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
    2012-07-03T08:24:18+00:00

    I have it while using my 15 pin analog RGB connector, just not always... Seems to randomly decide to screw up my desktop arrangement!

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-15T23:37:27+00:00

    This problem does not happen if you are using monitors that are connected to a 15 pin analog RGB connector.  It only seems to happen with HDMI connectors, as they can detect the type of monitor attached to the computer and also if that monitor is turned on.

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-01-15T17:52:58+00:00

    This is an issue with your setup / configeration of multi monitor, I run multi monitors under win7, as I have in previous win versions, powering off a monitor does not result in the desktop being reset. (I'm using Nvidia drivers/multi monitor set up)

    Iso13818 post stating its nothing to do with drivers is incorrect

    In previous win versions of Nvidia muti monitor setup it was possible to save several different set up configerations, and switch between them.

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