*Update*How to disable monitor autodetection: Windows 7

[n0tdan]

HOW?!

I'm hoping there is a way that is so simple and I've just been overlooking it... because this problem has been driving me nuts...

Here's the setup.

2 nvidia 8800gt
3 monitors, 2 22" connected to DVI ports and 1 HDTV connected from DVI to HDMI.

Here's the problem.

I'll have the 22" monitors on and the hdtv off... and when i turn the hdtv on or off windows autodetects that the tv has been turned on or off and readjusts the displays... moving position and size of EVERYTHING... I can turn on and off either of the 22" monitors freely without it auto detecting and resizing everything.

Taskbar... sure why not, lets make it take up half the screen...
Previous windows size? PFFFTT let's change this to be 1.5 monitors wide and 1 inch tall.. /random everything it seems... You get the point. It's quite annoying to have to spend a minute tossing windows back to preferred monitors and adjusting the taskbar size every time i turn on/off the hdtv (even if it's not on the hdmi input!).



So, i've spent literally hours multiple times searching and hoping for a resolution and there seems to be NOTHING out there resolving this... I've found multiple other posts on random forums asking similar questions and there is never an answer.

Apparently in Vista you could disable TMM to do this... but alas this is not an option in 7. The registry key is not in 7 and adding it does nothing.

Also, there is apparently a fix using VNC but it's not something i want to do...
http://lemon.soju.co.uk/2009/12/03/windows-7-monitor-problem/

Thanks for any suggestions!

Update: Connecting to the hdtv via the vga port had the desired result. no crazy autodetection whenever the video input is changed or when the tv is turned off/on. Now it only changes when i manually change it.

 

[gsaldivar]

Just thinking out loud here... If Windows 7 or the video card driver doesn't support what you are trying to do, you might try putting a DVI or HDMI switch between the computer and the TV. This way you can leave everything physically plugged in, but the PC will not be able to detect the presence of the TV, until you select it with the switch.

This one is made by Iogear and comes with a remote for about $20:

Hope this helps!

 

[n0tdan]

no solution yet anyone?

A hardware solution wont work for me at the moment... I'm shocked that something like this has no easy software fix.

 

[Raduque]

I think it's a function of how HDMI works in W7. When I turn off my TV, my HTPC makes the "Device Disconnected" noise. I turn it on, and the "Device Connected" noise plays. If I use the VGA plug, it doesn't do this.

This might be a solution for you, if you can live without digital.

 

[Modelworks]

You could get an adapter then cut the DDC pins off

The DDC pins are pins 6 & 7
http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_Digital_Visual_Interface_DVI_Bus.

 

[dawks]

I think it's a function of how HDMI works in W7. When I turn off my TV, my HTPC makes the "Device Disconnected" noise. I turn it on, and the "Device Connected" noise plays. If I use the VGA plug, it doesn't do this.

This might be a solution for you, if you can live without digital.

Would disabling the Plug And Play service help with this then? Perhaps the service is just sitting there waiting for new hardware to be connected/disconnected.

 

[n0tdan]

hmm.. i suppose i could use a dvi-vga adapter and try the vga input.

sigh... vga cable is too short >< ... dvi-hdmi cable is 15'

 

[Raduque]

Would disabling the Plug And Play service help with this then? Perhaps the service is just sitting there waiting for new hardware to be connected/disconnected.

Disabling the plug n play service would also break USB, though.

 

[n0tdan]

Update: Connecting to the hdtv via the vga port had the desired result. no crazy autodetection whenever the video input is changed or when the tv is turned off/on. Now it only changes when i manually change it.

 

[Barneyk]

I have the same problem, although not with my TV but my main monitor connected with Displayport.
I have a Radeon 5850 with a HP ZR24w as my main monitor, then I have a TV connected with HDMI and BENQ LCD connected with DVI.

When I turn my main monitor off Windows detects that and disables it moving all the windows I had open to my TV instead, and everything I had on my TV is moved to the BENQ.
Its very annoying, there must be a software solution for this?
I have googled a lot and I've found several other people with the same problem but no solution.
I called the Microsoft support but since I only have an OEM and a student license they wouldn't handle my problem for less then a hundred dollars.

So please, help me!

 

[kalrith]

This is very strange. I have Win 7 with an ATI 2900 Pro connected to a 32" TV and 20" monitor as my displays. When I turn off the 32" TV, Windows still thinks that there are two monitors.

I have Win 7 with an ATI 4550 connected to a 50" TV as the only monitor. I leave the computer on all the time and turn the TV on and off all the time with none of the problems stated in this thread.

The only change I made was a setting in ATI CCC to only detect my monitors if I do so manually, rather than the default automatic-dectection setting. Maybe something like that would fix the problem.

 

[Barneyk]

It doesnt matter if my TV or secondary monitor is on or not, its just my main monitor that gets disabled and its connected via Displayport.

 

[kalrith]

Well, in both cases, my TVs are my main monitors. I would think that my two-monitor situation would behave similarly to yours, but it doesn't. My TV (primary display) is connected via DVI to HDMI, and my monitor (secondary display) is connected via DVI.

Have you looked up the setting I mentioned in the ATI CCC? It's worth a shot to see if it fixes it.

 

[Barneyk]

Windows does not care wether my second monitor that is connected via DVI is on or not, its always active.
So, its bit weird and very frustrating.

And the CCC setting, I guess you mean this?

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/337/ccc1i.png

And as you see, I have it on manual detection.
Or is there another setting somewhere else?

 

[kalrith]

Windows does not care wether my second monitor that is connected via DVI is on or not, its always active.
So, its bit weird and very frustrating.

And the CCC setting, I guess you mean this?

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/337/ccc1i.png

And as you see, I have it on manual detection.
Or is there another setting somewhere else?

That's the setting. The only other thing I can think is that I have my TV forced to 1080p regardless of the EDID settings. I think that can only be done with TV resolutions, but you might be able to add a custom resolution under the HDTV section of CCC. It's worth a shot at least.

 

[Barneyk]

Well, the resolutions isnt really a problem.
The fact that my main monitor gets disabled and disappears from the list of connected devices is the problem.

I think its a windows thing, not so much a ATI Driver thing.
I really do appreciate the suggestions though.

 

[muffintop]

I was having the same issues specific to my display-port where switching the input or powering off my monitor made the windows move to my other monitor and they won't go back when the monitor is live again.. annoying.

I had tried everything mentioned here and other lists but my video card either lacked the display-port specific settings or the registry settings had no effect.

Finally, I bit the bullet and got a hardware adapter from:
<spam?>
It hooks up to the computer's HDMI port making it think the monitor is permanently live.

It needs no setup and works great, no surprises when I switch off or change the input now