Cannot mirror monitors in Vista Home Premium

[usasma]

I have installed Vista Home Premium (Upgrade) with a clean install on an XPPro system. Both monitors were hooked up while the installation was run. The first monitor is a 19" LCD, the 2nd is a 40" LCD (we use it to demonstrate stuff to customers).

The installation has extended the desktop to the other monitor, rather than mirror the desktop (which is allegedly the default). I've tried to uninstall and disconnect the 2nd monitor, then rebooted and reinstalled with no success.

Any suggestions on how to force this bugger to mirror the desktop from the 1st monitor?

[3aces]

how are they connected???

[Noise]

I don't think certified drivers for Vista allow video mirroring. It was something to do with DRM I think.

[cluberti]

Only desktop extension will work (without driver hacks) in Vista. If it detects two monitors, you can only extend. A driver would have to fool windows into sending the same signal to both monitors.

[usasma]

FWIW - we did find a workaround today. The latest nVidia drivers are Vista certified, and installing the nVidia Control Panel let's you set the option in there. Still, it's a bit disappointing to have to use another application when the capability is supposedly built into Vista.

This is a stock Gateway system that may have had an nVidia video card added (but it may have come that way). The card has 2 outputs - one connected to the usual monitor with a VGA cable and the other connected to the TV with a DVI cable. I can get the complete specs if it's necessary.

Edited January 28, 2007 by usasma

[3aces]

hmmm......well using control panel seems ok......im sure there is a option in the contorl panel to set a hotkey, i used to have a 6600GT, i cant member now, but setting a hot key seems appropiate

[steviewonder]

Today a new forceware driver 1...51 will work better than the 96.46 driver:

I have the same situation with my 7900 GT.

It works untill I try something on the second monitor and then it scrambles.

New driver today:

http://downloads.guru3d.com/downloadget.ph...a9fa1a602a185c9

ForceWare Vista 100.51 (32-bit)

Version: 100.51

Publisher: NVIDIA

Date added: 2007-01-28 22:26:38

File Size: 29.8 MB

OS Support: Windows Vista 32-bit

License: FreeWare

Downloads: 2128 downloads

Software type: Videocards - NVIDIA ForceWare Vista

ForceWare Vista 100.51 (32-bit)

Software Description

Windows Vista 32-bit

We have a new Vista 32-bit driver for you today as XFX has issued a 32-bit version of the 100.51 beta driver for Windows Vista today. And may I applaud them for actually releasing this driver ?

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 Users can now rejoice in finally having semi-official support in Windows Vista. This is not sa specific XFX build, it's a refence build which means you can use it on any brand GeForce 8800 GTS/GTX.

These drivers are intended for the 8800 GTS and GTX only, yet we included a modified .inf file that you can use to have a spin with these as well with regular GeForce graphics cards. As always, please consider these drivers to be Beta.

For 8800 users though, since this is a very close to final build I strongly suggest you use these over the 100.30 drivers !

As always we recompressed the drivers to make it a smaller dowbloadable version (29 MB), also we have virus and pest check these drivers, and they came out clean.

SLI users out there, sorry .. but SLI has not been finalized in the drivers. Even the upcoming 100.53 official driver from NVIDIA does not have that support just yet.

We have a discussion-thread open on these drivers right here.

[3aces]

obvious incompatibility.ill do some searching for you ill post back in about an hour