Microsoft KB Archive/905776

= The taskbar appears on the wrong monitor after you change the primary monitor in Windows XP =

Article ID: 905776

Article Last Modified on 8/9/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional

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SYMPTOMS
Consider the following scenario:
 * You are using multiple monitors in Microsoft Windows XP.
 * You change the monitor that is used as the primary monitor.
 * You log off the computer.

After you log back on to the computer, the following symptoms occur:
 * The taskbar appears on the wrong monitor. For example, the taskbar appears on the secondary monitor and the desktop icons appear on the primary monitor.
 * When you start a program, the program window does not start on the same monitor as the taskbar.
 * Dialog boxes do not appear on the same monitor as the taskbar.

These symptoms occur if the following conditions are true:
 * You are using a video adaptor to which you can connect two monitors. For example, you are using a single video adaptor that has two VGA connections so that you can run two monitors at the same time.
 * You follow these steps:
 * In the Display Properties tool in Control Panel, you click the monitor icon that represents the secondary monitor on the Settings tab.
 * You click to select the Use this device as the primary monitor check box, and then click OK.
 * You log off the computer.
 * You log back on to the computer.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start, click Run, type desk.cpl in the Open box, and then click OK.
 * 2) Click the Settings tab, and then click the monitor that you want to use as the primary monitor.
 * 3) Click to select the Use this device as the primary monitor check box if it is not already selected.

Note The Use this device as the primary monitor check box is unavailable if you click the monitor that is currently set as your primary monitor.
 * 1) Click the monitor that you want to use as the secondary monitor.
 * 2) Click to clear the Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor check box, and then click Apply.
 * 3) Click to select the Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor check box, and then click Apply.
 * 4) Drag the monitor icons to the positions where you want them, and then click OK.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section.

Additional query words: dual head

Keywords: kbtshoot KB905776

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