Running a dual-monitor setup with Windows Vista

Posted by:
Brandon LeBlanc
05:52 AM Wednesday
Jun 20, 2007
75 Comments

Earlier this week I received my second Dell UltraSharp 2407FP 24-inch monitor to accompany my already in-use 2407FP monitor. I now have both 2407FP monitors connected to my ATI Radeon X1650 Pro via DVI. I have both monitors running at 1920x1200 screen resolution.

I created a video showing off running Windows Vista with multiple monitors and demonstrate Flip3D when two monitors are in use. I also talk about the ability to choose which monitor Windows Sidebar runs on.

Video: Flip3D with 2 Monitors in Windows Vista

Windows Vista's Display Settings allows you to control both your monitors. You can designate any one of the two monitors as your PC's Primary Display. Using the Identify Monitors button at the top of the Display Settings window you can identify which monitor is 1 and which is monitor 2. When I first connected my second monitor to my PC, it simply mirrored the screen from my first monitor. However, this was not the behavior I wanted. In Display Settings, I clicked on monitor 2 and checked "Extend the desktop to this monitor" to add the second monitor as usable desktop space. With this checked, I was then able to drag apps and use the second monitor's desktop as an extension of my desktop on my Primary Display.

Your PC will save the settings of the apps you drag to the second monitor. For example, I dragged Windows Live Mail over to my second monitor. When I exited Windows Live Mail and then opened it back up - it opened back up on my second monitor. Your PC will preserve - or "remember" - the settings of which monitor that app is opened up on even after rebooting.

So what do I use my second monitor for? I read a lot of RSS feeds and email throughout the day. While working on writing blog posts or editing video content, I keep Windows Live Mail opened up on the second monitor where I can watch and monitor new feeds (and email) as they arrive. I occasionally have Windows Media Center opened up and playing a recorded TV show on the second monitor while I work as well.

If you're running Windows Vista with two monitors, I'd love to hear how you're using both monitors!

You can also check out Nick's post from back in March on a PC running with 4 monitors.

The Dell UltraSharp 2407FP Monitors are Certified for Windows Vista.

Comments

shadow

Posted on: July 13, 2007 at 4:13PM
I also have the flipping problem (Toshiba Satellite laptop, Samsung monitor, NVIDIA GeForce Go 900 GS, Ultimate).

Someone forgets the relative position of the monitors so you have to reverse direction to move the mouse to the other monitor.

A fix would be most welcome.
Roy in Canada

Posted on: July 17, 2007 at 6:38PM
I had the same problem until TODAY. Download the latest Vista updates dated July 17 - there is one called nVidia - Video - NVIDIA Quadro NVS110M - and the problem seems to be fixed.
Roy in Canada

Posted on: July 17, 2007 at 6:41PM
Whoops..maybe spoke too early...it remembers the settings for dual screen but changes my screen resolution to 1280 X 800 pixels every time. Hmmm.....
bendfleming

Posted on: July 20, 2007 at 1:04PM
Hello,

I am Running Windows Vista Ultimate on a Dell Inspiron 6400 with the ATI X1400 video adapter.

I have a secondary monitor hooked up to a KVM and every time I locke the machine or Put it to sleep, the external display flips back to the right hand side.

The monitor sits on the left hand side, and I would really like it to stay there.

I am using the laptop screen as my primary monitor and would like it to stay that way, but I would like the external moniotor to come back in the same place I left it.

If you have any suggestions, they would be much appreciated.
Roy in Canada

Posted on: July 20, 2007 at 1:13PM
bendfleming...Yes, since the last MS update on July 17th I've been experiencing either the same problem as you OR it retains the correct monitor set-up but resets the resolution on my secondary monitor to the same as my laptop monitor. A real pain....

Progress not perfection I guess.
papatsy

Posted on: August 16, 2007 at 2:20PM
Is there a kind soul out there that would be willing to help a newbie with second monitors, get this thing set up. I am running Home Premium on a Asus laptop. I get to see 1 on laptop (primary) and 2 on desktop monitor. Then all I see is the pale green and yellow screen on desktop monitor. Mouse moves about on secondary screen but that is all. I'm assuming I have the wrong settings somewhere along the line. Would appreciate any help you could give me. Would be very benificial for me to have use of scond screen. Thanks.
Brandon LeBlanc

Posted on: August 20, 2007 at 2:31AM
papatsy, have you tried changing the resolution on your second monitor (2)?

Also: if the mouse moves over to your second monitor - try dragging a window over to the second monitor as well.

- Brandon
amanzi

Posted on: August 27, 2007 at 2:58AM
The issue described above isn't limited to nVidia drivers - I've had the same issue on two different HP notebooks, both with ATI graphics cards(X600 and X2300)

Running an external monitor with a notebook running Vista is a real pain.
Warren G

Posted on: September 02, 2007 at 8:26PM
I really enjoyed using the dual monitor option with Windows XP, but I am having problems with Vista. After I switched to make my tv my secondary monitor, I can't figure out how to put it back to having the tv and computer both the same. I'd like to regualy switch between the 2. Any help would be greatly appriciated. Thank you.
Brandon LeBlanc

Posted on: September 05, 2007 at 4:13AM
Warren G, you want to have your monitor and TV show the same thing correct?

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