Please Help Me with Multiple Monitors

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

Hello everyone,

Prior to me getting the actual monitors and having them plugged in and set up, like they are now, I opened this thread on Tom's Hardware:

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2795578/time-multi-monitor.html

I am certain I have enabled the multi-monitor option within the BIOS configuration earlier today. The next step according to one of the tech's responses is to install my Intel HD graphics drivers since I want my other two monitors to not affect my gaming monitor's framerate. They are plugged in, connected to the computer and turned on, but the screens remain black and it doesn't seem to be working.

I have tried downloading the 'latest' drivers from here for Windows 7:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/81502/Intel-HD-Graphics-2000-for-2nd-Generation-Intel-Core-Processors

But it says my system doesn't meet the minimum requirements... which I find extremely difficult to believe as this is a $2000 gaming desktop. My specs are these:

-Cooler Master Cosmos SE Tower Case
-Intel Core i7-4770k 3.5 Ghz - Quad-Core
-Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 (Asus factory overclocked) @ 2 GB dedicated
-G.Skills Ripjaw 16 GB of RAM o/c @2300 Mhz
-MSI Z87-G45 Gaming ATX Motherboard
-Samsung 500 GB Solid State Drive
-SeaSonic 650 W 80+ GOLD Certified Power Supply
-Noctua NH-D14 CPU Cooler
-Asus VS247H-P 23.6" Monitor @ 1080p
-2x new AOC monitors 23.6" @ 1080p
-Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit

Please could anyone help me get the other monitors working from the motherboard ports?

1N07 · Oct 2, 2015

There shouldn't be any need to mess around in the BIOS.
Just plug all the monitors in and go to the display settings and setup them how you want.
Shouldn't be any need to do anything really.

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

Then why are my new screens black... they are plugged in. Middle screen plugged into GPU works fine as it did before.

Toggled power on the monitors. They say "No signal" and turn back to all black. They need to work from the motherboard ports.

1N07 · Oct 2, 2015

Kirbyarm :

Wait...
So are the other monitors plugged into the motherboard instead?
Plug all of them in to the GPU. The on-board GPU isn't in use.

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

I don't want to. Please read the other topic I linked in the OP to find out why if you don't want to read the first post in this thread.

Scar89 · Oct 2, 2015

1. That link to the graphics drivers you posted is for HD 2000 series drivers which it won't work, your 4770k has HD 4600 series graphics. See here for the correct drivers.

2. Why are you plugging in the monitors to the motherboard? Ideally in a multi-monitor set-up you want all the monitors plugged into your dedicated graphics card ( in your case the GTX 770). If it is a matter of cables and ports, you should use 2 DVI cables and 1 HDMI, or a display port hub going from the gfx card and into each other the monitors as the ideal solution.

You can get DVI to hdmi adaptors if you monitors lack that input.

1N07 · Oct 2, 2015

Kirbyarm :

There's a lot to read... i read like the first 20 or something...
So why not just plug them all in to the GPU?
You can still see the other monitors and what's on them even if you're gaming on your main monitor...
Then if you want to control anything on the other monitors, you can just alt-tab to switch the focus off of the game, do what you want and click the game to switch back focus.

I game like that all the time, but with 2 monitors.

It's possible to use both the dedicated GPU and the on-board one at the same time, but you need a motherboard that supports it(which I assume you have then). Then or if you do get both GPUs running simultaneously, you'll then have to install the drivers for the on-board GPU.

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

I'm sorry, I know it seems weird but the Moderator / Monitor badge bearing expert gave a really convincing explanation why I'd want to go that route. You see I want to game using only the center screen. I want my GPU fully dedicated to that. According to the (very knowledgeable) expert, even having the other monitors using basic things like skype/chat/browsing/a video/flash etc will 'cause a <10 fps frame drop to my center screen if they are all being powered by the GPU.

If however, the two new side monitors are connected to the motherboard graphics, they will not interfere with my center gaming screen's framerate performance at all, no matter what I'm doing on them, which is basically anything except gaming.. which I don't need a dedicated GTX 770 for anyway. You see what I'm saying?

Thank you Scar89 for the link, I will give those drivers a try now.

