Dual Monitor setup not working

[Jamie_75]

So, I have two monitors with DVI-D both labeled on the back at the input.
Acer A231H - DVI-D
Acer G215hv - DVI-D

I have two DVI-I cables,
a Geforce GTX 750 Ti 4GB Video card With 1 DVI-I Output and a DVI-D output.

I have tested the cables and monitors individually and ports everything checks out.
In the windows settings my monitors are classed as Generic PnP monitors,
Geforce experience detects both as their given names Acer xxx.

The monitor to the computer is working just fine, but i am getting no video output on the slave.
Whichever monitor is set to 2nd i get no display, but the monitor still acts as if its dual screened.

I can lose opened windows if i drag and drop them over there.

Help?

 

[RememberThe5th]

Press "Windows" key (between CTRL and ALT on left) and P key and it should give you options.

 

[Jamie_75]

Press "Windows" key (between CTRL and ALT on left) and P key and it should give you options.

I wish it were that simple, although i didn't know that was a feature i was so excited for a moment.

When i hold windows and cycle through the options, the main monitor is the only on that is paying respects to the request.
The slave monitor remains yellow and idle.

 

[Jamie_75]

a screen shot of my nvidia panel as well as windows 10 display settings

https://ibb.co/i2CQ6T

 

[RememberThe5th]

Doest it show under display properties where it says duplicate more options?

 

[Jamie_75]

Doest it show under display properties where it says duplicate more options?

in display settings i do see the monitor and the multiple display drop down bar is there,
if that's what you're asking
https://ibb.co/cTHpGT

This is all i get though, https://ibb.co/gkHji8

Could it be possible, that my onboard video drivers are confined to single monitor display unless i update them?
since i'm running windows 10 i am unable to install drviers for my motherboard since the newest release is for 8.1 OS.

 

[Karadjgne]

Under Display, where it says Multiple Display Options, change that from Duplicate to Extend this Display. Choose Make this my main monitor. Apply. Keep changes.

 

[Jamie_75]

Under Display, where it says Multiple Display Options, change that from Duplicate to Extend this Display. Choose Make this my main monitor. Apply. Keep changes.

There isn't an option to make this my main monitor, when i extend the displays the 2nd monitor becomes the lead for some
reason and all windows open on that side, can't adjust anything.

 

[Karadjgne]

I run dual monitors on a win7 pc and a win10 pc. Trust me, you can change which is primary.

On either monitor, right click, display settings.
You'll see a picture with 2x monitors shown. Hit identify. You'll get boxes on each monitor telling you which is which.
Now, it's easier if the left monitor is 1 and the right monitor is 2. If it's not, switch the cables in the back of the gpu.
When/if that's done, left click on the 1 monitor. Go all the way down the page, where it says Multiple Displays. Right under that is the option to Extend these Displays. Right under that is a checkbox 'Make this my main display'. Now if it's checked, you are good. If it's not checked, go ahead and make it so.
This'll set the primary display in windows, where desktop originates and will have the full Taskbar. The secondary taskbar is slightly limited.

Boot process is different to windows process, it'll pick whichever dvi the gpu decides is primary port, but has nothing to do with windows functionality. On my pc, dvi is primary port, hdmi secondary, so my dvi has boot. Turns out my hdmi monitor is windows primary (it's bigger and better than the dvi monitor). No big deal.

This is assuming you want primary as the monitor in front of you and the secondary is to the right. If you've got it reversed and you have secondary on the left, make that #2 box by cable orientation. Then click #1 picture...

 

[R0GG]

Easiest way is to use windows built in monitor layout, it is always easier and more straight forward than video card utility: after closing nvidia control panel completely at systray
right click desktop> display properties> choose extended desktop option choosing lower resolution for a start for the monitor being added > click detect to verify monitor number> see available resolution and adjust-test> you can move monitors layout around up in that display properties window with mouse switching after ok click which is primary or secondary.

you have complete choice on monitors assignment, but conflicts could arise from having many software driving the layout: especially between windows display utility and graphic card control panel, I use windows combined with ultramon but with fine tuning to keep them both on the same scheme.
Ultramon= powerful tool with too many features to list, it will help greatly with monitors assignment as well.

