Symptoms
Consider the following scenario:
-
You are using multiple monitors in Microsoft Windows 7.
-
You change the monitor that is used as the primary monitor.
-
You log off the computer.
After you log back on to the computer, one or more of the following symptoms occur:
-
The taskbar appears on the wrong monitor. For example, the taskbar appears on the secondary monitor and the desktop icons appear on the primary monitor.
-
When you start a program, the program window does not start on the same monitor as the taskbar.
-
Dialog boxes do not appear on the same monitor as the taskbar.
-
Desktop icons are spread across both montitors.
These symptoms occur if you are using a video adaptor to which you can connect two monitors (for example, you are using a single video adaptor that has two VGA connections so that you can run two monitors at the same time), and you follow these steps:
-
In the Screen Resolution window, you click the monitor icon that represents the secondary monitor.
-
You click to select the "Make this my main display" check box, and then click OK.
-
You log off the computer.
-
You log back on to the computer.
Cause
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section
Resolution
To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
-
Click Start, click Run, type "desk.cpl" in the Open box, and then click OK. Alternatively, right-click on the desktop and select "Screen resolution" from the drop-down menu
-
Click the monitor that you want to use as the primary monitor.
-
Click to select the "Make this my main display" check box if it is not already selected. (Note: The "Make this my main display" check box is unavailable if you click the monitor that is currently set as your primary monitor.)
-
Assuming you have selected monitor #1 for your primary monitor, select "Show desktop only on 1" from the "Multiple displays" drop-down menu, and then click Apply. (If you had selected monitor #2 for your primary monitor, then you should have selected "Show desktop only on 2" from the "Multiple displays" drop-down menu.)
-
Click "Keep changes" when the pop-up dialogue box appears.
-
Select "Extend these displays" from the "Multiple displays" drop-down menu, and then click Apply.
-
Click "Keep changes" when the pop-up dialogue box appears.
-
Optional: Drag the monitor icons to the positions where you want them, and then click OK.