to avoid confusion, I would recommend creating a new thread so that the community can focus on that thread.

    Refer to the following link prior to posting a question so that you may provide all the relevant information, for us to help you: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

    Thanks.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-07-22T08:39:39+00:00

    How is it less confusing to create another thread, where there has been so much work to build this one? Users will then be forced to choose between a new and empty thread, or an old thread with many contributions. Which would you choose? I'd choose the other. Hence confusion.

    The problem isn't that the thread is old; it's that this problem still persists.

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