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Symptoms

When you try to extend the desktop to a secondary display while Windows Media Player is playing a video on the primary display, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

  • Although the sound continues to play, the video may be missing.

  • The video may stop, and when you try to start it again, you may receive an error message, or it may play sound without a video.

These symptoms may also occur when one of the following scenarios is true:

  • You try to turn off the extended desktop on the secondary monitor while video is playing.

  • You are using a third-party video playback program other than Windows Media Player.

Cause

This problem is caused by a limitation of Microsoft DirectDraw.

Workaround

To work around this issue, use one of the following methods:

  • After you turn off or turn on the extended desktop to the secondary display, stop your video playback program and then start it again.

  • Turn off or turn on the extended desktop before you start the video playback.

  • Try to make the video play in full-screen mode.

  • Move or rotate the monitor before you start the video playback.

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

More Information

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

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