Using a subset of multiple monitors
Hi, We have a number of computers with triple monitors and what we want to do is to have one monitor on the local machine and use the other two for a dual-monitor setup on an RDP session. These 'client' computers are all running Windows 7 Enterprise and the 'server' computers are running either Windows Server 2008R2 or Windows 7 Enterprise. Here is what I have found: If I mstsc with 'default' settings the remote session appears on a single monitor - as expectedIf I mstsc and select the 'Use all my monitors for the remote session' the remote session appears on all 3 monitors - as expected)If I change the RDP group policy on the 'server' to 'Limit maximum number of monitors' to 2 whilst keeping the 'Use all my monitors for the remote session' on the client, the remote session appears on a single monitor - not as expected!If I change the 'Limit maximum number of monitors' to 3 whilst keeping the 'Use all monitors for the remote session' on the client, the remote session appears on all 3 monitors which would *indicate* that the setting is effecting the client display. Can anyone help me resolve this issue so that I can configure the machines to display a remote session on 2 out of 3 screens? Thanks in advance, Phil
February 17th, 2012 12:54pm

Hi, Thanks for your report. I will find a display card that has a multiple output ports to have a test. If get any light, I will post back. Juke Chou TechNet Subscriber Support If you are TechNet Subscription user and have any feedback on our support quality, please send your feedbackhere. Juke Chou TechNet Community Support
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February 17th, 2012 12:56pm

Hi, Have you tried to uncheck the checkbox "Use all my monitors for the remote session" and only use the polcy to limit the monitor number to 2? This would make the group policy take into effect only. Thanks, Spencer ShiPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
February 20th, 2012 7:50am

Hi, Have you tried to uncheck the checkbox "Use all my monitors for the remote session" and only use the polcy to limit the monitor number to 2? This would make the group policy take into effect only. Thanks, Spencer ShiPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
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February 20th, 2012 7:50am

Hi Spencer, Thanks for the reply. As I understand it the 'Limit maximum number of monitors' setting applies on the 'server-side' as it appears under the 'Remote Desktop Session Host' folder. However I did give it a go and I'm afraid it didn't work. Thank you for the suggestion though. I'm still scratching my head on this one! Phil
February 21st, 2012 5:47am

Hi Spencer, Thanks for the reply. As I understand it the 'Limit maximum number of monitors' setting applies on the 'server-side' as it appears under the 'Remote Desktop Session Host' folder. However I did give it a go and I'm afraid it didn't work. Thank you for the suggestion though. I'm still scratching my head on this one! Phil
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February 21st, 2012 5:47am

Hi, Have you tried to uncheck the checkbox "Use all my monitors for the remote session" and only use the polcy to limit the monitor number to 2? This would make the group policy take into effect only. Thanks, Spencer ShiPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
February 21st, 2012 7:52am

Hi Spencer, Thanks for the reply. As I understand it the 'Limit maximum number of monitors' setting applies on the 'server-side' as it appears under the 'Remote Desktop Session Host' folder. However I did give it a go and I'm afraid it didn't work. Thank you for the suggestion though. I'm still scratching my head on this one! Phil
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February 22nd, 2012 5:49am

Hi Phil, I did not get a chance to test the issue with 3 monitors so far. After performing research, i find a blog talk about the feature in Windows 7. I am providing you for your reference. Using Multiple Monitors in Remote Desktop Session(http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2009/07/01/using-multiple-monitors-in-remote-desktop-session.aspx) I understand that you configured that via Group Policy now, for test purpose, could you please disable the policy but using the UI settings under TSconfig to control the number? Then check if the issue still persists. Thanks, SpencerPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
February 23rd, 2012 3:37am

Hi Phil, I did not get a chance to test the issue with 3 monitors so far. After performing research, i find a blog talk about the feature in Windows 7. I am providing you for your reference. Using Multiple Monitors in Remote Desktop Session(http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2009/07/01/using-multiple-monitors-in-remote-desktop-session.aspx) I understand that you configured that via Group Policy now, for test purpose, could you please disable the policy but using the UI settings under TSconfig to control the number? Then check if the issue still persists. Thanks, SpencerPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
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February 23rd, 2012 3:37am

Hi Phil, I did not get a chance to test the issue with 3 monitors so far. After performing research, i find a blog talk about the feature in Windows 7. I am providing you for your reference. Using Multiple Monitors in Remote Desktop Session(http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2009/07/01/using-multiple-monitors-in-remote-desktop-session.aspx) I understand that you configured that via Group Policy now, for test purpose, could you please disable the policy but using the UI settings under TSconfig to control the number? Then check if the issue still persists. Thanks, SpencerPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
February 25th, 2012 3:35am

Hi Paul, Have you got any update about the issue? Thanks, SpencerPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
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February 25th, 2012 3:42am

Hi Paul, Have you got any update about the issue? Thanks, SpencerPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
February 25th, 2012 3:42am

Hi Paul, Have you got any update about the issue? Thanks, SpencerPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
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February 26th, 2012 3:49am

