Dual Monitors & HDMI Switch: Desktop Issue

[rjupiter]

Hi -

I am running
Win 7 Ultimate with a
GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB and
two SAMSUNG 226BW Black 22" Monitors.

Now I have them set to run through a Monoprice HDMI Switch because I also have my 360 running on the one monitor as well.

Now my issue comes into play, which I am not sure if its the card or not, is when i use the switch to change the one monitor over to play the 360. All the items that were on that monitors screen, like icons, folders, taskbar, what have you, gets shifted over to the other screen.

This, beyond annoying, messes me up because then i have to replace everything on the screen to the position it was, and using auto arrange would not help with something like Rainmeter which I am running. I do know when I had XP and switched over to the 360 this did not happen. So , I don't know what is different in 7 that is now making it do this but is there a way to fix it?

thanks

 

[Coolness]

Hi -

I am running
Win 7 Ultimate with a
GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB and
two SAMSUNG 226BW Black 22" Monitors.

Now I have them set to run through a Monoprice HDMI Switch because I also have my 360 running on the one monitor as well.

Now my issue comes into play, which I am not sure if its the card or not, is when i use the switch to change the one monitor over to play the 360. All the items that were on that monitors screen, like icons, folders, taskbar, what have you, gets shifted over to the other screen.

This, beyond annoying, messes me up because then i have to replace everything on the screen to the position it was, and using auto arrange would not help with something like Rainmeter which I am running. I do know when I had XP and switched over to the 360 this did not happen. So , I don't know what is different in 7 that is now making it do this but is there a way to fix it?

thanks

So let me get this straight: You have two monitors, both are used by your computer, but you want to switch one of them over to the Xbox when you want. This sound right? Have you installed the newest drivers from the Nvidia site? That card is quite old, im not sure if you're gonna get drivers for Se7en, but if not, use the XP drivers.

Oh yeah, and did you upgrade or clean install? If you upgraded, there should be a old.windows directory in you C: and you should find the old working drivers there.

 

[Zepher]

Are you sure it didn't happen in XP, reason I ask is that our video editing machine exhibits the same issue you are having in 7.
If I disconnect the monitor (which is what your HDMI switch does when you switch sources), XP makes that Disconnect sound, both screens flash and items get shifted to the monitor that is still on.
Our editing machine has an ATI 3XXX series card and 2 24" Westinghouse monitors.

 

[Zahl]

What dual screen mode are you using? Make sure you are not switching over your primary display and have the switch on the secondary display.
I have a similar setup, using extended desktop, with one output from my video card going directly into my primary display and output two from the video card going in to a monoprice four port switch.

 

[rjupiter]

So let me get this straight: You have two monitors, both are used by your computer, but you want to switch one of them over to the Xbox when you want. This sound right? Have you installed the newest drivers from the Nvidia site? That card is quite old, im not sure if you're gonna get drivers for Se7en, but if not, use the XP drivers.

Oh yeah, and did you upgrade or clean install? If you upgraded, there should be a old.windows directory in you C: and you should find the old working drivers there.

yes, they are available and the drivers have nothing to do with it. its already all set up, i have no problem with the card. it was clean.

 

[rjupiter]

What dual screen mode are you using? Make sure you are not switching over your primary display and have the switch on the secondary display.
I have a similar setup, using extended desktop, with one output from my video card going directly into my primary display and output two from the video card going in to a monoprice four port switch.

i have mine on extended and the one on which i have my xbox hooked up is not set as my main display in windows although it is listed a "1" when it is identified on screen.

 

[Coolness]

So let me get this straight: You have two monitors, both are used by your computer, but you want to switch one of them over to the Xbox when you want. This sound right? Have you installed the newest drivers from the Nvidia site? That card is quite old, im not sure if you're gonna get drivers for Se7en, but if not, use the XP drivers.

Oh yeah, and did you upgrade or clean install? If you upgraded, there should be a old.windows directory in you C: and you should find the old working drivers there.

yes, they are available and the drivers have nothing to do with it. its already all set up, i have no problem with the card. it was clean.

Well the drivers mostly have everything to do with everything, so please take my advice and install them. Even if they are not this probelm related, this will save you more troubles in the future.

 

[Zahl]

i have mine on extended and the one on which i have my xbox hooked up is not set as my main display in windows although it is listed a "1" when it is identified on screen.

If you right click on the desktop and go into "Screen Resolution" does the monitor you are using on the switch have a "1" on it? if so it is setup as your primary. The secondary display should not have a windows taskbar on it in extended mode like you mentioned in your post.
On the display outputs on the back of the card make sure you have your primary display hooked up to the dvi port closest to the pci-e connection(motherboard).
Also is your switch powered? Like do you have to plug it in to a power outlet? Gives us the model please if you can.

 

[tonymacprods]

Me too (though I'm using Vista), did you ever solve it?

rjupiter sorry to resurrect this rather old post but did you ever manage to solve the problem?

I have the same issue though I'm using a Neet HDMI matrix and running vista. Whenever the HDMI switch isn't sending the PC's HDMI feed (which is always configured as the secondary display) to any of the two displays I have connected Vista drops the display and sends all the programs to the primary display...

I have posted on avforums here Vista dropping extended desktop when using HDMI switch - AVForums.com if anyone feels like chirping in!

Tony