Windows 7 Booting to Secondary Monitor?

MitchellEve · 01 Nov 2011

Alright so I recently just set up dual monitors on my Windows 7 Ultimate x64 bit machine again and I'm noticing that the secondary monitor is getting all the boot information.

I have it set as the secondary monitor in Windows but the secondary monitor gets the BIOS information, and the Windows 7 boot graphic but after Windows boots it switches to the primary display.

Right now my video has two DVI inputs, one VGA and one DVI. Does VGA come first with priority? The VGA connection is my secondary, and the DVI is my primary.

Also, because it has two inputs 1 and 2, I have the VGA one plugged into 1 do you think it would help if I switched them?

rraod · 01 Nov 2011

Whatever the monitor you have setup in windows as primary monitor will get the boot information and get the windows desktop. Check the monitor settings in the Screen Resolutions window.

serpentracer · 01 Nov 2011

if this helps..yours might be the same way.

I have a dual dvi out on my graphics card, aparently one of them is the default (#1) out and the other one is the secondary out(#2). i had to switch mine around to the montior I wanted to use all the time or most of the time I should say. I didn't know it at the time, but I had always had it hooked up to the secondary out. and since I only had one montitor hooked up to it, it never had to change so it always worked. but when I hooked my new tv up that's when I discovered it was on the secondary output.
then when windows restarted it was on the tv and my monitor was blank.
and since I need mine set up to "extend these displays" . because my tv is much bigger and requires a different resolution setting(smaller than the computer monitor actually) to get the display to fill the screen. and when I set it to show desktop on this display (#1) it makes both screens the exact same resolution and you can't change it. so you either have to set it as extended to make 2 different sizes or keep them both the same. and if you have two different sizes you'll want to use the option "extend these displays"

I know that sounds crazy but that's what works on my Nvidia card.

Britton30 · 01 Nov 2011

MitchellEve said:

Right now my video has two DVI inputs, one VGA and one DVI. Does VGA come first with priority? The VGA connection is my secondary, and the DVI is my primary.

Hello, this statement is confusing. I will go with the assumption your graphics card has two outputs, one DVI and one VGA. As rraod said the physical connection should make no difference as to which is primary. After in windows one monitor turns off?
On the Desktop, right click and choose Personalization/Identify to confirm which monitor Windows "thinks" in number 1.

arkhi · 01 Nov 2011

MitchellEve said:

I have it set as the secondary monitor in Windows but the secondary monitor gets the BIOS information, and the Windows 7 boot graphic but after Windows boots it switches to the primary display.

Guys, look at how the BIOS itself posts at the secondary monitor. I would think this has nothing to do with Windows since BIOS comes first.

The reason it switches when Windows boots is that the Windows kernel now takes over the BIOS. Windows knows your settings.

I would suggest either messing with the BIOS settings, or just switch the plugs (i.e. DVI->VGA and vice versa). Makes it easier.

Britton30 · 01 Nov 2011

Arkhi may have something there if you have video on your motherboard and a graphics card installed too. You'll want to disable the on-board and connect both monitors to the card.

rraod · 02 Nov 2011

BIOS will have no settings to switch the monitors.

Open BIOS and try swapping the signal cables a bit to get the BIOS display on your favorite monitor (I assume the left side one) with both monitors connected.

Later on make that monitor as primary monitor in windows and the other one as either secondary monitor or you can use it to stretch your desktop from primary monitor.

Britton30 · 02 Nov 2011

The BIOS will have a default video option IF OP has on-board video. It will set which to use first. If the on-board is set as default, and the 2nd monitor is connected to it, it will show POST then hand off to Windows on the first monitor which may be connected to the card.

Carmaine · 21 Jan 2012

I do apologize for reviving this old thread, but I seem to be having the same issue as the OP.

I own an old GeForce 8400GS with 2 inputs. 1 VGA and 1 DVI.

The VGA is currently connected to my Vizio TV, while the DVI is connected to my "primary" ASUS computer monitor.

Both POST and Windows displays on the TV until it reaches the login screen. Then it is displayed on the DVI monitor.

Just to make sure, I did the following: (see image link below)
1. Made it the "primary" monitor in Windows 7.
2. It is detected as "1" in the display.
3. Did NOT extend the displays and kept it ONLY at the monitor.
4. Updated Drivers

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/8...eenshotdgw.png

I also checked BIOS for video settings and there was none and I STILL can't get it to show on the monitor.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

serpentracer · 21 Jan 2012

Carmaine said:

I do apologize for reviving this old thread, but I seem to be having the same issue as the OP.

I own an old GeForce 8400GS with 2 inputs. 1 VGA and 1 DVI.

The VGA is currently connected to my Vizio TV, while the DVI is connected to my "primary" ASUS computer monitor.

Both POST and Windows displays on the TV until it reaches the login screen. Then it is displayed on the DVI monitor.

Just to make sure, I did the following: (see image link below)
1. Made it the "primary" monitor in Windows 7.
2. It is detected as "1" in the display.
3. Did NOT extend the displays and kept it ONLY at the monitor.
4. Updated Drivers

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/8...eenshotdgw.png

I also checked BIOS for video settings and there was none and I STILL can't get it to show on the monitor.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

it's like that because the VGA is the "#1" monitor out for your card. mine was the same way except I have 2 dvi out. one was the #1 monitor and the other was the #2 monitor. so I had to switch the cables around.

but I"m not quite sure what you're trying to accomplish with your setup.

if you need the DVI(your computer monitor) as the "primary" or "#1" display you'll have to set your settings up as #2(Show desktop on 2). because #2 is your card's DVI output. windows is changing it all to your tv because you're telling it to with the setting you're using. but you didn't know the vga is the #1 out on your graphics card.