Hi Spencer, Yes and unfortunately I get the same result. So having removed the GP limitation and set the server-side to limit monitors to 2 via tsconfig.msc (I could only do this on a Server 2008R2 box as the tool wasn't available on the Windows 7 Enterprise boxes) : 1) I logged in without the 'Use all my monitors' option selected -> appeared on one screen 2) I logged in with the 'Use all my monitors' option selected -> appeared on one screen Thanks for following up on this. Phil
March 1st, 2012 7:55am

Hi Spencer, Yes and unfortunately I get the same result. So having removed the GP limitation and set the server-side to limit monitors to 2 via tsconfig.msc (I could only do this on a Server 2008R2 box as the tool wasn't available on the Windows 7 Enterprise boxes) : 1) I logged in without the 'Use all my monitors' option selected -> appeared on one screen 2) I logged in with the 'Use all my monitors' option selected -> appeared on one screen Thanks for following up on this. Phil
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March 1st, 2012 7:55am

Hi Spencer, Yes and unfortunately I get the same result. So having removed the GP limitation and set the server-side to limit monitors to 2 via tsconfig.msc (I could only do this on a Server 2008R2 box as the tool wasn't available on the Windows 7 Enterprise boxes) : 1) I logged in without the 'Use all my monitors' option selected -> appeared on one screen 2) I logged in with the 'Use all my monitors' option selected -> appeared on one screen Thanks for following up on this. Phil
March 2nd, 2012 8:14am

I'll give this thread a bump because I'm seeing the same issue with Windows 7 to an 08 R2 server. In my case I'm using 4 monitors and cannot get only 2 or 3 monitors to be part of the rdp session. I'm not using a GPO, but just gpedit.msc on the machine itself.
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May 16th, 2012 2:56pm

I'll give this thread a bump because I'm seeing the same issue with Windows 7 to an 08 R2 server. In my case I'm using 4 monitors and cannot get only 2 or 3 monitors to be part of the rdp session. I'm not using a GPO, but just gpedit.msc on the machine itself.
May 16th, 2012 2:56pm

I'll give this thread a bump because I'm seeing the same issue with Windows 7 to an 08 R2 server. In my case I'm using 4 monitors and cannot get only 2 or 3 monitors to be part of the rdp session. I'm not using a GPO, but just gpedit.msc on the machine itself.
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May 16th, 2012 3:03pm

Hello I also have problems with this. My system has 4 monitors and we have found no way of enabling a RDP session on 2 or 3 of the monitors. Please help!
May 23rd, 2012 11:40am

Hello I also have problems with this. My system has 4 monitors and we have found no way of enabling a RDP session on 2 or 3 of the monitors. Please help!
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May 23rd, 2012 11:40am

Hello I also have problems with this. My system has 4 monitors and we have found no way of enabling a RDP session on 2 or 3 of the monitors. Please help!
May 23rd, 2012 11:42am

Giving this thread a bump too as I am running into this wall right now and it is quite frustrating.
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May 25th, 2012 9:57am

Giving this thread a bump too as I am running into this wall right now and it is quite frustrating.
May 25th, 2012 9:57am

Giving this thread a bump too as I am running into this wall right now and it is quite frustrating.
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May 25th, 2012 9:58am

Still the same issue, what is the point to the limit monitors, if it gives you either one or all ??? Can not limit a 3 monitor computer down to use only 2, it is either all 3 or just 1, no matter how you configure the server settings. So, again, I will ask. What is the point of having the option to limit monitors options of 1-4, if it does not work correctly? 6 months and no one has an answer for this?
August 30th, 2012 11:38pm

Still the same issue, what is the point to the limit monitors, if it gives you either one or all ??? Can not limit a 3 monitor computer down to use only 2, it is either all 3 or just 1, no matter how you configure the server settings. So, again, I will ask. What is the point of having the option to limit monitors options of 1-4, if it does not work correctly? 6 months and no one has an answer for this?
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August 30th, 2012 11:46pm

Bump. I've been wrestling with the exact same issue for months, and it's driving me crazy. The monitor limit is completely nonfunctional, and I've had to use a VM to limit it to 2 monitors. This is not a great workaround as the VM is very resource-intensive and adds a layer of complexity that's totally unnecessary. Anyone have a solution?
September 12th, 2012 10:33am

Bump. I've been wrestling with the exact same issue for months, and it's driving me crazy. The monitor limit is completely nonfunctional, and I've had to use a VM to limit it to 2 monitors. This is not a great workaround as the VM is very resource-intensive and adds a layer of complexity that's totally unnecessary. Anyone have a solution?
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September 12th, 2012 10:35am

Same here. Would love to get an answer to this. I fear the answer is 'all or one, take your pick'.GaryPharr
September 14th, 2012 4:37pm

Same here. Would love to get an answer to this. I fear the answer is 'all or one, take your pick'.GaryPharr
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September 14th, 2012 4:37pm

Bumping this again as I'm here trying to figure out the exact same thing. To say it is frustrating is an understatement.
October 19th, 2012 11:41am

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