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    second desktop on a second monitor?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Lt.Glare, Jul 18, 2008.

  1. Lt.Glare

    Lt.Glare Notebook Evangelist

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    Is there ANY way to have 2 separate windows sessions running on one computer with 2 monitors? All I want to do is have msn running in one window and a game running in the other. Preferably I'd like to have 1 monitor one desktop, one monitor another. Any one know of any programs I can look into?
     
    Lt.Glare, Jul 18, 2008
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  2. ChristopherAKAO4

    ChristopherAKAO4 Notebook Nut

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    Can't you just tell Windows to use the second screen as a extended desktop?
     
    ChristopherAKAO4, Jul 18, 2008
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  3. Lt.Glare

    Lt.Glare Notebook Evangelist

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    well.. yeah I've already done that. what i mean is, a second taskbar, maybe even a second start menu on the second monitor.

    My issue is that when a new msn window opens when I'm playing a game, instead of opening on the second monitor, it opens underneath the game window. Ideally, it'd be awesome if I could focus on (click on) the msn window and still have the fullscreen game running, but I'll settle for at least being able to see the chat window.
     
    Lt.Glare, Jul 18, 2008
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  4. ChristopherAKAO4

    ChristopherAKAO4 Notebook Nut

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    Hmm . . . been too long sense I fooled with duel displays. :p Could you change it so the game is on the second screen maybe? (if it's full screen you wouldn't need a second taskbar right?)
     
    ChristopherAKAO4, Jul 18, 2008
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  5. timtravel42

    timtravel42 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Try UltraMon
    it will create a second taskbar on the second monitor
     
    timtravel42, Jul 18, 2008
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  6. Svarto

    Svarto Notebook Consultant

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    Or if you have 2 different computer connected on a network, you can use a program called Synergy to connect the two computers so you are dual screening but with 2 different computers instead of 2 screens and 1 computer you have 2 screen and 2 computers, but works the same as 2screen 1computer setup. You need the connected to a network tho for it to work.
     
    Svarto, Jul 18, 2008
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  7. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    Have you looked at the nVidia control center?
     
    atbnet, Jul 18, 2008
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  8. Apollo13

    Apollo13 100% 16:10 Screens

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    The Virtual Desktop Manager XP Powertoy might be able to do this. It allows you to have up to four desktops, each with its own taskbar, Start menu, desktop, et. al., and switch between them by clicking a 1-4 button on the taskbar to select a desktop. What I don't know is if it can display two of them at once, one per monitor, and I don't have a second screen to try it with. But you might find it handy anyways - I use a similar feature in Solaris all the time.

    It might go without saying, but just in case, these powertoys are for XP, not Vista. Power Calculator will probably work fine in Vista, but otherwise, I wouldn't count on it.
     
    Apollo13, Jul 18, 2008
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  9. Forced

    Forced Notebook Geek

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    Just make the screen with MSN the "main" display, and put the game on the second display?
     
    Forced, Jul 18, 2008
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