Unable to Use Triple Displays on Docked Laptop

Operating Systems & Open Source Windows
1

I have a Dell Latitude E5430 with an Intel Core i5 3230m processor running Windows 7. There is no dedicated graphics card. I am trying to use a display setup that includes the laptop screen, and two monitors, for a total of three displays. I am able to connect the other two displays, but I can’t use both of them at the same time with the laptop, only one or the other. It doesn’t appear to have anything to do with the display adapters, as using direct connections is the same result. Both monitors use VGA. I have tried different connections, DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI-I Dual Link, and it is the same result. I get a variety of different options, but nothing results in the option for triple displays. Sometimes the third display appears in the settings/Screen Resolution window, but it is grayed out, and attempting to extend to the display after selecting the Apply button doesn’t work. Intel’s page on this processor says it can support three displays. See here:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/72164/intel-core-i53230m-processor-3m-cache-up-to-3-20-ghz-rpga/specifications.html

Screen Shot 2024-11-24 at 12.29.44 AM
Screen Shot 2024-11-24 at 12.29.44 AM812×473 36 KB

Please help.

Edit1- I have also connected another display for further attempts of testing, and it is also grayed out, and attempting to extend to this additional display does not work. (A total of four displays, three connected monitors, two of the displays grayed out. )

Edit2- I just did some testing in Linux Ubuntu, and I was able to make it so that all three displays, the laptop, and the two monitors were working. The issue is for sure something to do with Windows. I just can’t figure out what exactly.

2

have you updated your intel drivers on windows? could be a older igpu driver problem had a lot of trouble troubleshooting a laptop hdmi audio problem which turned out to be the igpu drivers fault.

also windows versions?

3

I’ll see if it needs an update 1 sec

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I checked, it says it’s up to date

5

well windows wont have updates its been end of life for 4 years at this point and you are more likly to need intel drivers from intel not windows windows sucks at drivers and has for decades.
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/18606/intel-graphics-driver-for-windows-15-33.html

also i dont mean “windows 7” i mean like “os build 19045.5131”

6

HD4000 only has 2 pixel clocks display ports can share the pixel clock so your two monitors need to be display port
It supports 3 on a technicality, but 2 of 3 need to be display port

1 Like
7

ahh i have made the classic blunder of trusting the user!

8

Would a DisplayPort splitter work? Not even sure those exist

9

You might be able to use display port to VGA adapters if your dock has 2 dp ports

10

It’s only got 1x
Am I SOL?

12

Actually maybe not

13

Hang on, this doesn’t make sense. I don’t think it’s a hardware issue. I didn’t have this when I was in Ubuntu.

14

That’s what I was just thinking your internal probably runs eDP and the dock probably does display port too so it would only take one pixel clock

You might need to upgrade or down grapple graphics driver I saw that in some responses

15

Just installed Windows 8.1 on a separate partition
Updating right now

16

That surprising I would have thought 8.1 would have had windows update support dropped considering 10 loses free support in a few months

17

Same issue on Windows 8.1 as Windows 7.
Thinking about testing Windows 10.

Edit- Downloading Windows 10
Will start to use after I try again, and it’s completely up to date

18

Same issue on Windows 10

…/-.-

Edit- The grayed out display on Windows 10 says it’s not active. I’m not sure what that means.

19

@wendell
Any ideas? I had success on Linux if that helps

20

Intel driver limitation afaik.

1 Like
21

Reporting the same main issue on OS X/macOS

never thought I’d be saying this, but… Linux drivers ftw?..