Windows Client TechCenter > Windows 7 Forums > Windows 7 Virtualization > Misalignment of multiple screens in Windows & Virtual XP Mode
Ask a questionAsk a question
 

QuestionMisalignment of multiple screens in Windows & Virtual XP Mode

  • Thursday, November 05, 2009 4:08 PMRicardoFuerte Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    I am working in Windows 7 in the virtual XP mode to run Photoshop CS2 and Autocad 2004.   I have a three screen setup which behaves normally in the standard Windows 7 host mode.  In the Virtual Machine XP mode, however, when I transfer windows from the center window to the right screen, the image cuts off about a third of the screen from the right edge, showing the window in only 2/3 of the screen.  The left screen acts normally.  What can I do to correct this? - Thanks - Richard

All Replies

  • Thursday, November 05, 2009 4:36 PMJohn Paul CookMVPUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     

    XP Mode has less graphics support than what is available from the Windows 7 physical machine.

  • Thursday, November 05, 2009 5:30 PMRicardoFuerte Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Hi John Paul Cook - These programs in XP work just fine on my old XP machine with three screens.  I need it to work on this machine or my workflow is seriously compromised.  Any ideas?
  • Thursday, November 05, 2009 6:15 PMJohn Paul CookMVPUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    The issue here is that XP Mode is actually running in terminal services mode. Terminal services doesn't have the multimonitor support capabilities of directly using a physical machine. Your graphics requirements probably require a physical machine. Are you unable to install these applications natively on Windows XP? Is upgrading these products an option?
  • Thursday, November 05, 2009 8:58 PMRicardoFuerte Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Hi John Paul Cook - An upgrade for PhotoshopCS2 is only a few hundred dollars, but this one works pretty well as I only use two screens for most of my work.

    I need all three screens for the Autocad to reference, cut and work on a new file. I have had no necessity to upgrade the AutoCad over the years, as this version does well for my needs.  However, it is so old that an upgrade is not an option from Autodesk and I must buy a full new version - $7,000+-.

    I find it very strange that two of the monitors spaces work perfectly and the third works 2/3 properly.  Is there no adjustment possible?  It appears that the left monitor goes well beyond the left of the screen space.

    Thanks - Richard
  • Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:05 PMRicardoFuerte Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    John Paul - to answer your question on whether either program will install on the physical machine the answer is no.  The Photoshop installs but will not open, saying that the serial number is not correct (it is, and would not have gone past the first steps of installation if it had not been), and the Autocad installs but when I try to open it, it tells me that I do not have administrator authority (which, of course, I do).  I searched, to no avail, everything I could on the internet before upgrading to Windows 7 Professional from the Windows 7 Home Premium which came with the machine so that I could download the virtual machine and XP. - Thanks - Richard
  • Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:26 PMsmjainMVPUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     

    did you try compatibility mode with those programs?  Right-click and run as administrator?  In Win7, like Vista, even if you're an administrator, you don't automatically run a program as an administrator.  Shame on Autocad for requiring admin rights to run their program.

    It's too late now, but you don't need Win7Pro to use Windows Virtual PC.  Its a free download, and you could install your own copy of XP, if you had it. 

    I have a 3 monitor setup at home, I'll see if I can get XPMode to span.

  • Friday, November 06, 2009 2:31 PMRicardoFuerte Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Hi msjain - I did pursue compatability mode and it did not work.  Nothing that I did worked until I upgraded to Win7Pro and downloaded the virtual machine and the accompanying XP.  When I used to run this on my old XP machine, it never asked me for admin rights on Autocad.  I have owned this version of autocad since 2004 and previously ran it on my office network, but on just one computer, and  it never asked me for admin rights before.  In 2004 on XP, I started off on two screens and then added another screen and after that I always had it running successfully on three screens.

    Here is the actual message Autocad gives me when I try to load it after an otherwise successful installation:
    "Unable to run AutoCAD.  this may be due to one of the following reasons:
    1) This version of AutoCAD was not installed properly.  In this case, you may wish to reinstall AutoCAD.
    2) You do not have sufficient rights to run AutoCAD."

    When I click "OK" to get out of this, the following comes up"

    "FATAL ERROR: Unhandled Access Violation Reading 0x7edf6048 Exception at 360088a0h" Then I click "OK" to get out of this.

    Autocad works great in the Virtual Machine, and I can load multiple screens, each having a different file in it.  I use the center large screen for the project on which I am working, a smaller left screen to hold my "cut & paste library" file, and the smaller right screen to hold a reference file for standard sizes or a similar structure that I wish to emulate.  This workflow is very efficient for me, bu the right screen cuts off 2/3 to the right, so this is a real problem for me.

    Thanks for your help. - Best regards - Richard
  • Saturday, November 07, 2009 6:13 PMRicardoFuerte Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    I am still hopeful that there might be a solution to this MAJOR GLITCH IN WINDOWS 7, which should be addressed by Microsoft.  No solution has been forthcoming from Microsoft in this discussion.  This error on the part of Microsoft has seriously negatively affected normal workflow in programs running in the Virtual Machine, and Microsoft has clearly misrepresented the seamlessness of using old programs in Windows 7.  This fault needs to be immediately addressed. - Does anyone have any other ideas in working around this major glitch in Windows 7? - Thank you - Richard
  • Tuesday, November 10, 2009 10:19 PMsmjainMVPUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
    Its not really a glitch in Windows 7, it's a limitation of Windows VPC, you're really pushing the limits of it.
    What you could try is to not run in seamless mode and instead connect to the VM via regular RDP and maximize across your full screens.  IIRC, RDP7 has multi-screen support: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/969084

    VMWare Workstation has multi-monitor support for VMs, you might want to try out the trial version of it.  XP Mode should be able to be imported into it also.