Running Multiple Monitors on Windows 8
To set up Windows 8 multiple-display support, you must have a video adapter installed that supports multiple monitors or a separate video adapter installed for each monitor. If you have a computer with a video adapter built into the system board, install Windows 8 before you install the second video adapter. If Windows 8 detects a second video adapter then it will disable the video adapter that is built into the system board. The added second video adapter automatically becomes the primary video adapter after Windows 8 is installed.
To Configure Multiple-Display Support:
1. Turn off your computer and if you need, install the new video adapters. Plug your monitors into the video adapters and turn on your computer. If the adapters are Plug and Play compatible, Windows 8 will automatically recognize the new adapters and load the proper drivers.
2. Open Display Settings dialog box. The quickest way is to right-click an empty area on your Desktop, select Personalize, and click Display Settings. There should be an icon for each of the monitors.
3. Click the number of the monitor that you want as the additional display. Then select Extend the Desktop On to This Monitor check box. This step can be repeated for any additional monitor. The order in which the displays are arranged can be changed by dragging and dropping the monitor icons in the Monitor tab of the Display Settings dialog box.
4. Click OK to close the dialog box when you are done.
Troubleshooting Multiple-Display Support
The Extend the Desktop Onto This Monitor option isn’t available.
If you do not see the option Extend the Desktop Onto This Monitor on the Monitor tab of the Display Settings dialog box, verify that your secondary adapter is supported for multiple-display support. Also check that you have loaded the most current drivers that are Windows 8 compliant and support dual-mode capabilities. Verify that Windows 8 is able to detect the secondary video adapter. Select the secondary adapter instead of the primary adapter in the Display Settings dialog box.
No output appears on the secondary display.
Make sure that your secondary adapter is supported for multiple-display support. This is especially important if you are using a built-in motherboard video adapter. Also check that you have installed the correct video driver for the secondary display. Then restart the computer to see if the secondary video driver is initialized. Check the status of the video adapter in Device Manager. Switch the order of the video adapters in the computer’s slots and now see if the system recognizes the device as the primary display.
An application is not properly displayed.
Disable the secondary display to find out if the problem stems from or is related to multiple-display support. Run the application on the primary display. If running MS-DOS applications, try running the application in full-screen mode. For Windows applications, maximize the window and try running the application.