Trouble with external monitor under Windows 7 on MacBook Pro Boot Camp

09
2013-08
  • Colm

    I'm running Windows 7 32-bit on a mid-2010 15" MacBook Pro Intel Core i5 under Boot Camp. I've had trouble getting it to work with my second display and searching Google for an appropriate answer has failed me.

    I'm on the latest version of Boot Camp - 3.2 - and have updated the drivers for the NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M.

    The monitor is connected via a VGA cable, and is a Dell ST2410.

    The monitor is recognised by Windows, which knows it's a Dell and its resolution. The desktop should be extended onto the second monitor - however nothing is showing. It remains black, though it doesn't show a lack of signal coming through which I would have expected.

    Any ideas what's wrong?

    • Answers
  • Randolph West

    Try going into your nVidia Control Panel, clicking Adjust Desktop Size and Position, and checking the Full Screen option. This worked for me.


    • Related Question

    Getting 3d acceleration working in Windows 7 64bit on Mac Boot Camp?
  • James McMahon

    I've installed the Windows 7 RC 64-bit edition under boot camp, but I'm have zero luck getting the 3D acceleration working.

    I've installed all the Mac drivers (including the 64bit Nvidia ones on the OSX install cd), I've also run the windows update and I still am not getting the full aero desktop.

    I'm trying to do this on the latest unibody Macbook, with the duel NVIDIA GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT.

    Any advice?


    • Related Answers
  • Curtis Tasker

    I just installed Windows 7 x64 on a 9400M Mac Mini over the weekend. I have full Aero and 3D games work great. Just hit up http://www.nvidia.com:

    • Click Download Drivers
    • Product Type: Geforce
    • Product Series: Geforce 9M Series (Notebooks)
    • Operating System: Windows 7 64 bit
    • Click Search

    Download and install the drivers, and you'll be good to go.

  • Dan Walker

    Have you run the Windows Experience Index tool again? (Control Panel > System and Security > System > Check the Windows Experience Index)

    If you have only run it before installing your drivers, Windows won't run Aero because it thinks it is still running with crappy hardware. Try running it again in order to enable Aero. This has worked for me on a Mac Mini running Windows 7.

  • Stefan Thyberg

    Check out what graphics chipset is actually in the mac and install the drivers for that chipset from the Nvidia website.

  • Brian Reiter

    You will get better battery life if you use the drivers from Boot Camp 3.0 on the Snow Leopard disk. On my MacBook Pro unibody 2009, I get life in the 4-5 hours range with the NVidia driver Apple supplies with Snow Leopard Boot Camp 3.0 and 2-2.5 hours with the latest driver available from NVidia.com.

    Update: There are newer official NVidia OEM compatiblie drivers available than the ones bundled with Boot Camp 3.0. These work without hacking the INFs. Laptop Video To Go has archived the 186.03 x86 and x64 drivers from NVidia's site.

    Just make sure NVAO.inf from additional_infs.zip is extracted and the 186.03 driver will install and work.

    There are also more recent BETA quality drivers archived at laptop video to go.