Dual Monitors not so dual

ellsy82

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Greetings all.

I'm having a slight problem figuring this one out. I shouldn't, but this problem is kicking my rear. I've got two AOC monitors set up for a client, yet they don't actually portray a "stretched desktop" over the two monitors. It Displays one "widescreen image of my desktop on the right monitor, and what looks like a fullscreen image on the left. I've gone through the usual setup for dual monitors...

Change Display Settings ->
Select 2 in the monitor selection screen ->
Select "Extend" in the other option menu.

I've tried "Windows + P" and tried it that way too.

I've made sure they're the same resolution and an display hertz are the same. I hope to the Gods that this is an easy fix and one of you will have a quick solution for me, but I've gone over all my specs and I just can NOT figure it out. Its usually an easy setup, but for some reason, I'm stumped.
 
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Windows 7 Pro x64Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz4 GBNVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP dc5800
OS
Windows 7 Pro x64
CPU
Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Monitor(s) Displays
Dual 23" AOC monitors
Screen Resolution
1280x1024
Hard Drives
2 TB Seagate Barracuda
Internet Speed
3 Mb
Are they the same model AOC monitors? How are you connecting the monitors...what type of cables? Are you connecting them both to the mobo or to a gpu or one to each?
 

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Custom built
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Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
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Gigabyte GA-MA790X-DS4
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GSkill 4 X 2 GB PC 8500
Graphics Card(s)
XFX Radeon HD 6790 D
Sound Card
On board RealTek HD
Monitor(s) Displays
Dual monitors:Samsung SyncMaster S20B300
Screen Resolution
1600 X 900
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Seagate Barracuda 1TB (primary)
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Ultra X4 750 watt fully modular
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Thermaltake Overseer RX 1 full tower
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Logitech G510
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Haha. Yeah, they're on a VGA splitter. Same model number on both monitors. Could that be a problem?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Pro x64Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz4 GBNVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP dc5800
OS
Windows 7 Pro x64
CPU
Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Monitor(s) Displays
Dual 23" AOC monitors
Screen Resolution
1280x1024
Hard Drives
2 TB Seagate Barracuda
Internet Speed
3 Mb
I wouldn't think so. I mean, the computer recognizes both screens. I just can't figure out why it won't 'extend' the two. Infuriating.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Pro x64Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz4 GBNVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP dc5800
OS
Windows 7 Pro x64
CPU
Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Monitor(s) Displays
Dual 23" AOC monitors
Screen Resolution
1280x1024
Hard Drives
2 TB Seagate Barracuda
Internet Speed
3 Mb
they're on a VGA splitter

Unless the port on the card is dual head, that is the problem. They need to be connected to separate ports on the card.
 

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Win 7 Ultimate x64FX-8350 @ 4.6 GHz so farADATA XPG V1 Series Black 8GB DDR3 1600Sapphire R9 270x Dual-X
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Me
OS
Win 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
FX-8350 @ 4.6 GHz so far
Motherboard
Asus M5A97 EVO
Memory
ADATA XPG V1 Series Black 8GB DDR3 1600
Graphics Card(s)
Sapphire R9 270x Dual-X
Sound Card
Xonar DGX w/ Corsair Vengence 1300
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer S232HL Abid
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
120 GB OCZ Vertex 3
500 GB Seagate 7200.12
PSU
Antec Earthwatts 650W Green
Case
Antec Three Hundred
Cooling
Cooler Master 212 EVO
Keyboard
Logitech G510
Mouse
Logitech G500s
Internet Speed
35000/3000
Additional info: The monitors are imaging eachother, like it recognizes the second monitor, but just replicates what you see on the first one.

Again, the left monitor is in "full screen" format, like it cuts of 20% of the screen on either side. The right one is "widescreen", as it should be.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Pro x64Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz4 GBNVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP dc5800
OS
Windows 7 Pro x64
CPU
Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Monitor(s) Displays
Dual 23" AOC monitors
Screen Resolution
1280x1024
Hard Drives
2 TB Seagate Barracuda
Internet Speed
3 Mb
they're on a VGA splitter

Unless the port on the card is dual head, that is the problem. They need to be connected to separate ports on the card.

So both of them need to be connected to the actual computer? I've seen this same splitter work hundreds of times.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Pro x64Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz4 GBNVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP dc5800
OS
Windows 7 Pro x64
CPU
Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Monitor(s) Displays
Dual 23" AOC monitors
Screen Resolution
1280x1024
Hard Drives
2 TB Seagate Barracuda
Internet Speed
3 Mb
they're on a VGA splitter

Unless the port on the card is dual head, that is the problem. They need to be connected to separate ports on the card.

So both of them need to be connected to the actual computer? I've seen this same splitter work hundreds of times.

Well, technically I've never tried it on a stand alone video card. Hmmm...Let me give that a shot.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Pro x64Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz4 GBNVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP dc5800
OS
Windows 7 Pro x64
CPU
Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Monitor(s) Displays
Dual 23" AOC monitors
Screen Resolution
1280x1024
Hard Drives
2 TB Seagate Barracuda
Internet Speed
3 Mb
Update: Impossible. There's a card lid that overlaps the lip of the video card slot. So much so that I cannot even insert a VGA connection into it. I've got a VGA-2-DVI connection working currently. *sigh*
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Pro x64Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz4 GBNVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP dc5800
OS
Windows 7 Pro x64
CPU
Intel Dual-Core e5200 2.5GHz
Memory
4 GB
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GEForce 8400GS
Monitor(s) Displays
Dual 23" AOC monitors
Screen Resolution
1280x1024
Hard Drives
2 TB Seagate Barracuda
Internet Speed
3 Mb
As far as I understand a VGA Y connector will only mirror the first monitor to the other.
The best way to use the extend desktop the way you want it (desktop to take up both monitors completely) you would have to use the video cards software, such as AMD's eyefinity to do what you are looking for.
 

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Windows 7 professional X64AMD A10-5800K OC@ 4.4Ghz.8GB Kingston HyperX Blu 1333mhzXFX HD7870 2GB Core Edition
Computer type
PC/Desktop
OS
Windows 7 professional X64
CPU
AMD A10-5800K OC@ 4.4Ghz.
Motherboard
Gigabyte F2A85X-UP4
Memory
8GB Kingston HyperX Blu 1333mhz
Graphics Card(s)
XFX HD7870 2GB Core Edition
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer AL2216W
Screen Resolution
1680x1050
Hard Drives
Seagate Barracuda 500gb 7200rpm
Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB 7200rpm
PSU
Cooler Master Silent Pro M 850W
Case
Thermaltake Commander MS-I
Cooling
Cooler Master N520
Mouse
Logitech M504
Internet Speed
10Mbps
Make and model number of the VGA splitter would help. If its what we suspect it is, it just sends the same source signal to two monitors at once. To extend your desktop across multiple monitors each monitor requires and independent video signal.
 

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Windows 10 Education 64 bitAMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 MemoryZotac NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home Built
OS
Windows 10 Education 64 bit
CPU
AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
Motherboard
Asus M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
Memory
8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
Graphics Card(s)
Zotac NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
Sound Card
VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
Monitor(s) Displays
22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
Screen Resolution
1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
Hard Drives
Crucial M100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
PSU
Thermaltake TR 620
Case
Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
Cooling
Stock heatsink and fan
Keyboard
Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
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Logitech Wireless M570 Trackman Wheel
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80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
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Windows Defender
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Internet Explorer 11
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HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
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