Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

JeffBot · Jun 22, 2007, 07:31 PM

Unboxed my new MacBookPro yesterday and got Boot Camp installed with Windows Vista Ultimate. Everything seems to work smoothly, but I'm having problems getting a secondary display to work correctly under Vista. Try as I might, I cannot get Vista to display anything over 1024 x 768 on my Dell 2001FP (native 1600 x 1200). Booting into OS X, everything works fine (love the way Apple displays individual resolution settings on each monitor ... genius!).

I've tried everything I can think of in Windows without success (updated the display driver to the one on Dell's website, tried making Dell the primary display, tried installing Powerstrip, tried reinstalling boot camp drivers). I've tried to update with the latest Nvidia drivers (my MacBook has a GeForce 8600M), but the Nvidia installer fails and says it can't recognize any compatible hardware. Anyone else have success using a secondary display under Vista on the new MacBook Pros? Any suggestions?

ghporter · Jun 22, 2007, 08:35 PM

Welcome to our forums!

What secondary monitor resolution options does nVidia give you with their driver? It's quite possible that there's something about the video hardware (like amount of VRAM) that limits it. If the driver doesn't give you options beyond 1024X768, that may be why. If it does, I'd REMOVE the driver, reboot Vista, and reinstall it. This sometimes fixes drivers that don't quite get installed perfectly.

arjunM · 05:50 AM

Maybe the nVidia (ForceWare?) drivers aren't yet updated for mobile systems or like the ATI drivers, you need to patch them first. With the ATI (Catalyst) drivers you actually need to patch them first to be installed on a mobile system after recognizing the card.

I am guessing for now you'll have to wait for a patch to surface for the nVidia drivers so that they can be installed on mobile systems too, or until the drivers are updated.. Though I'd imagine the bootcamp drivers should actually contain all the functionality you'd need for your problem.

Also, are your using DVI or the VGA converter? Maybe try the other?

JeffBot · Jun 25, 2007, 12:15 PM

Thanks for the suggestions guys:

ghporter:
The nVidia driver only allows up to 1024x768. I don't think it's a hardware limitation since I can use the Dell fine under OS X. Also, I'm still limited to 1024x768 if I turn off the laptop display and use just the Dell as my primary display. If also tried several driver re-installs without success.

arjunM:
I think that you might be right. Looking on nVidia's website, it seems like the 8600M is a pretty new and maybe their Windows drivers haven't quite caught up yet. For now, I'm trying to use the DVI connector. I suppose I could try the VGA connector ... but I don't have high hopes.

Has anyone with a new MacBook Pro been able to use a second monitor in Boot Camp yet? Even if I can't solve the problem, it would be reassuring to know that I'm not alone.

DMind · Jun 27, 2007, 11:17 PM

For what it's worth, I have the same problem with my Mac Pro (4 core 266, 1 gb ram). I'm using Bootcamp 1.3, and I can't get my Windows bootcamp to recognize either of my video cards (nvidia 7300 and ati 1900). Both the nvidia and ati driver installation programs cannot find a valid device.

I can run windows with the nv 7300, but only get a blank screen when I switch the monitor to the ati and reboot. Again, not a problem running in Mac OSX at 1440 x 900, but limited to 1024x768 under windows. It's very strange - the displays don't even show up under the windows device manager.

Any suggestions would be great!

soslack · Jul 1, 2007, 07:44 AM

Doesn't work for me either....doh

shinykaro · Jul 3, 2007, 09:16 AM

I'm having the same problem with XP and a Samsung LCD monitor. I installed the drivers first and it just messes everything up.

JeffBot · Jul 3, 2007, 01:06 PM

Anyone try using nVidia's beta drivers? In the official drivers, it doesn't appear that the 8600M is supported. However, the beta site at NZone has some newer ones. After several hours of frustration, I gave up and have been using Parallels 3.0. Still, I'd rather be able to run Vista directly ... Wondering if these beta drivers are worth a try. Any takers?

