Windows 7 Nvidia GeForce 8400 GS can not Dual display -Monitor 1 loses signal after startup

[nikpapag]

The following drivers will Not dual display: 295.73-Feb.2012 to 306.97-Oct.2012

But these previous drivers Will dual display: 285.62-Oct.2011 (also beta 290.53) and earlier to at least 185.93-May 2009

Card output: Dual Monitor Solution 59 pin socket (DMS-59) to VGAx2 cable adapter
Driver: 306.97 October 2012 - latest driver and clean reset install
OS: Windows 7 64

At login screen, the system powers off monitor 1 and powers on monitor 2. Windows behaves in every way as though dual display is working fine even though monitor 1 does not display because it's not getting a signal. It's the same for single display -a monitor on cable 1 powers off after startup finishes; or a monitor on cable 2 will display for both startup and windows. An interesting observation is that drivers 295 and later drivers reverse the monitor order numbers 1 & 2 shown in the control panels from the drivers 285 and previous.


Less important details:

Linux Ubuntu 10 dual displays fine. And so does my Windows XP 32 computer also with a GeForce 8400 GS but VGA & DVI output instead of DMS-59. It uses the latest (306.81) driver.

Tried Same Resolution and refresh rates: 2 of the 4 monitors I have tried have the exact same 'recommended' resolution (1280X 1024), both 60Hz, and even chose 16 bit color for both instead of 32 to reduce resources.

Both 'Extend these displays' in Windows Screen Resolution and 'Extend' in the Nvidia Control Panel is selected. And changing which one is primary does not turn on monitor 1. Nor does switching the position of display 1 in either (ex. left/right/top/bottom).

My Windows 7 64 is an upgrade from Vista 64. One person in another forum with the same problem resolved theirs by reinstalling Windows 7. But another got the same problem only after a fresh clean install of Windows 7 64 with the same GeForce 8400 GS and DMS-59 when it had previously worked in Vista. Link Removed

Tried two VGAx2 cable adapters in case one was defective.

Pushing a menu button on monitor 1 does wake it up, but just says,
1: Analog Input in Power Save Mode
Press Any Key on Keyboard or Move Mouse

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are facing an issue with dual display setup on Windows 7 64-bit with certain NVIDIA drivers, particularly after version 295.73 up to 306.97. The issue involves the primary monitor not receiving a signal, even though Windows behaves as if dual display is functioning correctly. Here's a breakdown of the details provided and some possible solutions and insights:

Driver Compatibility:​

• Not Working: Drivers from 295.73-Feb.2012 to 306.97-Oct.2012.
• Working: Drivers earlier than 285.62-Oct.2011 (including beta 290.53) to at least 185.93-May 2009.

Setup Details:​

• Card Output: Dual Monitor Solution 59 pin socket (DMS-59) to VGAx2 cable adapter.
• Driver: 306.97 October 2012 - the latest driver at the time of the post.
• OS: Windows 7 64-bit.

Issue Description:​

• Monitor 1 powers off at the login screen, while monitor 2 is powered on. Windows behaves normally despite monitor 1 not displaying any signal.
• Both single and dual display configurations have issues with the monitor order numbers being reversed with drivers 295 and later compared to 285 and previous.
• Linux Ubuntu 10 and Windows XP 32 on a different computer with a GeForce 8400 GS (using a different output type) work fine.

Troubleshooting Steps Taken:​

• Tried monitors with the same resolution (1280x1024), refresh rates (60Hz), and color depth (16-bit) to ensure uniformity.
• Ensured correct settings: 'Extend these displays' in Windows Screen Resolution and 'Extend' in the Nvidia Control Panel.
• Tried switching primary display and display position settings without success.
• Upgraded from Windows Vista 64 to Windows 7 64, and some users in forums resolved the issue by reinstalling Windows 7.

Additional Notes:​

• Pushing a menu button on monitor 1 wakes it up but shows "Analog Input in Power Save Mode."

  Possible Solutions:​

  1. Driver Rollback: Consider using older working drivers (prior to 285.62) that support dual display without issues.
  2. Firmware Update: Check for any available firmware updates for the graphics card or monitor.
  3. Hardware Test: Test the DMS-59 to VGAx2 adapter and cables to ensure they are functioning properly.
  4. Monitor Settings: Check the power-saving settings and input selection on monitor 1 to prevent it from entering power save mode.
  5. Fresh Windows Installation: If all else fails, a fresh installation of Windows (after data backup) might resolve compatibility issues. By following these steps, you may be able to troubleshoot and resolve the dual display issue you are experiencing in Windows 7 64-bit with the NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS.