Dell forum: Dual Monitors - 2nd monitor not working - no picture

I will attache photos show what I mean. If I minimize a screen I can suspend it between the two monitors but I can only see the images on the left screen and not the right one. I have switched the monitors and plugged them into the opposite plug so I know they both work. I can move a screen completely over to the other monitor but I will not be able to see it on there at all. The second photo is of how my monitors are plugged into the back.

at http://i38.tinypic.com/2j4swsj.jpg I thought I must have erred in thinking this was Windows. it doesn't look like any Windows OS I recognise. But then I re-read your first post stating this is Windows XP.

It looks heavily modified to me, and that is always a concern when you are trying to set things up with standard Windows settings.

I also see a BitTorrent application. Torrents are often a source of trouble for Windows users where malware is concerned.

I have to pass on this because I have exceeded my knowledge. I hope others here can help.

Mark

Yep I've got it now. The problem was my browser didn't display that image when I clicked the link, so I assumed it was one in the row below. That's why we tend to prefer the link to the image itself, and not to the image hosting directory page. It avoids confusion.

Here's the image I should have seen. http://i37.tinypic.com/2j4swsi.jpg

It looks dead doesn't it. I assume, (and forgive me for asking the obvious), that the 2nd monitor is turned on. Also, any color or contrast settings buttons on that monitor have not been turned down to black.

The connections at the rear of the computer look OK, I have a similar DVI to VGA adaptor on my PC for my 2nd monitor. In fact, if the connection wasn't working, Windows would not accept the settings for a 2nd monitor, and would default back to a single monitor. Clearly that isn't happening in your image since one application window is half-way across the two monitors.

I think your next step is to test this monitor elsewhere. It may be possible for the data connection to be working and yet the monitor itself to fail.

On my system I purchased 3 DVI to VGA adaptors. I'm glad I did because the first one didn't work, but that was obvious with my system because Windows didn't even recognise that the 2nd monitor was connected. I used another adaptor and it worked. I'm not sure that will be as easy with your setup.

Mark

Sorry for the delay, I had email problems and didn't see the tracking email from your reply.

In a way that's good news isn't it, that both monitors work individually. Just to confirm, you connected each monitor to the DVI socket on it's own, (no other monitor on the other socket with the DVI/VGA adaptor connection), and they both worked. Have I got that right?

It seems to me there are two possibilities. Either the 2nd port on that video card is not working, or the adaptor is faulty. My guess would be the adaptor is faulty. I can imagine that it may be connected sufficiently to let some data through and that allows Windows to recognise there is a 2nd monitor, but faulty enough that it doesn't allow video through.

That would be easier to check simply by getting a new adaptor and trying it. The other, a faulty video card, is of course more difficult and ultimately may be more expensive.

There could be one more test. Do you have access to another computer? if so, try that adaptor on the other computer.

Mark

hi. i see that your post was about 2 weeks ago (unlike the original poster ...2010 lol). anyways if you still havent figured it out, this might help. it did for me. i was frustrated at my dual monitor setup cause the second monitor was just blank/black screen. i thought it was the dvi-to-vga adapter. then i thought it was the vga cable. i was already one click away from ordering a dvi-hdmi cable at amazon (which is the original setup i had before i gave away the dvi-hdmi cable to my sis) when i realize maybe the input is not on VGA. so i pressed the input button on my screen and choose vga. and wohoooo success. try it out. it might be the answer you need. peace out

http://www.overclock.net/t/1186577/monitor-not-displaying-stuck-in-power-save-mode

just check off EXTEND MY SECONDARY MONITOR

WHEERE IS THAT MAGI IMPUT BUTTON ONYOUR "screen" ?????