Windows 7: Multiple-monitor problem playing steam games

If I have both my monitors enabled and try to start a game such as CS:S or TF2, it puts it into an infinite loading screen and I can never get to the main menu. The only way to fix this is to play in windowed mode or disable the second monitor. Has any body heard of a fix for this?

What build are you using? I'm running two screens and use steam all the time and never had a problem.

build 7100

also got gtx 260 running 186.18 (latest).

thats odd, Have you selected your main monitor? , I'm also running 2 screens, and it runes perfectly fine.

Hmm I seemed to have fixed it. Here is the following things I did, not sure which one was the fix though.

Uninstalled Display fusion, this program made custom wallpapers for dual monitors.

Changed my wallpaper to a default one again.

One of my monitors was at 60hz while the other was at 59hz. Now both are 60hz.

I noticed the only way to make CS SOURCE is always "click" an icon or run the steam app with the MAIN MONITOR ( Ie, the one that runs the game )

not doing this will get a black screen then the windows cursor will be visible, and then if you press anything, the game will crash.
funnily this doesnt happen with Left4dead or Team Fortress 2

Hi guys, I'm a game developer and this issue has come up on our game whilst going through testing :/

From what I can tell it's EVERY Windows 7 rig with two monitors. I've managed to replicate it in the office and the only work arounds I can see is to set the main monitor to the games native screen resolution or unplug the second monitor or run the game windowed. It appears that while 7 is running two monitors it won't let applications change one of the monitors resolutions.

So I have some questions for those whose dual monitor rigs are/aren't working;

If your dual monitors are working with full screen games:

What games are they working on? (extra brownie points if you can show me a demo that works so we don't have to pay for it!)
Is that game running in the same resolution as your desktop?
If it's the same resolution, change your main display to a different one, does it still work?
If it changes the resolution, does it change the resolution for both monitors (use a desktop image, it will change size if the resolution changes)?
Does it switch the second monitor off while playing the game?
Anything else you feel noteworthy?

If your dual monitors aren't working with full screen games:

What games have you tried?
Have you tried changing your main display resolution to the game resolution?
Have you tried unplugging the second monitor?
Have you tried anything else that made it work?

I'd really appreciate your help, it looks like lots of people are having this issue with games that were created pre-windows7 and there isn't much info on the issue. The workarounds I have mentioned do work however.

Many thanks,
Andy

Found the fix

1) Go to
Control Panel\Appearance and Personalisation\Display\Screen Resolution

2) Right click the screens and go to properties the click on the Monitors tab then make sure both screen refresh rates are the same (myn are 60Hertz)



Then run your game and enjoy

(this is my Christmas present to windows )

I have this problem as well, but still a bit of an issue. I did make both monitors 60hz refresh, but I don't know why I had to create the setting manually. My big monitor only showed 59hz even though it's obviously 60. Anyway I added the number in and got both monitors to 60 and now those settings are staying.

When I launch STEAM it still resizes my main window to 600x480. Everytime after launching it I have to go in and reset to 1900x1220. While it's not the worst thing in the world it is very annoying doing this every time. My secondary screen has no problem but the launch changing my screen settings makes no sense to me.

I run Win Home Premium / GTX260 1.8gb (yes it's real and came on my computer) / 9gb ram / HP e9290f rig. I don't know if I've missed something but time after time I have learned to dislike the STEAM program. I don't have issues with anything else but STEAM. Thanks for any help I really appreciate it.

Serge

Andy,

I don't seem to have a problem with my dual monitors on the games themselves. Windows 7 gtx260. The games I'm running are MW2 / Bioshock / L4D2 / BFBC2 / and Homefront. My problem after using the advice here is that STEAM seems to resize my main window every time. From 1900x1220 to 600x480 which is really annoying. No matter what I do, I have to resize it everytime STEAM launches. The games themselves don't seem to have any issues. I do have to get a new video card as Homefront on high settings is making my puter go to Windows 7 basic. STEAM IS BADDDDD.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I did finally get my cards to both be 60hz refresh rates which helped the games. Manually having to input the refresh sounds odd to me since the video card and monitor support this. 59hz was the only option I had automatically on the main monitor even though the secondary had 60hz. I was able to change it manually.

Serge