Solved Windows 7 no changing main display when monitor is turned off

[Mike Moren]

Windows 7 not changing main display when monitor is turned off

Hello,
I am running Windows 7 Professional 64-bit on a Dell Precision M6800 laptop, graphics card is Nvidia Quadro K3100M. I have a 3-monitor setup: one monitor being the laptop LCD, and the other two being Dell U2414h. My laptop is on the far right. I've had these in extended mode with a Display Port 1.2 daisy chain setup for about 1.5 years. Due to the massive headache of the DP1.2 daisy chain setup not being reliable with these monitors (tons of forums on this subject), I recently bought an HDMI 2.0 cable so I could run one U2414h off of the DP1.2 port on my laptop and the other U2414h off the HDMI port on my laptop. When all three monitors are turned on, I like my main display to be the monitor on the far left. With the previous daisy chain setup, my main display would shift from left to right as my monitors were turned off (left to right). With this current setup (one via DP1.2, the other via HDMI), my main display will not shift to my middle monitor when the left one is turned off, so when I turn my left monitor off, I lose my task bar and all icons (they don't shift to another monitor). Is anyone else using a similar setup where they've had this issue, and was there a resolve?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ranger4]

Hi Mike Moren, welcome to the Forum.

As you are using separate inputs to the monitors, one being HDMI & the other the DP1.2 port, you will not get automatic shifting of the main Desktop screen when you turn one of the monitors off, like you were before.

You can use the Windows key/P key to switch between monitors. You are using the extended screen set up at present, so only one screen has the full desktop showing. Using the Windows/P keys you can have all screens as duplicate also if you wish. Try it out & see for yourself.

If you right click on your main desktop & select Screen Resolution there are some options to select from as well.

 

[Mike Moren]

Ranger4,
Thank you very much for the reply! Your answer seems to confirms what I had suspected. After I made my post yesterday, I decided to try switching back to a DP1.2 daisy chain configuration, and after doing so I tested shutting off the monitors one by one. The automatic shifting definitely does work with this configuration and not with the independent DP-to-DP, HDMI-to-HDMI connections. If I decide to go back to the independent connection due to DP daisy chaining issues, I'll remember the Windows key/P tip to shift the main display as needed. Thanks!

If I did get a Dell Advanced Port Replicator with two DP1.2 ports and I had each Dell U2414h monitor connected independently to a DP port on the replicator, would I expect to have the same results as the DP-DP, HDMI-HDMI connection, or do you think the replicator would allow the auto shifting of the main display with using independent DP ports?

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Ranger4]

Ranger4,
If I did get a Dell Advanced Port Replicator with two DP1.2 ports and I had each Dell U2414h monitor connected independently to a DP port on the replicator, would I expect to have the same results as the DP-DP, HDMI-HDMI connection, or do you think the replicator would allow the auto shifting of the main display with using independent DP port.

I do not know if that would work the same way or differently. You would have to try it & see.

 

[Mike Moren]

Thanks Ranger4. I may give it a try if I continue having problems.

 

[Ranger4]

You are welcome & thanks for getting back.