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Extended Desktop Constantly Reset to Duplicate or Single Display

Anonymous
2010-02-03T22:02:43+00:00

My normal setup is a laptop with a second display configured as an extended desktop.  XP, Vista, never a problem.  However, with my new Windows 7 system, whenever I reboot or install something, the screen resets itself to "Show desktop on 1 only" or occasionally to "Duplicate these displays".  The latter is shown at 800x 600.

To fix, I use Screen Resolution on the Desktop popup menu and select "Extend these displays".  Next time I boot ...

How do It get Windows 7 to remember what I want?

Nick

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-12-14T21:55:59+00:00

    Same problem here with a desktop computer running Windows 7 Professional x64 (64-bit edition).

    I have an nVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT with two DVI outputs.  I have two ViewSonic flat panel monitors connected (via DVI cables).

    After rebooting Windows, the monitor identified as #2 is blank.  I find it necessary to go into Control Panel, choose Display and then Change display settings.  This gets me to a window labelledScreen Resolution.  I always find that the setting forMultiple displays has reverted from "Extend these displays" back to "Show desktop only on 1".

    My gut feeling is that this is a Windows problem and NOT a display driver problem.  I have watched things closely through many reboots and I find that the POWER LEDs on BOTH monitors show as active through the reboot process.  However at the end of the reboot process the LED changes from active to standby on my monitor #2.

    In a couple of cases I've had to restart Windows after a blue screen, crash, or hang situation.  In these cases I find that my monitor #2 is actually active during the reboot process but becomes inactive AFTER the reboot has completed.  To me - there is something in Windows which is changing the setting for Multiple displays back to "Show desktop only on 1".

    I have the same issue with both of these GeForce drivers:

    • GeForce Driver 258.96 [July 2010]

    (258.96_desktop_win7_winvista_64bit_english_whql)

    • GeForce Driver 260.99 [October 2010]

    (260.99_desktop_win7_winvista_64bit_english_whql)

    Sure would love to fix this...

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2017-09-26T00:57:21+00:00

    Display Setting >> Advance Display >> Display Adapter Property >> Select Color management Tab.

    Select Color Management button and it will open color management windows.

    Select respective monitor and select Add button which will show available color profile select color profile for your monitor. This will associate color profile with monitor as profile - which will create .ICM file. Thats it.

    Test : Disconnect monitor from laptop. lock laptop. wait for couple of minute - until Monitor go to sleep mode. Connect monitor again and it will load the screen with default setting without selecting any monitor.

    8 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2012-05-07T18:38:20+00:00

    I get this from time to time, evidently its a windows 7 bug or whatever, who knows you would think they would get stuff like this fixed by now.

    I just hit Windows+P and reset it. Its a nuissance like the rest that comes with windows.

    7 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2011-06-24T01:42:01+00:00

    *blush*

    The cause in my case seems to have been a loose monitor cable.

    Make sure your cable pins are not loose like mine were :)

    3 people found this answer helpful.
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  5. Anonymous
    2011-01-24T13:57:43+00:00

    Same problem here only mine worked fine in Windows 7 and just started doing this in the past couple of months so I suspect something I've installed.

    Most likely suspects are WIndows Live Mesh or VMWare Workstation.

    I'll try uninstalling those.

    jt

    Well I uninstalled the video driver from live mesh and that didn't fix it so it looks like it's not Live Essentials / Mesh.

    I'm giving up for now.

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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