Windows 10: Windows 10 display settings won't let me change from "Disconnect the display" to "Extend...

We have several Dell Latitude 5500 laptops with WD19TB docking stations to allow us to connect 2 external DisplayPort monitors. All of them are imaged with the same software and drivers.


One of the computers is having a strange issue where the external monitors are not displaying an image. The user can only In the Windows 10 settings, there is a smaller icon showing that the monitor is detected, but disconnected through the settings. When we select to extend the displays, the setting for each external monitor keeps reverting to "Disconnect this display"


From the Intel Graphics Command Center, there is a box representing all 3 monitors with 2 of them showing they are disabled. There is no option to enable the monitor like there is from our other computers.


I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the graphics drivers, updating all the firmware for the laptop and the docking station, and checking that all drivers were up to date. I can't find a way to enable these drivers. We've tried a different docking station and different monitors that work as expected with our other laptops.

:)

 

Disconnecting and re-extending desktop to display, changes arrangement

Using the display settings menu to disconnect a display when it is not in use and then extend the desktop to the display again results in the arrangement of the displays being changed. I then have to drag them back into position each time in what is already an arduous process without this aspect. Is it possible for Windows 10 to save and recall the relative positions of displays?

 

Display settings changed

Hi,

We would like to know more information regarding your display settings issue. For better assistance, please answer the following questions:

• Have you made any recent changes prior to this issue?
• What other troubleshooting steps have you tried so far?
• How are you trying to extend the display?

Regards.

 

Disconnecting and re-extending desktop to display, changes arrangement

This screenshot shows the display settings menu. It allows individual monitors to be disconnected and reconnected and moved around in relation to each other.





This video shows what happens to the monitor arrangement when a single monitor is disconnected and then reconnected. The purpose of disconnecting monitors and reconnecting them in this way is to prevent the cursor from moving to an unused display which makes it harder to find, to prevent wasted electricity on unused resources and maintain system performance that would be spent on unnecessary calculations inside the transistors that make a monitor display things.