Multiple External Monitors on ThinkPad mini dock.
 Setup:
  • Lenovo ThinkPad T430
  • Windows 8.1 Enterprise, 64-bit
  • Lenovo ThinkPad Mini Dock Plus Series 3, Type 4338
  • 3 external monitors of various types and resolutions (Dell, HP & Acer)

Description:

The Lenovo ThinkPad Mini Dock has 1 VGA output and 2 pairs of DVI-D/DisplayPort. The documentation says it can be setup in a Quad Display Configuration. (See http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/ht037605)

For quite a while, I have been using it in a dual display configuration, with each of the following:

1 external Monitor:

  • 1 monitor on VGA
  • 1 monitor on DVI-D
  • 1 monitor on DisplayPort

Recently, I moved offices, and now have some extra room, so I have tried several new configurations:

2 external Monitors:

  • 1 monitor on VGA + 1 on DVI-D
  • 1 monitor on VGA + 1 on DisplayPort
  • 1 monitor on each of DVI-D

3 external Monitors:

  • 1 monitor on VGA, + 1 on each DVI-D
  • 1 monitor on VGA, +1 on DVI-D + 1 on DisplayPort

In each of these cases, I get the same result:

  • In the "Screen Resolution" dialog, when I hit the [Detect] button, all monitors show up, and the description in the Display combobox is correct.
  • If I Extend the desktop to any single external monitor, it works fine. (Drivers, cables, etc. are all good.)
  • If I attempt to enable any other display (extend or duplicate the desktop) it looks good on the dialog until I hit [Apply]
  • When I hit [Apply] I see a dialog that says: "The display settings could not be saved. Please try a different combination of display settings."

Question:

Does Windows 8.1 Enterprise 64-bit support more than 2 displays at a time?

- If not, why does it detect all of them and let me enable everything until I get to the [Apply] button.

- If so, what am I doing wrong? What can I try next?

May 26th, 2015 9:36am

Hi

Yes, Windows 8.1 absolutely supports for more than 2 monitors, actually Windows only help detect these devices and provide relevant settings thats all. The behavior that dealing with multiple signals to multiple monitors is actually controlled by your video card. And lots of them do have requirements when you use more than 2monitors on these cards, such as many users reported that to use more than 2 screens on an AMD card, at least one screen must use a (true) DisplayPort connection. Since you are using a monitor dock it is more complicated. Almost all of these issues are caused by compatibility of graphic card and hardware (port configuration, port cable etc). You could find similar cases by simply searching online

Wed suggest

  1. Update your video card driver for good measure.
  2. Using low resolution on the other 2 monitors

If the issue still persists, please contact with your video card manufacturer for further support. There you might get more effective suggestion by other experts who familiar with their product. Your understanding is highly appreciated.

Regards,

D. Wu

May 31st, 2015 9:22pm

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