JeffBot · Jul 3, 2007, 03:29 PM

Another update. Re-installed bootcamp with Vista (32-bit). Downloaded the nVidia beta driver (158.45) but still no luck. When I try to run the installer, I just get an error that my hardware is not supported. Anyone have other ideas? Is this something that could be escalated with Apple or nVidia or will they just ignore it as an unsupported configuration?

DMind · Jul 4, 2007, 01:16 PM

My attempts have all failed as well. My setup is also with XP and a Mac Pro. It seems like the video cards aren't even there.

If I check settings in the windows system tools, I find that it is running a VGASAVE driver, which I believe is a software driver - thus the slow performance. This vgasave driver has conflicting resources with several pci ports, which may point to the underlying problem. In searching VGASAVE online, it seems that under a standard PC setup VGASAVE is used only when there's a problem with the chipset drivers.

So I've tried reinstalling the chipset drivers a million-jillion times and that doesn't help. I've tried reinstalling XP a few hundred times and tried the old bootcamp 2.0 drivers with no luck either. I've zapped pram and reset the system also to no avail.

It also seems that both the nvidia and ati install programs need a proper default display driver to be working.

It just seems like some fundamental driver isn't installed correctly, or perhaps there's a problem with the BIOS that windows is interacting with...

The wierd thing for me, is that my system was working unitl is tried to reinstall on a larger hard drive.

Any experts out there have any ideas?? Please??!

milesd · Jul 5, 2007, 10:33 PM

Good to know I am not allone with this problem :-( Got yesterday my new MacBook Pro 2.2 Ghz. Installed Boot Camp 1.3 and then Vista. When using an external
display (Benq FP241W 24" wide) I am limited to a max. resolution of 1024X768. I downloaded the vista driver from nvdia but it seems that it can't recognize the hardware.

Cadaver · Jul 6, 2007, 10:39 PM

Must be something unique to the nVidia drivers; no problems here on an ATI- based MacBook Pro. And if all resolutions work in MacOS X, then it must be Windows misbehaving (what else is new?).

ghporter · Jul 7, 2007, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by Cadaver

Must be something unique to the nVidia drivers; no problems here on an ATI- based MacBook Pro. And if all resolutions work in MacOS X, then it must be Windows misbehaving (what else is new?).

Not Windows itself, but the driver. Windows abstracts EVERYTHING, which makes the user experience highly driver dependent. It also makes writing drivers easier because you have a well-documented interface to work with, but though the OS side is straightforward (as things like this go), the hardware part is pretty harsh.

milesd · Jul 8, 2007, 03:03 AM

Well I gave the DVI to VGA adapter (the one that shipps with the MacBook Pro) a try and it works. With a DVI attachment I could not get the
full resolution on my external monitor. Via VGA attachment I have the full 1920 X 1800 under Vista. I do not know where the problem is.

ghporter · Jul 8, 2007, 11:25 AM

It's probably a stumbling block with the external part of the video system not being able to do more than a certain level of resolution because of a memory or bandwidth issue. I'm glad to see that you found a way to get what you want.

gtlai · Jul 10, 2007, 01:06 AM

I am not alone.

I have similar problem, my mac book pro (Mobile radoen x1600), boot camp 1.3, vista business

DVI to VGA adaptor to my Benq 20 inch wide did not work
DVI to DVI to my Benq work prefectly

try to get the latest driver from AMD but there isnt one.

I am worry I cannot use DVI to VGA adaptor to connect to data projector for presentation.

anyone got idea how to fix it?

JeffBot · Jul 10, 2007, 12:11 PM

Finally got around to trying the DVI-VGA adapter. As reported by others, this works perfectly for me. I'm now getting the full 1600x1200 resolution on my secondary display. I just wish I was able to use native DVI for better quality and clarity.

In searching other Mac forums (MacRumous and Apple Discussions), I've seen several other reports of this issue. The consensus appears to be that it is a driver issue. Hopefully Apple is now aware of the problem and will get around to fixing it in the next Boot Camp update.

