I just changed my set-up from two 19 inch and two 17 inch to three 19 inch and one 17 inch. The three 19 in are on a desk next to eachother and the 17 inch sits above the center 19 inch. (I just changed the left monitor from a 17 to a 19 inch). Now when I apply changes to the Display Properties in the Windows Control panel it changes the arrangement of the monitors from three across, one on top, to 4 across. The only way I can get it to arrange in the correct way is to change the resolution of the top screen so that I don't get use of the full area of the top screen. Can someone give me some advice on how to fix this? Many thanks.
Windows sometimes has a bit of its own mind about multi-display. I'd try changing which is the "primary" and see if you can get they system to accept what you want.
Thanks gnome. I tried changing the primary to all the other monitors but no success. It does not accept the top monitor as the primary unless the resolution is set at 1152 x 864 (at this setting about 3/4 inch of the edges of the screen are blacked out). Like you say it has a mind of its own! Any other ideas?
Seems like my old CRTs would sometimes display the wallpaper like that, and I had to search around for some "full screen" setting to select. You might try looking all through Display, Settings, and all sub-setting tabs for Monitor. I presume you're using LCDs? If so, maybe you can replace that top LCD with a CRT? At least it would have a sharp display at 1152 x 864. Like I said, Windows balks at some settings. (In my 4-monitor system, it is not stable if I use the dualhead card's designated primary port as my display primary. When I use the card's secondary port as the system primary, it all works fine.) You may have to live with the limitation or find a way to not have that monitor on top of the others.
Thanks again gnome. Yes they are LCD's. Actually the resolution is okay at 1152x864. It is just annoying to lose the screen space on the edges of that screen. I've looked at the other setting as well at the Windows website and just can't figure a way to fix this but I won't give up yet. Just does not make sense that it would work with 2x17in, 2x19inch but not 3x19inch, 1x17inch.
The size shouldn't make any difference at all as they each have the same resolution. Must be that one "on top" thing Windows doesn't like. Maybe you need 4, 19's ? What are your video cards, 2 dualheads? Nvidia and what? Matrox and what?
i do not know what type of cards you are running but screen number one must be to the left or the top when you use ati cards... the resolution issue sounds like a bad driver or equipment profile... all in all should be an easy fix...
I assume you mean the recommended resolution? The manuals for both the 19 inch and the 17 inch monitors recommend 1280 x 1024.