 

[Jamie_75]

I run dual monitors on a win7 pc and a win10 pc. Trust me, you can change which is primary.

On either monitor, right click, display settings.
You'll see a picture with 2x monitors shown. Hit identify. You'll get boxes on each monitor telling you which is which.
Now, it's easier if the left monitor is 1 and the right monitor is 2. If it's not, switch the cables in the back of the gpu.
When/if that's done, left click on the 1 monitor. Go all the way down the page, where it says Multiple Displays. Right under that is the option to Extend these Displays. Right under that is a checkbox 'Make this my main display'. Now if it's checked, you are good. If it's not checked, go ahead and make it so.
This'll set the primary display in windows, where desktop originates and will have the full Taskbar. The secondary taskbar is slightly limited.

Boot process is different to windows process, it'll pick whichever dvi the gpu decides is primary port, but has nothing to do with windows functionality. On my pc, dvi is primary port, hdmi secondary, so my dvi has boot. Turns out my hdmi monitor is windows primary (it's bigger and better than the dvi monitor). No big deal.

This is assuming you want primary as the monitor in front of you and the secondary is to the right. If you've got it reversed and you have secondary on the left, make that #2 box by cable orientation. Then click #1 picture...

Monitor #1 is set to Make this my main display
Monitor #2 is not [Obviously]
When i choose extend display, all of my icons and windows on monitor #1 after the screen quickly flashes,
Travel over to monitor #2 and cannot be seen.

Even when, Monitor #1 is set to be the main display, something over rides it the moment i choose extended display.

 

[Jamie_75]

Easiest way is to use windows built in monitor layout, it is always easier and more straight forward than video card utility: after closing nvidia control panel completely at systray
right click desktop> display properties> choose extended desktop option choosing lower resolution for a start for the monitor being added > click detect to verify monitor number> see available resolution and adjust-test> you can move monitors layout around up in that display properties window with mouse switching after ok click which is primary or secondary.

you have complete choice on monitors assignment, but conflicts could arise from having many software driving the layout: especially between windows display utility and graphic card control panel, I use windows combined with ultramon but with fine tuning to keep them both on the same scheme.
Ultramon= powerful tool with too many features to list, it will help greatly with monitors assignment as well.

I am able to choose which monitor is primary and non primary just fine, that's not the problem.
the problem is when i choose extend regardless of which monitor has become the primary the slave becomes the primary and all the windows i had open and icons on my desktop, transfer over to the blank desktop and i cannot see or access them, without trying blindly.

Also both monitors are almost identical their native resolution is the exact same.
I've reformatted my computer, re-installed just the video card drivers and other basic things and the problem still persists.

 

[R0GG]

So when you enable dual monitors you can't see the desktop icons anywhere on both desktops ?
That should be an easy fix., if you see both desktops but icons are not visible but still able to activate them-click on them means they are located outside of the area you see on your desktops, which means one of the desktops where icons are located has higher resolution than it's native one and screen is not set to compensate for that " fit to screen" or enable scaling to fit desktop to panel option which should be available on your nvidia control panel or better simply adjust resolution to fit your monitor native one (previously this issue used to come with " scroll-able desktop" means in higher resolutions than panel native one user was able ( especially in laptops" to scroll desktop like scrolling a picture to get to it's invisible edges.
Try installing ultramon, it takes 5 minutes and it should d give you more insights about the issue.

 

[Jamie_75]

Sorry, I'm obviously struggling to explain this or something, have you guys been clicking the image links i took the time to make?
https://ibb.co/i2CQ6T - Screenshot
https://ibb.co/cTHpGT - Screenshot
https://ibb.co/gkHji8 - Picture of my actual issue, please look at this photo before you reply.

Both of my monitors in theory work perfectly fine, the only issue i have as i've mentioned is that the 2nd monitor will not give a signal.
I can change which is primary, I've tried every resolution the monitor let's me cycle through.

 

[R0GG]

Try this : Since you have not display on your second monitor yet!
In Nvidia panel choose scale to full screen and ok it
in windows choose Extend this displays.

Other thoughts:
1.Nvidia is recognizing your monitors but windows is treating them as generic: try update their drivers automatically through windows device manager right clicking on each one : update driver, let windows search online.
2.Ignore wndows multidisplay setting and use nvidia panel: set up multiple displays.

