Problems cloning my display on to an attached TV

Question

I've got an Asus N56VZ, and a Sharp Aquos LED HDTV. I wanted to project my games to my TV via HDMI (so that others can watch), but gaming on a smaller screen feels more natural with a mouse and keyboard - especially on RTS games. So instead, I want to duplicate my display.

When my laptop was running Windows 8 (and the default drivers when it was brand new), I could press Win + P, select duplicate, and this would work.

The problem:

But ever since I've upgraded to Windows 8.1, it no longer does. I also noticed that since the upgrade, an Intel Display Driver was installed, and it can no longer do Duplicate displays.

I've since updated my nVidia Display Driver, but to no avail. I can extend my display, I can use only my main display (laptop), I can use only my second display (TV), but duplicating displays will either:

• Use my main display (laptop), but not my second display (TV receives no signal).
• Use my main display (laptop), treated as two displays (1|2), and extend on to the second display (TV), treated as a third (3).

What I tried:

Actually, the first time I plugged in the TV via HDMI to my laptop, the display got duplicated without my prompting. As I was not playing anything, I thought it best to stop projecting to the TV and turn it off until I set things up.

Then it never worked again.

I tried fiddling with the Intel Display Driver via the context menu from the desktop, and I saw a "clone to" option, but it never seemed to work, instead, it does option two from above.

I also tried fiddling with the nVidia Display Driver, via the nVidia Control Panel, but saw no option to clone my display.

This link says the OP solved it by 'merging' the displays using nVidia, but provided no instructions on how to do so.

My research on the net says something about nVidia Optimus messing something up, but I'm reluctant to touch that - isn't it responsible for switching between Intel and nVidia graphics on the fly for battery saving?

I'll upload pictures if they are needed.

UPDATE:

I tried uninstalling my Intel Display driver in preparation for a new install. Boy, was that a mistake - I can't install anything I've downloaded from their website (64 bit):

Version 15.33.5
Version 15.33.8

Both return this:

Trying to manually update the Driver via Windows 8's own device manager tells me that "Windows has determined the driver software is up to date." when it clearly isn't working as intended.

Strange, though - nothing seems to have changed despite uninstalling the Intel Display driver. I can still see Intel's context menu if I right click on the desktop.

Now, I'm totally confused.

My hardware:

Asus N56VZ, with an Intel Graphics card, and a GeForce GT 650M, running Windows 8.1 OS, updated from Windows 8 (default laptop OS).

Thanks.

Solution 1

1. Go to Nvidia Control Panel, go to Display > Setup Multiple Display.
2. Identify which number your laptop's display is. This is done by looking at the part 1 "Select the Displays you want to use", see which number your "Laptop display" is. it would probably be "1".
3. At the part 2 (below part 1), right click on the number of your laptop's display > clone source > select the other number (if your laptop's display is 1 then you select 2 but if your laptop's display is 2 then you select 1).

Solution 2

Identify your Intel Graphics card and install Graphics driver for it.

In case you don't have the driver, You can go to Intel's website to download it.

Or if you want Windows to search for appropriate driver, then follow the steps below:

Right Click Computer > Manage > Device Manager > Display Adapters > Select the Intel one > Right Click > Update Driver Software > Select Search automatically for updated driver software. and let windows find a suitable display driver for your system.

Then after a reboot you'll be able to switch displays with Windows + P

This will certainly fix your problem.

Comments

[zack_falcon]

I've updated my question with more details - too many to mention here.

[Jack Franzen]

I had problems with windows/nvidia not allowing it, but figured out that I had both of my monitors on different cards. This is a no no, they both have to be connected to the same card to duplicate

[Aragorn]

@JackFranzen what do you mean different cards?

[Jack Franzen]

It wasn't possible with two 960's in SLI. The monitors have to both be connected to the same card, and only 70's or above have two outputs