Scolidoc · Jul 11, 2007, 09:24 AM

This issue has been round since the first bootcamp version. I have a MBP and XP but cannot get my external display to work properly. For those of you that are able to get a secondary display to work, are you able to extend your desktop to the secondary screen?

JeffBot · Jul 11, 2007, 12:43 PM

Scolidoc,

Yes, the extended desktop does work. Even when I was limited to a low res I was able to extend the desktop. A bit frustrating to hear that this has been a known issue for such a long time. You would think that after several boot camp revisions they would have worked it out by now.

nintendew · 11:38 AM

I had a similar problem with my 24" iMac and 23" cinema display. I simply uninstalled the nVidia software and used the Microsoft drivers instead.

NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM)

Works fine now.

jetownsend · Jul 29, 2007, 06:18 PM

Just wanted to chime in that I have a new MacBook Pro (Santa Rosa) and 30" Cinema HD display, and I too can't get Windows Vista under Boot Camp to recognize the external monitor has having more than 1024x768 resolution using the NVIDIA control panel, and in fact the desktop extended to that monitor isn't correctly displayed (it's tiled twice and more vertically). No luck uninstalling it and using the generic drivers either, or trying to use the Cinema HD alone. Hope that driver gets updated.

marcosscriven · 12:09 PM

Here too - I've tried different drivers and powerstrip, all to no avail. It's EXTREMELY frustrating!
I've also ried two different 1920x1200 monitors: Apple 23" cinema and samsung 244t

CountLovE · Aug 17, 2007, 04:10 PM

Hey guys.. I bought a 30'' Cinema Display. Had the same issue as you so I returned it, and bought a 30 inch Dell. Now I have the same problem as well.

Has anyone figured out a fix for this? I am using the 1.4 bootcamp drivers, and no matter what I do, I can't get the Dell 30'' drivers to install properply.. The Nvidia Monitor thing keeps using the Default PnP monitor bullshit.. It is really pissing me off.. Please.. has anyone found a solution to getting these 30inch displays to work as primary only in Vista?

It is killing me.. I want to play Battlefield 2!!!!!!

CountLovE · Aug 17, 2007, 06:30 PM

I found out the reason why. The Vista Drivers from Nvidia do not support Dual Link. OSX does.. But Vista doesn't.. Apple, and Nvidia need to get working on a new release of drivers.

stoaka · Sep 6, 2007, 03:51 PM

I have a brand new Mac Pro 3.00 GZH Xeon with 1 GB.
I have a dedicated drive for Vista and I use BootCamp to install Vista. Somehow I have not been able to solve the resolution problem on Vista. Vista does get installed and works but display is like windows on safemode.

I did not find anybody here who has successfully done it. The sad part is that There is no support numbers for Nvidia and BootCamp.
When you call Apple they say because it is a Beta Version they dont offer help. When you call Microsoft they dont have a clue either.

So guy has anybody succeeded so far? It would be nice to have step wise instructions.

kalumbox · Oct 4, 2007, 02:30 AM

Hello I also have this problem on a MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz SantaRosa and Geforce 8600 M GT (256MB) and external 20 " BenQ monitor. What is strange is that it seems to be a Vista specific problem as I got no problems at all on both XP 32 and 64…

Maybe there is a way by manually patching the driver and/or registry for the Display to force the native resolution…as far is I know, custom drivers from nvidia on sites like LaptopVideo2Go & NVIDIA Related News or Station-Drivers: le site de drivers, bios, firmwares, ect...

ghporter · Oct 4, 2007, 06:55 AM

kalumbox, the issue is almost certainly a Vista driver problem. So far many people have noted (in this thread) that all is well in any OS except Vista.

And before anyone else chimes in, technically your MacBook Pro does NOT have a "Santa Rosa" chipset, because that configuration includes an Intel wireless system. MBPs have something else-but I can't remember the name at the moment. The more appropriate, more accurate term is "Core 2 Duo".

