Dual monitors in Vista

[Xorp]

You know how in XP if you have dual monitors and have a game running in full screen on your primary screen, and you go to the second monitor to answer an IM message or whatever, the system Alt-Tabs/minimizes you out of the game, to able to use the keyboard and mouse on the other monitor?

In Vista can you finally use the secondary monitor while running a game on the primary?

Or if you still can't, and when the **** can we? It practically defeats the purpose of dual monitors to me.

 

[Shawn]

Vista still minimizes the game. Pisses me off too because sometimes I'll accidentally click onto the second monitor and it minimizes.

 

[Xorp]

Damn. What's the reason for this again? Because of x86 sucks?

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: Xorp
Damn. What's the reason for this again? Because of x86 sucks?

IIRC, it doesn't have anything to do with the OS. Instead, it is how the DirectX handles the display mode implemented in the game.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: Xorp
Damn. What's the reason for this again? Because of x86 sucks?

Itll work if you run the game in windowed mode. (like WoW) Fullscreen is fullscreen, even if you have another screen.

Most games will lock the mouse anyway, so you couldnt go over to the other screen anyway.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Xorp
You know how in XP if you have dual monitors and have a game running in full screen on your primary screen, and you go to the second monitor to answer an IM message or whatever, the system Alt-Tabs/minimizes you out of the game, to able to use the keyboard and mouse on the other monitor?

In Vista can you finally use the secondary monitor while running a game on the primary?

Or if you still can't, and when the **** can we? It practically defeats the purpose of dual monitors to me.

Copied myself from a different thread...

A typical use for me:
WoW on one monitor pulling 60-80fps at 16x12. On the other (14x9) monitor: dreamscene wallpaper(mpeg video), zune music playing, IE with about a dozen tabs, Ventrillo for voicechat, couple IM windows, minimized outlook, gadget bar with cpu gadget indicating ~75% cpu (I think I'm gpu bound).

This stuff crushed my XP install. Switching between apps would also cause convulsions on my 3d card. You've alt-tabbed in an out of a 3d app so you've seen it. No such issues on Vista since it's all 3d.

Full rig in sig but briefly:
Athlon 4600 dual core
2gig ram
7950gx2 video