change from 2 to 3 displays easy on P?

[Fat Tone]

When I tried changing from 2 to 3 displays with an early version of the P drivers on my Winker box, it went ok. Changing back caused major problems (It was a long time ago, I don't remember the precise details.

I'm now on 1.4.0.78 drivers and win2kSP4, and again want to go the 3 monitors (at least for a while). Is this going to be a pain again? Any suggestions for a smooth process?

TIA

T.

[borat]

when i changed back to a single monitor a few months ago i would get some programs which opened up to the right of my screen, ie in mid air, these were unacesable with the mouse because i was running 1 screen in single head mode. i figured that i had opened them up on screen 2 or 3 the previous time i used them and this information had been stored somewhere and the drivers didnt correct it when i went back to one head. had to plug the monitors in againto get it back. this was a couple of driver revisions though and ive been triple head permanently since them, so dont know if it still exists.

[GNEP]

Remember you can always right click on a window's taskbar icon, choose "move" and then use the arrow keys to get it back on screen - this has helped me many times in the past when switching from more to less screens...

[borat]

i dodnt know about that, solves my problem at least!

[Fat Tone]

I often use Alt, spacebar, m, cursor keys to move an app back on screen when my configuration has changed.

My concern is that when I changed from 3 to 2 screens before I couldn't get two independant displays working again without a complete uninstall and reinstall of the drivers - I obviously remember some of the details now! Is that still a problem in win2k?

T.

[GNEP]

AFAIK it would be because to get DH independent under win2k they have to install the drivers "twice" - this is not done if you only select a stretched resolution from the beginning when installing a set of drivers.

So unless you have used independent resolutions since you last installed drivers, I think you would still need to reinstall - it's a limitation of win2k, and I guess that if they did this "double install" even for cases where it's not needed lots of people would complain...

Actually, scrub that... looking now I do have the option in PD to go from stretched 3 (what I have now) to 2 independent + feature - so I guess it's not an issue... so maybe you'll be OK.

Worst case is you have to remove the drivers from add/remove programs and re-install.

[Fat Tone]

Thanks DM.

Out of interest, what do you do with your task bar? Having it stretch all along the bottom is a waste of space, and having it down the left and the office bar down the right seemed a bloody long way apart!

T.

[GNEP]

All the way along the bottom - at 1280x960x3 it isn't that intrusive. Don't use the office bar at all (for some reason it's always pissed me off)

[Fat Tone]

I'm planning 1280*1024*3 @75Hz (if I can stomach it - I'm very sensitive to the flicker. That's the most the flat panels will do.). I'll experiment with a very large quicklaunch bar and no Office bar.

Cheers

T.

[GNEP]

If they're flat panels then the flicker won't really be an issue will it?

[Fat Tone]

I was waiting for someone to say that! It would seem that I am sensitive to it even on flat panels...I guess these have a good pixel response time. It could be partly psychosomatic, but with a CRT it has to be 85Hz - put me infront of 60Hz for 10 mins and I'm ill...very ill.

[GNEP]

I'm the same wrt CRTs - has to be 85Hz... but the last flat panels I used at work were chugging along at 60Hz and I found them easier on the eyes than anything else I have used - I guess they were quite old and slow. Anyway - bedtime

[Fat Tone]

Yes DM...I'm going

[leech]

Originally posted by GNEP
All the way along the bottom - at 1280x960x3 it isn't that intrusive. Don't use the office bar at all (for some reason it's always pissed me off)

I hear ya, it always pissed me off too.

I currently have 3 21" CRT's at 85hz (1280x1024) and I agree, anything less just kills the eyes. I still say someone needs to figure out a way to get dual Mice on the screen (granted you can currently plug in two mice, and which ever one you move actually will move the cursor, so you can have lefty and righty fights if you're REALLY bored.... )

Leech

[DentyCracker]

That is sad Leech, very sad.