Computer detecting generic non pnp monitor (that doesn't exist)

[chigurh]

Hi everyone- Sorry in advance if this was addressed in a previous thread. The search function was not working for me.

The problem started a long time ago. I had just got the computer in July of last year (2011) and after about two months it started flipping out and trying to adjust the screen to do 'dual display' with my monitor and another "ghost" monitor (as i like to call it). In other words, it thinks there is a second monitor when there is none. After a bunch of driver installs (plus BIOS) and recovering my windows, it stopped happening. That was about three months ago now...

... And just in the last couple weeks it has started up again. My computer will randomly decide to adjust the screen resolution to put me on dual display. I can change it to just display on monitor 1 (i.e. my only real monitor) while the second one is just black on the screen resolution page. When I restart the computer, it is gone. Until it decides to come haunt me again.

As far as I can tell there is no rhyme or reason for it except that it seems to happen more when I am watching a video or playing a game (but I do both a lot so that could easily be coincidence).

I have a Pavilion dv6-6135dx with dual graphics: AMD radeon HD 6750M and AMD radeon HD 6620G.

I am moving to Korea tomorrow and I am kinda worried since this computer will be my lifeline in many ways. I think I will try and restore windows again, but if anyone else has any ideas please let me know!

And yes, I did reinstall/update the graphics drivers and BIOS driver

[chigurh]

Sorry for the double thread post too....

[DanaGoyette]

Hmm, you try disabling that bogus monitor in Device Manager, perhaps?

[namaiki]

Did the issue happen when you were using the original graphics drivers that the laptop came with?

[chigurh]

Dana- Yes. I actually uninstalled it. It was still there in the "screen resolution" page. When I restarted, as usual, it was gone. Hasn't happened again.... yet.

Nama- I had the computer for a little while before it started happening, so I am sure it had updated the drivers by then.

[DanaGoyette]

Actually, if it comes back, disabling it will likely be better. When you uninstall something, it can come back; if you disable it, it'll probably stay disabled.

[chigurh]

Hmm okay I will try that.

I was hoping this was a more common problem.