Scar89 · Oct 2, 2015

Kirbyarm :

Oh I see, well after some short research I found this video (crappy I know) https://youtu.be/N8nMShuSfgI?t=136

So apparently this is the way.
Basically to achieve this, you must go into your bios and change the way you computer boots up your gpus.
So you want it yo find your integrated gpu first, then the PCIE card.

I have not tried this though so no idea if it will work xD.

1N07 · Oct 2, 2015

Kirbyarm :

It does cost you a bit of FPS, but It's not as simple as 2extra monitors = 10FPS less.
There could be all kinds problems with games. Multi monitor setups seem to confuse games on the best of days. Throw in an extra GPU and it's possible you'll run into even more problems. Like some games could decide to use the wrong GPU, because it thinks it's your main GPU.
This setup you're making isn't generally worth it, but If you can get it to work reliably with 2GPUs that's good I suppose.

Just install the drivers and reboot with the BIOS setting enabled.
Hope you get it working

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

Already done, all I needed was the correct drivers, and you helped me find them, thank you!! As they were installing I watched the other screens power up.. I had to go to Personalize after a recommended reboot and move my GPU screen between the others since it was default the far left even though physically it was in the center, but that was easy to fix haha, yayyy. Mind extremely blown I have never seen or experienced multiple monitors before! *drags windows and icons across screen like a little kid in a playground* wowwww. All 23.6" monitors too. This is amayyyyyzing. Thank you so much. >< I'll get some pictures of my brand new Command Center up shortly.

Do you know any tips I could use for using the other monitors? Like how to make a taskbars appear on all three? Individual desktop icons?

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

I upvoted most of the posts now, will choose Scar's first message as the best solution shortly, hoping I can get some tips in first. Anyone is welcome to help, I'm completely new to this! ^^;;

1N07 · Oct 2, 2015

Kirbyarm :

Glad to hear it's working.
You can place your shortcuts where ever you please

Are you on Win10?
On Win 10 you can have the task bar on every monitor and have each show only the windows on that monitor.

1N07 · Oct 2, 2015

You might want to take a look at something like this:
https://www.displayfusion.com/

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

I have Windows 7. I will in the future get another SSD to dual boot Windows 10, but this main drive will always remain Windows 7, I trust its features, layout and compatibility the most. Unfortunately that makes me a little behind on the times, hopefully there are some good things I can do with the new monitors on Win7 as well. Hmm.

1N07 · Oct 2, 2015

Kirbyarm :

There's really no need to go to win10 yet, but you'll feel right at home when you do decide to go win10.
It's not the horrible mess 8 was.
When DX12 comes to play gamers will pretty much have to go to win10 to make use of that.

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

DX12 is the exact reason I'll add another secondary SSD for Windows 10 haha.

I'm very stubborn like that, it took me a good decade to skip from XP pro to Windows 7, since Vista was a complete garbage fest.

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

Sweeeeeet, got Actual Multiple Monitors for perfect replicas of taskbars on my secondary screens. Beautiful. Now just to figure out individual desktop backgrounds!

Kirbyarm · Oct 2, 2015

Derp, apparently AMM handles that too. Amazing program, every function I could want in one easy light weight application.

1N07 · Oct 2, 2015

Kirbyarm :

I think displayfusion lets you do that too.
If you don't want to use that, there's a program specifically for multi monitor desktop backgrounds

1N07 · Oct 2, 2015

http://dualmonitortool.sourceforge.net/dualwallpaper.html

TechyInAZ · Oct 2, 2015

1N07 :

Kirbyarm :

It does cost you a bit of FPS, but It's not as simple as 2extra monitors = 10FPS less.
There could be all kinds problems with games. Multi monitor setups seem to confuse games on the best of days. Throw in an extra GPU and it's possible you'll run into even more problems. Like some games could decide to use the wrong GPU, because it thinks it's your main GPU.
This setup you're making isn't generally worth it, but If you can get it to work reliably with 2GPUs that's good I suppose.

Just install the drivers and reboot with the BIOS setting enabled.
Hope you get it working

I've never had those problems your talking about. I've done lots of multi monitor systems and gamed simultaneously and I've had no problems. However, if your talking about gaming in full screen mode then I'm not sure because I always game in borderless windowed mode.

Please Help Me with Multiple Monitors

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