Oh, and WELCOME! Glad to have you around!

JeffBot · 06:27 PM

FALSE alarm! For a few hours, I thought I'd finally gotten this working using modified/beta drivers from the laptopvideo2go forums (I managed to get a full-size image from a 24" monitor through DVI). Unfortunately, this also resulted in disabling 3d acceleration and the Vista Aero interface (... as well as one bluescreen of death). Looks like it's back to the drawing board. I'm eager to see if this driver issue will be fixed with the upcoming OS X release.

arjunM · Oct 22, 2007, 04:17 PM

JeffBot! Glad to hear you FINALLY got this working right, congratulations!

soslack · Oct 28, 2007, 01:52 AM

I can't believe this is still a poblem. Just loaded Vista up in Leopard's BootCamp. still only getting 1024x768. I've tried everything! Even the beta drivers from NVidia don't work.

This is beyond a joke

astepanuks · Oct 28, 2007, 10:32 PM

Same here with 10.5 and Vista Enterprise on MBP 2.2 Ghz with Dell 20 incher as an external.
The funny thing is that it was working fine to start with under 10.4 and Bootcamp 1.4 until Windows downloaded some software update. After then, all my display settings went high wire.
I was hoping that Bootcamp 2 would fix the issue. To start with, it made it worse. After I installed new drivers, my Dell would not work at all! I had a look, and the graphics card was reported as generic VGA card. I manually installed nVidia drivers from 10.5 disk and got my Dell back, but again at 1024 resolution.

aldo · Oct 30, 2007, 04:23 PM

Hi,

Same problem here, my external display only goes to 1024x768, but the native resolution is 1600x1200.

Here is what I have:
Macbook Pro 15" Santa Rosa running Windows Vista, Nvidia 8600, Leopard, Bootcamp 2, DVI-to-DVI, Samsung 21" 1600x1200 native

I've tried everything, Any solutions yet?

JeffBot · Nov 1, 2007, 07:30 PM

I upgraded my bootcamp install using the Leopard DVD. Initially, the Nvidia driver was not installed, but I navigated to the appropriate directory on the Leopard DVD and found the installer. I can confirm that the issue has NOT been fixed (thanks soslack). Also, I am now getting a very annoying flicker when using the monitor at full resolution through the DVI->VGA adapter. This makes even the workaround pretty awful. Gotta say that this all pretty disappointing. Has anyone posted this on the apple support forums?

astepanuks · Nov 6, 2007, 06:38 PM

Has anyone tried drivers / patches from LaptopVideo2Go & NVIDIA Related News

JeffBot · Nov 6, 2007, 07:37 PM

astepanuks, I tried several drivers from LaptopVideo2go without success. One of the drivers actually did allow me to output 1920 x 1200 over DVI (so we know it's possible with the hardware under Windows) but it also disabled 3d acceleration and caused a blue screen. I use my MBP at work, so I decided to give up on experimental drivers that could fail at any minute. Still, if you have any success please let the forum know and we'll give it a try.

JeffBot · Nov 14, 2007, 01:31 PM

I'm happy to report that I've now got a working DVI port under Vista/Bootcamp on my MacBook Pro. After reading the thread on the apple forums here, I decided to give the LaptopVideo2go drivers another try.

I eventually settled on the 169.09 driver, available in this thread. Using the "Have Disk" method described at LaptopVideo2Go, I updated and was greeted with 24" of DVI goodness. As I suspected, DVI looks considerably better than the VGA adapter. Good riddance to that thing.

A couple of points on the install:
1. Read the instructions on the install from LaptopVideo. You'll need to extract the drivers and replace the included .INF file with a specially customized one provided in the thread.
2. I used the "Have Disk" method to update.
3. The original .INF file posted in the thread apparently had some issues. Not sure if it's been fixed yet, so probably safer to get your .INF from post #44 in the thread by lambusser. This is what I used and it worked perfectly.

Good luck everyone and happy DVI-ing.