Why does my Taskbar keep switching monitors?!

[Skrabblez]

• Windows 8.1
• Radeon PowerColor R9 290 PCS+ running the most up-to-date AMD Catalyst Control Center
• Monitor #1 = primary monitor
• Monitor #2 = secondary monitor WITH task bar

 

So I like to keep my taskbar on Monitor #2.  I move it to Monitor #2 > lock taskbar... now if I turn off Monitor #2, Windows gives me the "Device Disconnect" sound and the taskbar and all open windows on that monitor are moved to Monitor #1 (it even messes with icons on the desktop).  Even shutting down and waiting for the PC to completely shut down and then turn them off doesn't work... I'm assuming one monitor "disconnects" from the PC at a fraction of a second quicker/slower than the other.

 

I've Googled, I've searched through Windows settings, AMD settings, I've even installed DisplayFusion to see if it had an option to disable that.

 

Can anyone help?  I just want my taskbar, windows and icons to stay put!  Never had this issue on Win7.

[William12h]

Windows 8 Gives a task bar to both monitors. If you turning your monitor off makes it disconnect, don't turn it off... put it in standby mode etc.

Windows 7 only has 1 task bar where on Win 8 it goes on all monitors.

 

Your primary monitor will always have the Time and Date/ other mini task things, where all monitors can have the icons and the actual task bar.

[Skrabblez]

Windows 8 Gives a task bar to both monitors. If you turning your monitor off makes it disconnect, don't turn it off... put it in standby mode etc.

Windows 7 only has 1 task bar where on Win 8 it goes on all monitors.

 

Your primary monitor will always have the Time and Date/ other mini task things, where all monitors can have the icons and the actual task bar.

 

That doesn't help.

 

I've taken the "primary" taskbar (with date and system tray) moved it to Monitor #2 and locked it.  But like I said in my opening post... even turning off the PC will mess with the taskbar even when it's locked.  So when I turn my PC back on sometimes it's moved the taskbar and icons to Monitor #1.

 

There has to be a way in Win8 to prevent this from happening.

[elkenrod]

What are the connection types for Monitor 1 and Monitor 2, hdmi, displayport?

[Skrabblez]

What are the connection types for Monitor 1 and Monitor 2, hdmi, displayport?

 

Their both DVI connections directly into the video card.

[SlayerOfHellWyrm]

It's how Windows works. Any per-monitor change you make, will only remain applied, so long as that monitor is powered on. If you're shutting it off, and Windows disconnects it, it's saying that display is no longer there. To prevent you from losing access to what would be on that monitor, it shoves it all to the other, active monitor. If you wish to have it permanently on M2, you need to have a monitor that can go in stand-by mode, without sending a disconnect signal to Windows. I don't believe Windows has built in (activated) support for retaining the layout however on a shutdown, so instead use hibernate.

As long as that second monitor turns off though, and sends the disconnect, anything on it will be pushed over to the main monitor whether you want it to or not.

[Skrabblez]

It's how Windows works. Any per-monitor change you make, will only remain applied, so long as that monitor is powered on. If you're shutting it off, and Windows disconnects it, it's saying that display is no longer there. To prevent you from losing access to what would be on that monitor, it shoves it all to the other, active monitor. If you wish to have it permanently on M2, you need to have a monitor that can go in stand-by mode, without sending a disconnect signal to Windows. I don't believe Windows has built in (activated) support for retaining the layout however on a shutdown, so instead use hibernate.

As long as that second monitor turns off though, and sends the disconnect, anything on it will be pushed over to the main monitor whether you want it to or not.

 

Dang... I'm assuming this is new to Win8?  I had the same monitors, same taskbar setup, hooked up to a different PC in the past running Win7 and I never came across this.

 

Thanks for the info.

[Spev]

Not sure since you said you have it locket I can't imagine why it would be moving...

[TDP_Equinox]

Windows 8 Gives a task bar to both monitors. If you turning your monitor off makes it disconnect, don't turn it off... put it in standby mode etc.

Windows 7 only has 1 task bar where on Win 8 it goes on all monitors.

 

Your primary monitor will always have the Time and Date/ other mini task things, where all monitors can have the icons and the actual task bar.

Check the "show taskbar on all displays" mark, here http://gyazo.com/359cec516be9a14cbc2f59facbd954a4