Extended screen mode in windows 7

[Teaboar]

Hello everyone,

I've got Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit on my HP laptop, and seeing as I got a new monitor as a Christmas present, I'll need to make the proper adjustments to make use of both my laptop screen and the new monitor. I've been able to change the display settings so that they are mostly to my liking, and I've even gotten the start menu to show on both screens, even though I was forced to download a 3rd party program to get this working. The problem I have not managed to get past is that whenever I run any program in full-screen mode, the program is opened on the primary screen by default. What I'd like to be able to do is to choose which screen the program should be displayed on. Is there any way to do this?

 

[quochunguit]

Try Windows Key + X, and click Connect Display.

 

[Teaboar]

Try Windows Key + X, and click Connect Display.

Sorry but I'm not sure I understand what you mean. My displays are already connected and everything else is working fine. The only problem is that if I want to run a program in full-screen mode I am currently forced to use the primary screen for this. So, as an example, if I want to watch a movie on my primary screen while I play a game on the secondary screen, I am forced to play the game in windowed mode so that I can drag it over to my secondary screen, and I'd prefer not to do it this way.

 

[Teaboar]

I now realize I should have thought of a less confusing title for my post. Having said that, I still hope to find a solution for this problem (problem explained in post(s) above). Any help would be much appreciated, thank you.

 

[mikedl]

Short of installing another 3rd party software, there is no way to do this with any consistency, natively, in Win 7.

There are a few tricks but they don't "stick" forever. You have to reinitialize it every now and then and, even at that, it's hit and miss. One thing I do is open the program that's opening on the wrong monitor (it needs to open maximized), restore it down, move it to the monitor I'd like to make as it's default and re-maximize the window. Close the program, re-open it and it should open on the monitor you prefer, however, as I mentioned, it's hit and miss; also, it doesn't "stick" forever when it does work.

EDIT: The window doesn't necessarily have to open maximized. I just tried it by opening my "System Properties" (Win + Break). It opens on monitor 1 in an un-maximized state. I move it to monitor 2, maximize it and restore it back down. Close it, re-open it and it opens on monitor 2. Again, move it to monitor 1, maximize it, restore it back down, close it, re-open it and it opens on monitor 1.

 

[Teaboar]

Thank you for the tip. I actually already tried dragging the program in windowed mode to the secondary screen and then turn full-screen mode back on, but for some reason all programs I've tried jump back to the primary screen when I turn full-screen mode back on.

Looks like I have to find another 3rd party program. My main problem is that even the program I downloaded to get my start menu to show on both screens is a trial version which I can only use for 30-days for free, and I have a feeling that I wont be able to find a free program to fix this issue either.

 

[logicearth]

What is your graphics card? Newer ATI errr AMD cards have a means of doing this.
You can even remove the app for the start menu. Eyefinity makes multiplie monitors appear as one to Windows.

http://www.amd.com/US/PRODUCTS/TECHNOLOGIES/AMD-EYEFINITY-TECHNOLOGY/Pages/eyefinity.aspx

 

[Sardonicus]

Hello everyone,

I've got Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit on my HP laptop, and seeing as I got a new monitor as a Christmas present, I'll need to make the proper adjustments to make use of both my laptop screen and the new monitor. I've been able to change the display settings so that they are mostly to my liking, and I've even gotten the start menu to show on both screens, even though I was forced to download a 3rd party program to get this working. The problem I have not managed to get past is that whenever I run any program in full-screen mode, the program is opened on the primary screen by default. What I'd like to be able to do is to choose which screen the program should be displayed on. Is there any way to do this?

If you're using AMD's CCC, you can duplicate the display without a 3rd party application. You can also extend and swap the dispay.

Are you using CCC?

 

[Kari]

The problem I have not managed to get past is that whenever I run any program in full-screen mode, the program is opened on the primary screen by default.

Short of installing another 3rd party software, there is no way to do this with any consistency, natively, in Win 7..

I find this issue, and Mikedl's answer, really confusing. Only certain games refuse to open full screen on other than main display, but mostly all programs and applications open fullscreen on any display in Windows 7. Natively, without third party display software.

