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Windows (7/8/8.1) moves everything to primary monitor after they are powered off. RRS feed

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    When using multiple monitors Windows moves all open windows and apps to the primary monitor after they have either gone to sleep or been powered off. I have been looking for 2 months now trying to find a solution. My current setup is running Windows 8.1 with an AMD Radeon R9 285X and the drivers are current. However I just switched from Windows 7 a month ago, and I changed from an NVidia card 3 months ago, all with the same result.

    This is getting ridiculous Microsoft. This issue has been reported since 2009 and I have not seen a proper fix yet.  Please don't bother telling me to update the drivers, I've done that, with both cards and in both OSs. The only solutions I've read about involve using questionable hardware measures in order to fix a "feature" Microsoft is imposing on people. With more and more industries moving to multiple monitor setups this seems like a poor decision on Microsoft's part. Somehow, forcing people to leave their monitors on constantly in order to make them work properly seems a violation of energy star compliance.

    The following are just some of the threads that relate to this topic in one way or another, all run my Microsoft and none with a proper fix, only MS saying its a feature, or update the drivers, or some other none helpful answer.


    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-hardware/multi-monitor-problem-on-windows-7/ecefb1e5-22c9-4014-a2ad-dbf56570b25c


    https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/8a9b5aa7-fe33-4e6d-b39b-8ac80a21fdc2/disable-monitor-off-detection-how?forum=w7itprogeneral


    https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/579e675f-9246-4205-bfd8-5bfcd1bdf4e6/auto-detect-unplugged-monitor-where-to-turn-off?forum=w7itproinstall
    Sunday, February 8, 2015 3:09 AM

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    Hi,

    As mentioned in this link (and this has been already mentioned in the link posted above)

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Understanding-multiple-monitors

    When you disconnect the additional monitor, the original display settings are restored to your primary display. In addition, all open files and program windows are moved to the primary display. The next time  that you connect the same monitor, Windows automatically applies the display settings that you used the last time that you connected this monitor. (same in OS Windows 7\8\8.1)

    According to your description, the monitor is automatically disconnected when it has either gone to sleep or been powered off that causes the annoying issue, If possible, I suggest you check whether there's a "source detection settings" (or something like this) for the monitor,  set the monitor always active as a alternative solution.

    Yolanda Zhu
    TechNet Community Support


    • Edited by Yolanda Zhu Tuesday, February 10, 2015 5:22 AM
    • Proposed as answer by Yolanda Zhu Tuesday, February 17, 2015 2:57 AM
    • Marked as answer by Michael_LS Tuesday, February 17, 2015 9:26 AM
    Tuesday, February 10, 2015 5:19 AM

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    Hi,

    As mentioned in this link (and this has been already mentioned in the link posted above)

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Understanding-multiple-monitors

    When you disconnect the additional monitor, the original display settings are restored to your primary display. In addition, all open files and program windows are moved to the primary display. The next time  that you connect the same monitor, Windows automatically applies the display settings that you used the last time that you connected this monitor. (same in OS Windows 7\8\8.1)

    According to your description, the monitor is automatically disconnected when it has either gone to sleep or been powered off that causes the annoying issue, If possible, I suggest you check whether there's a "source detection settings" (or something like this) for the monitor,  set the monitor always active as a alternative solution.

    Yolanda Zhu
    TechNet Community Support


    • Edited by Yolanda Zhu Tuesday, February 10, 2015 5:22 AM
    • Proposed as answer by Yolanda Zhu Tuesday, February 17, 2015 2:57 AM
    • Marked as answer by Michael_LS Tuesday, February 17, 2015 9:26 AM
    Tuesday, February 10, 2015 5:19 AM
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    Unfortunately, there is no solution because some video cards, especially the ones that are 'on board' don't have the proper chipset so anything you do won't help.This was my case...

    The only solution I found is to use a cheap hardware device.

    Look up:

    "MonitorDetectKiller"

    it saves me a ton of frustration.

    Sunday, September 13, 2015 5:35 PM
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    I'm having this exact issue but the only thing I have changed is upgrading from W7 to W10. My video card remained the same. I did *not* have this problem in W7. Now every time my computer goes to sleep or comes back from the screensaver it moves stuff to the primary monitor. The odd thing is that sometimes it moves everything and other times it only moves some things. I would think if it was monitor related it would be all or nothing.

    This is driving me batshit crazy. I really don't want to leave my system running 24/7 with no screensaver but that seems to be the only solution to this? I have found so little info on this outside of people complaining about it but no real explanation or acknowledgement that this is a real issue. This is very aggravating.

    Sunday, May 8, 2016 11:28 PM
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    Did you install/upgrade the drivers for your monitor again after upgrading to Windows 10?  I just hit this issue and was frustrated, but it was fixed instantly as soon as I installed the drivers for my Dell monitors.

    Michael Hawker

    Saturday, September 17, 2016 5:39 AM