 

[Jamie_75]

Try this : Since you have not display on your second monitor yet!
In Nvidia panel choose scale to full screen and ok it
in windows choose Extend this displays.

Well isn't this funny as hell, when i take a screen shot to show you it's selected the way you suggested,
the screenshot captures both screens, i just don't understand why this monitor doesn't have an input signal.
everything else thinks its working.
https://ibb.co/cPFtAo

 

[R0GG]

- did you set the second monitor to full screen too in nvidia panel?
- windows says monitors are in duplicate mode, try extended mode
* try different ports of either graphics or second monitor
* try to lower second monitor resolution (either through nvidia panel or windows)
-Best is to stick to one utility at a time either Nvidia or windows and explore all options available : in windows : mode ( extended, duplicate), resolution of each screen, activate one screen and turn disable the other, or try project this screen = gives you all the options possible ( I use it to project surface pro display to TV)

 

[Jamie_75]

- did you set the second monitor to full screen too in nvidia panel?
- windows says monitors are in duplicate mode, try extended mode
* try different ports of either graphics or second monitor
* try to lower second monitor resolution (either through nvidia panel or windows)

- windows says monitors are in duplicate mode, try extended mode
that screenshot was from earlier, i have tried this since

* try different ports of either graphics or second monitor
When i switch the location of the DVI-I cords in my GPU,
the problem persists, just now the other monitor is working while the original is not.

* try to lower second monitor resolution (either through nvidia panel or windows)
I have through the video card directly from the drop down menu in device manager under generic pnp monitor as well as through windows and nvidia

Just un-installed the 2nd generic pnp monitor from device manager, rebooted it was in device manager again instantly as generic, update driver says best is found and nothing is found in windows updates for it.

 

[R0GG]

How about HDMI+ DVI ?
And extended mode ?
strange nvidia recognizing monitors and windows not

 

[Jamie_75]

How about HDMI+ DVI ?
And extended mode ?
strange nvidia recognizing monitors and windows not

Ok, so after hours of trying to figure this out.
I'm almost positive its an issue with my video card itself,
i think 2 of the pins in the female end on my slave DVI have been pushed in farther than the rest and arn't making connections to my male.

here is a picture of my video card prongs, the top DVI port is the one in question,
Top Port, Bottom Left, 2 pins.
https://ibb.co/fkQjky

 

[R0GG]

nice find, how did you get the idea to check the pins? could be the issue, you might be able to pull pins slightly with some fine metal tool with some kind of a hook to it's end

 

[Jamie_75]

I wanted to make sure there wasn't something simple like dust in there, since i do smoke vigorously near my pc and
it was just the way the light was shining i noticed that 2 pins were missing and i looked closer to see they were actually just farther back in than the rest.

 

[R0GG]

I like the vigorously adjective!

I have to look that up, as I know some pins could be deactivated by design in some electonics or connectors.

 

[Karadjgne]

Afaik, there aren't any pin differences between dvi-i and dvi-d other than the 4x analog pins, all others should be viable length as they all get used depending on what the usage is. There isn't any redundant pins.

I'd never had thought to check the pins, that was a good catch, normally with dvi is there's any sort of pin problem like bent pins, it simply will not seat without huge amounts of pressure and thats usually a dead giveaway there's an issue.

 

[Jamie_75]

Afaik, there aren't any pin differences between dvi-i and dvi-d other than the 4x analog pins, all others should be viable length as they all get used depending on what the usage is. There isn't any redundant pins.

I'd never had thought to check the pins, that was a good catch, normally with dvi is there's any sort of pin problem like bent pins, it simply will not seat without huge amounts of pressure and thats usually a dead giveaway there's an issue.

Thank you, yeah i was taught in college in electrical to start with the simplest issues and work yourself backwards when it comes to troubleshooting, for example, if the lamp isn't working is it plugged in, or is the bulb burnt out? haha
it's a useful way to be analytical for many things.

So, what are my options now, any suggestions for fixing the pins?

edit : Also, the HDMI ports work perfectly fine for dual monitor was also a dead give away that it was an issue with my dvi port.