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User Image
RL3
4 discussion posts
I've tried to upgrade to Windows 10 several times, but it still won't display my (three) monitors which Windows 7 Pro handled perfectly fine for years. I believe the issue is that one of the monitors will not run at the same resolution as the other two, and I don't want to switch the (high) resolution to the horrible looking minimums on all the monitors.

My question is this: why would Microsoft dumb down the Windows display options so that a setup that worked fine in Win7 cannot operate in Win10...?
May 27, 2016  • #1
Alan Wade's profile on WallpaperFusion.com
I did attempt to offer an answer or two but it seemed to have disappeared ??
May 28, 2016 (modified May 28, 2016)  • #2
Keith Lammers (BFS)'s profile on WallpaperFusion.com
@Alan: That's weird! Not sure what might have happened there.

@RL3: If you enter "desk.cpl" at a Run prompt, it should open the classic Windows Screen Resolution control panel. Are you able to enable the monitors there?
May 28, 2016  • #3
Alan Wade's profile on WallpaperFusion.com
Update your graphic card drivers to the latest Win 10 version.
May 29, 2016  • #4
User Image
RL3
4 discussion posts
Here's the problem, and please bear with me as Ive gone through updating to Win10 and reverting to Win7 three times now to try all these things, twice with Dell support online with me to observe.

First, I have updated ALL drivers. I wouldn't be here if I hadn't tried he basics first...

Second, Win10 recognizes all three monitors, shows them as functional, and ready to display. But the desktop can only be extended to the two sharing the lower resolution. In every case, the third monitor gets grayed out. (Doing this with the Win10 tools or using Run prompts makes no difference.)

Then after trying every conceivable combination, I go back to Win7 and all three monitors function perfectly together, forcing us to conclude that Win10 will not allow the combining of monitors with different resolutions while Win7 did, and still does.

The only positive I take from the experience(s) is that the Revert process is quick and painless. Dell could only come up with the suggestion to buy two new monitors to match the higher resolution of the newer monitor. (g)

My hope is that someone could get a comment from Microsoft on this issue. I've seen it raised multiple times on sites, and with no response from Microsoft, I am left with thinking no response means no solution.
May 29, 2016 (modified May 29, 2016)  • #5
Keith Lammers (BFS)'s profile on WallpaperFusion.com
If it works on Windows 7, it definitely sounds like a driver issue, but depending on the age of your system, perhaps there is no better driver for Windows 10.

Just a note on extending to monitors of different resolutions: I have 3 monitors connected to my Win 10 laptop, all 3 are different resolutions, and they're all working fine. I've never heard of a resolution limitation for extending monitors. Duplicating the displays however, is depending on the resolution. Duplicating (showing the same output on both monitors) requires that both monitors use the same resolution. Extending (showing different outputs on each monitor) doesn't require the monitors to be the same resolution.

Hope that helps clarify some stuff!
May 30, 2016  • #6
User Image
RL3
4 discussion posts
Thanks for the replies, even though I'm still stumped and no one seems to have the answer.

A few more details: Again, Win10 recognizes all three monitors, and all three are reported as working and current on their drivers. (Updates both the auto way and manually through Device Mgr.)

I am extending the desktop, not trying to duplicate between monitors.

Most confusing of all, it will extend to any two of the three monitors, but not all three, which throws out the possibility of one of the monitors being some kind of hardware issue. In all cases, the third monitor is grayed out during the selection for extending process, and no error message explains why.

And as for this problem being unique to my setup and not being an issue that's out there for many others, do some simple searches and you'll see people are having this problem right and left. As I said, I came here to this site after many other tries elsewhere...

I'm still left with thinking that MSFT somehow left something out or deliberately dumbed down the code for some reason, maybe just indifference, as I've been told a few times to just buy new monitors. I may do that, but somehow it doesn't seem right to have to, especially when Win7 still handles all three perfectly fine... (The reason I hesitate to just keep Win7 and forget about it all has to do with security. Win7 updates are few and far between now, and only prompted by security software, not automatic MSFT updates. They clearly want users on Win10 for security issues. And that makes me nervous about sticking with Win7.)
May 31, 2016  • #7
Alan Wade's profile on WallpaperFusion.com
Have you tried the suggestions in this link:
http://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/windows-10-wont-let-me-use-3-monitors/

Read through them all, it may help.
May 31, 2016 (modified Jun 1, 2016)  • #8
Keith Lammers (BFS)'s profile on WallpaperFusion.com
I really don't think replacing the monitors will solve your issue. What manufacturer/model of video card do you have?
May 31, 2016  • #9
User Image
RL3
4 discussion posts
Quote:
Have you tried the suggestions in this link:
http://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/windows-10-wont-let-me-use-3-monitors/

Read through them all, it may help.


Thanks, I'd like to, but that link returns a 404 error.
May 31, 2016  • #10
Alan Wade's profile on WallpaperFusion.com
Quote:
Quote:
Have you tried the suggestions in this link:
http://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/windows-10-wont-let-me-use-3-monitors/

Read through them all, it may help.


Thanks, I'd like to, but that link returns a 404 error.


Ive taken the URL tags off so copy/paste the link, its working now.
Jun 1, 2016 (modified Jun 1, 2016)  • #11
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