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

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.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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/

Was this answer helpful?

30+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

68 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2013-10-28T20:46:35+00:00

    Windows8 is a joke of an operating system, it is VISTA revisited.

    Microsoft's best, stellar product which survived far beyond expected lifecycle was WindowsXP, next is Windows7.  Between them was putrid Vista and now "WIndows* for dummies" aka Windows8.

    The professional community i.e. IT people engineers, scientists, researchers, powerusers, technical, brainy people - do not accept a smartphone on their desktop which Windows8 is - designed for housewives, kids, 14-year old girls, "soft majors" like philosophy & history, & such... but if so, they could go "full retard" & switch to an OS which truly overvalues shallow form over hard substance - Apple's.

    Anyway,

    You received Windows8 because it is enforced by new computer sales.

    But if you downgrade to Windows7, it may be possible you'd solve problem by using presumably working solution YOURSELF found for Win7 ?

    Whoever thought Tiles or Metro Interface is "productive" or somehow better than WindowsXP's style Start Menu, keyboard shortcuts, brute computing power for PROFESSIONAL/POWER USERS - is the same kind who crafted ObamaCare this decade & "Microsoft Bob" from 1990's, with their chicken brains.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2013-10-28T21:02:22+00:00

    Wow you're a sociopath. Your reply has nothing to do with this thread, and you write like all the stereotypes you malign in this misguided tirade. Just get another job at a company running Linux already.

    For anyone looking for productive contributions in this thread, I've isolated the problem to being a result of using DisplayPort for my system (desktop machine, 2x video cards, 3x displays). Windows handles the DVI- and HDMI-connected displays normally, and switching any of the same monitors to the DisplayPort port on the graphics cards results in this symptom.

    Hope this helps.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2013-10-28T21:27:50+00:00

    Thus you admit being a computer lamer.  You mentioned DP not working, but DP is THEE top choice for professional & powerusers.

    DP + TB (ThunderBolt, previously known as Light Peak/Peek) is all we care for.

    HDMI is so yesterday, but as mentioned earlier 14-year old girls, housewives, people who think TV is healthy as a computer monitor to stare into for 12 hours/day as I do - they surely will be satisfied with HDMI lameness.

    HDMI is nothing more than old DVI repackaged into denser pinout + Audio added into same connector.  I do NOT care if DVI or its newer incarnation HDMI "work" (and work only after you make painful efforts), what i care for is DP & TB do NOT work.

    Windows8 is still junk.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2013-10-31T03:07:39+00:00

    Again blurting your lack of knowledge "HDMI is nothing more than old DVI repackaged into denser pinout + Audio added into same connector"

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments