[SOLVED] Two monitors don't work together

[EpsilonShadow]

Hello.
I've encountered a problem and I have no idea how to fix it. I've been looking for an answer for hours but none of the suggestions worked.
For a couple of years, I've been using a two-monitor setup. Or rather one monitor and one graphic tablet with a screen.

OC: Windows 7 (Yeah, I know. I have problems with migrating from system to system so I'd prefer to keep this one if possible...)
Motherboard: MSI 870s-c45(fx)
Monitor 1: Acer S220HQL
Monitor 2: Wacom Cintiq 13HD

For over a year I used Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 Ti. Acer was connected via VGA cable and Wacom via HDMI. Both monitors worked together perfectly.
Later this graphic card died and I had to use a backup one, GeForce 210. Both monitors worked well.

Then I bought a new one, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. It doesn't have VGA port but the Acer monitor has DVI port so I used that. And this is where I encountered a problem. When connected separately each monitor works perfectly. Wacom via HDMI and Acer via DVI. But when I try to connect both of them together, Acer loses signal, and only Wacom keeps working. The second monitor is not even visible in the Device Manager.

What I tried so far:

• I tried pushing "Detect monitor" both in display settings and in the Nvidia control panel. Both couldn't find the monitor.
• Refreshing in the Device Manager didn't find the second monitor.
• Restarting with only one plugged monitor and then plugging the other didn't work for both monitors.
• Reinstalling drivers didn't work.
• Completely deleting driver with Display Driver Uninstaller and reinstalling it again didn't work either.
• Win+P and selecting Extend Desctop didn't work.

 

[Ralston18]

Does the following link show your GPU?

https://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-1050-ti/specifications

When you reinstalled the drivers did you use a third party installer or did you directly download the applicable drivers via Nvidia's website?

(Asking that because you mentioned using a 3rd party uninstaller. Or are you referring to Nvidia's product

https://nvidiadriverwindows.com/nvidia-geforce-gtx-1050-ti-drivers-for-windows-manual-setup/

About all I can think of is that an older driver is still functioning.

In Device Manager > View is "Show hidden devices" checked?

Try using Task Manager or Resource Monitor to observe system performance. Just use one or the other. Not both at the same time.

Observe system performance first with each monitor on its own. Then try both monitors and determine what, if anything, may change between single monitor use and attempts to use both monitors.

What PSU do you have installed? The GTX 1050Ti recommends a 300 Watt PSU and lists an Operational Power Consumption value of 75 Watts.

 

[EpsilonShadow]

Yeah. The model number and specs seem right. At least to those they had on the shop page.

I installed the driver three times. First I deleted it from Programs and Features in Control panel, then I used Display Driver Uninstaller since it helped one other person with a similar problem. All three times I installed this driver.

I enabled "Show hidden devices" in Device Manager and noticed that only Wacom (HDMI) monitor ever appears there. When I connect only Acer (DVI) monitor it doesn't appear in Device Manager.

I tried using Resource Monitor but only noticed higher CPU usage after I unplugged HDMI cable while DVI was connected.

My PSU is Chieftec Gps-450a 450w.

Maybe the problem may be in PCI-E versions? The graphic card has 3.0 and the motherboard has 2.0 but I was told it shouldn't be a problem with this specific model.

Here is what I got when booted my PC with different monitors connected ("Show hidden devices" is enabled in the Device Manager).

 

[Ralston18]

What is interesting is that when only the Acer (DVI) is connected there is no listing at all for "Monitors" in Device Manager.

Try installing Acer's Monitor driver.

https://blogs.innovanathinklabs.com/download-acer-monitor-driver-windows/

 

[EpsilonShadow]

In the driver archive, there are Acer S200HQL.icm and Acer S200HQL.inf files. How could I install them if the needed monitor doesn't appear in the Device Manager?

 

[Ralston18]

Install them and the monitor may appear.

Seems strange that the monitor works by itself but some aspect of that may be being blocked when another monitor and/or its' driver are running.

If the Acer's driver is present then Windows may be able to sort it all out.

It would be something I would try.

 

[EpsilonShadow]

After I tried to install from the right-click menu I got "The INF file you selected does not support this method of installation.” error. Is there a way to install it somehow else?

 

[EpsilonShadow]

Turned out the problem was in either DVI cable or DVI port of the monitor or graphics card. Today DisplayPort to VGA adapter arrived and when I used it everything works again. Both monitors appear in the Device Manager too.