Dual Monitor blacks out the second monitor in locked mode

Anonymous
2010-06-25T15:36:04+00:00

Hi There,

We work in support environment and use dual monitors setup. WIN7 heard to have very good support for such setup and easy to use functionalities. However at some point something which was great has gone troubled.

We can use both the monitors while working on it however just the time its locked it blacks out the second monitor background and screensavers set if any. I tried looking for any config changes but in vain. Looking out for answer to this here.

Thanking you in advance.

Kunal Pathak

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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.

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Anonymous
2010-10-02T20:28:13+00:00

There is no built in way to change this functionality. **When locked, one screen will be black.**There may be some 3rd party software that may do this however it would not be supported by  Microsoft.

Matthew Arkin - Windows Answers Moderator - Windows Desktop Experience MVP - http://twitter.com/Microsoft\_Cares

This forum post is my own opinion and does not necessarily reflect the opinion or view of Microsoft, its employees, or other MVPs.

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-09-14T10:36:37+00:00

    Thanks Dan, would surely let you know if come across any option to that black screen.

    Hi all,

    Any update on this issue as it is an absolute nuisance now?

    I understand that this is a purley Asthetic issue, however the functionality was there in XP, and to remove this is somewhat of a bugbear that is grinding me down.

    Any help or updates on this will be greatly appreciated

    Cheers

    Heidbanger

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-08-03T19:46:28+00:00

    Thanks Dan, would surely let you know if come across any option to that black screen.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-08-03T19:45:11+00:00

    Hi Chris,

    Thanks for the reply however as coldfire(Dan) well explained the set of options were built in with no setting required in all prev. versions of windows untill XP. After vista it has changed and I believe to Coldfire that there is no way back.

    If you still can understand the point in my question and if MS has answer to this I thank you and welcome you for your comments and help many like me to overcome the boring black second screen.

    Thanks,

    Kunal

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-07-09T13:18:59+00:00

    Chris,

    I don't think you understand what he is asking for. If you do, then you are mistaken. It was definitely built into XP. If you set your group policy settings correctly, you can see your wallpaper when you LOCK the computer. It shows on both monitors and requires no plugins or third party software. This doesn't mean it shows on the logon screen, just the lock screen. They changed it in Vista and Windows 7 so that this isn't possible anymore. You had to have the welcome screen and fast user switching off. Domain environments were always setup like that, so we got used to it being that way where we work.

    KK_KNL,

    I have searched extensively for a way to change the second screen from black to something else and haven't found anything so far, 3rd party or otherwise. If anyone has found a way though, I would love to know how. I have found many ways to change the main screen logon/lock screen background, but not the black second screen. With the death of GINA and rise of credUI, there is no way to go back to old classic logon/lock screen and get away from the new welcome screen style. Which also means no domain drop-down list either.

    Thanks,

    Dan

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