I am using an external display with this laptop of mine. I have absolutely non whatsoever problems to open any application in fullscreen (exception some games) on either the laptop screen or the external display. I do not use any third party software to control display settings, all is done by native Windows 7 tools.

Just to demonstrate my point, here some screenshots.

Laptop screen as main display, DivX Player and WMC running fullscreen on display two (external monitor):

External monitor as main display, DivX Player and WMC running fullscreen on
display two (laptop screen):

Kari

 

[mikedl]

Yes, Kari, you are confused.
My post is not dealing with the issue of full screen mode jumping of it's own accord but having it come up on the monitor of choice each time - not necessarily the primary monitor.

And, please, Kari, if you are ever going to quote me again, please don't take my words out of context or I'll start changing fonts on you.

 

[Kari]

Mikedl, I'm more confused than earlier. I have no problems to open applications in fullscreen on any display. The main factor is on which display the fullscreen application was running last time when it was closed. If I have an application running fullscreen on secondary display and I close it, next time it is launched it opens fullscreen on that secondary display. If I close it when it's running on main display, it also opens next time to main display.

I did not take your words out of context. You said this can not be natively done in Windows 7, and I'm still saying it's not true. I can open almost any application fullscreen on display of my choice, be it main or secondary display, exception being some games as I already mentioned in my previous post. I can open an application fullscreen on main display, then switch it to windowed mode to be moved to secondary display and switch it back fullscreen, this time on secondary display. And vice versa, from fullscreen on secondary display to fullscreen on main display. No third party applications needed.

I fail to see the problem here. Windows 7 lets you use fullscreen mode on display of your choice. In fact, I have often both displays running fullscreen application simultaneously, watching TV or a DVD on one display and playing on another. And I can switch these when I want, TV or DVD for instance from display 1 to display 2 and the game from display 2 to display 1.

Kari

 

[mikedl]

I have full screen applications on my monitors continuously, as well, Kari. That's why I rarely look for desktop wall paper - I rarely see my desktop.

However, programs will not always retain which monitor you want them to open on. I move windows back and forth constantly depending on which program I'm focusing on at the time. If I'm running AutoCAD, I'll put FF on the left (my "working monitor is directly in front of me and is actually the secondary monitor). If I'm chatting on Forums, like now, I'll put FF in front of me, another FF window to the left and pull up emails in Outlook on the left, as well. I often watch videos on the left monitor while working on the one in front of me. I usually have a few other programs going, too, such as CS5, Excel, Word or Access. In the mix of doing that, depending on the state of the application window on last use, the next time I open the application, it may not open on the monitor I desire.

You're confusion lies in the intent of my post, Kari. If the OP could try the suggestion I presented and it worked, problem solved. If not, well, at least we're a bit further along, right?[FONT=&quot]
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[Kari]

I must say this one more time: as far as I can remember, all my applications (with very few exceptions) always open on display where they were last time closed. Full screen or windowed. And I can set most of the applications and programs in fullscreen on any of the displays, this laptop of mine with two displays or my desktop with three displays.

I have no problems to admit I might have misunderstood something here. If I understand both OP and you correctly, I really must say it's not true.

OP said these exact words: "Whenever I run any program in full-screen mode, the program is opened on the primary screen by default. What I'd like to be able to do is to choose which screen the program should be displayed on. Is there any way to do this?" Your exact answer was "Short of installing another 3rd party software, there is no way to do this with any consistency, natively, in Win 7."

But OK, I'll bail out. No need to argue.

Kari

 

[Teaboar]

Just to clarify I'm not talking about programs that can be maximized in windows such as the browser, office programs etc., I'm referring to programs (games in this case) that have an actual full-screen mode to choose from. You might not have been referring to this but I thought I'd point this out just in case.

Also, while I did say any program I run in full-screen mode is displayed on the primary screen by default, I never said I had tried many programs. It's just that every single game I've tried (maybe 5 or 6 games) to run in full screen mode has been displayed on the primary screen and I've been unable to move them to the secondary screen without changing the graphic settings to windowed mode.