How to fix second monitor not detected on Windows 10

 How to fix second monitor not detected on Windows 10

If Windows 10 cannot detect a second monitor, use these tips to troubleshoot and resolve the most common problems.

On Windows 10, adding a second monitor is a great way to expand the visual real estate to operate multiple apps and play games on your laptop or desktop computer.

Although connecting an external display is typically a straightforward process, sometimes, Windows 10 may not detect older displays or second monitors due to outdated drivers or hardware-related problems. However, if your computer is experiencing this problem, there are several troubleshooting steps (including checking the connection and installing the correct drivers) to fix the issue quickly.

In this Windows 10 guide, we will walk you through three ways to troubleshoot and fix issues, preventing the system from automatically detecting the second monitor.

1.   How to fix external monitor connection issues using hardware troubleshooting
2.   How to fix external monitor connection issues using Settings
3.  How to fix external monitor connection issues using latest graphics driver*

1. How to fix external monitor connection issues using hardware troubleshooting

When the computer does not detect the second external monitor, it is likely a software-related problem, but it could also be an issue with the physical connection.

If the display does not appear in the Windows 10 settings, try these troubleshooting steps before changing the configuration settings:

• Confirm the monitor is connected to a power source.
• Confirm the monitor is turned on.
• Cold reboot the computer to refresh the connection.
• Use the monitor's built-in controls and make sure the correct input signal is selected.
• Check the signal cable connection between the monitor and the device's graphics card.
• Disconnect the signal cable from both ends, wait about a minute, and reconnect it firmly.
• Try a different signal cable to confirm it is not a bad cable.
• DisplayPort and HDMI come in different versions. As a result, check the manufacturer for requirement details to make sure you have the correct cable.
• Change ports if the monitor and graphics card include multiple ports.
• Connect the monitor to another device to determine the problem is not with the monitor.
• Connect another known working monitor to determine the issue is not the graphics card.
• Disconnect all peripherals (such as printers, cameras, USB devices, etc.) to confirm none of the other devices are conflicting with the monitor.
• If you have a Surface Pro 7 connected to a dock station, disconnect it, and try to connect the monitor straight to the tablet to confirm whether the problem is not the dock.
• Update the display firmware as it may help to fix bugs and compatibility issues (rarely applicable).

If the basic troubleshooting steps outlined above does not seem to fix the second monitor, you can begin the troubleshooting software process.

2. How to fix external monitor connection issues using Settings

If there are no physical problems with the connection, display, and computer, use the Settings app to force the system to detect the second monitor.

Force second display detection

To detect a second monitor manually on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Settings.
2. 2. Click on System.
3. 3. Click on Display.

4. Under the "Multiple displays" section, click the Detect button to connect to the monitor.

1. (Optional) Under the "Rearrange your displays" section, click the Detect button in the bottom-right corner (if applicable).

   Quick note: This option is only available when connecting additional displays. If you have only one monitor, the option will not be present.

Once you complete the steps, Windows 10 should now detect the external monitor, and you can then adjust its resolution, scale, and orientation as needed using the "Display" settings.

Connect wireless external display

To connect a wireless display as a secondary screen to Windows 10, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Settings.
2. 2. Click on Devices.
3. 3. Click on Bluetooth & other devices.
4. 4. Turn on the Bluetooth toggle switch (if applicable).

5. 5. Click the Add Bluetooth & other devices button.

6. Select the Wireless display or dock option.

1. 7. Confirm the wireless display is turned on and discoverable (refer to device manual).
2. 8. Select the display (wireless monitor, TV, or PC with Miracast support) from the list.
3. 9. Continue with the on-screen directions.

After you complete the steps, the wireless display should be detected as a new external display on the device.

3. How to fix external monitor connection issues using latest graphics drivers

On Windows 10, buggy, outdated, or damaged graphics drivers can block the system from properly detecting and configure a second monitor. If this is happening, the easiest way to resolve this problem is to update, reinstall, or downgrade the graphics driver to fix the connection between the external monitor and computer.

Update graphics driver

To update the graphics card driver with Windows Update, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Settings.
2. 2. Click on Update & Security.
3. 3. Click on Windows Update.

4. 4. Click the View optional updates option.

Quick tip: If the option is not available, it means that Windows Update does not have a newer driver available for download.

1. 5. Click on Driver updates to expand the category.

2. 6. Select the newer driver to install.

1. 7. Click the Download and install button.

Once you complete the steps, Windows Update will download and install the device driver allowing the monitor to get detected.

If Windows Update does not have a newer version of the driver, check the manufacturer support website download and install a more recent version (if available).

Reinstall graphics driver

To reinstall a damaged video driver on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.
3. 3. Double-click to expand the Display adapters branch.

4. 4. Right-click the adapter and select the Uninstall device option.

1. 5. Clear the Delete the driver software from this device option (if applicable).

2. 6. Click the Uninstall button.

1. 7. Restart the device.

2. 8. Open Device Manager again.

   Quick note: Windows 10 should detect the monitor again automatically. If it's not the case, use Device Manager to scan for hardware changes to force the system to reinstall the display.

3. 9. Right-click the computer name and select the Scan for hardware changes option.

After you complete the steps, Windows 10 should reinstall the graphics driver automatically, but it's a good idea to use the steps to ensure the driver installs correctly.

Rollback graphics driver

If the device recently received an update or you upgraded the driver manually, and Windows 10 cannot detect the second monitor, you can roll back to the previous driver to resolve the issue.

To remove and reinstall an older version of a graphics driver on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.
3. 3. Double-click to expand the Display adapters branch.

4. 4. Right-click the graphics adapter, and select the Properties option.

1. 5. Click the Driver tab.

2. 6. Click the Roll Back Driver button.

1. Quick tip: If the option is not available, it is impossible to roll back the driver to a previous version using this process. However, you might still be able to use an older version if available from the device manufacturer's support website.

2. 7. Select an option to answer the question.

3. 8. Click the Yes button.

1. 9. Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, Windows 10 should detect and display content on the external monitor.

Update graphics driver with manufacturer control panel

Windows 10 can download and install drivers for virtually any graphics adapter, but the versions available through Windows Update are not always the more recent. If you have to install the latest driver, NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel offer tools to quickly download and install the latest updates, helping fix issues with the external display.

Here are the download links:

• Intel Driver & Support Assistant.
• NVIDIA GeForce Experience.
• AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition.

If you go with the manufacturer control panel, the installation is simple. You only need to download and double-click the installer using the above links, continue with the on-screen directions to complete the setup, and then check for updates.

Alternatively, you can download the drivers directly from the manufacturer's support website using their instructions. You can use the links below:

• Intel.
• NVIDIA.
• AMD.

If you do not know which graphics card and version of the driver you have on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for System Information and click the top result to open the app.
3. 3. Double-click to expand the Components branch on the left pane.
4. 4. Select the Display category.

5. 5. Confirm the Adapter Type and Driver Version information to determine the driver's card model and current version.

Once you complete the steps, you can use the above links to find, download, and install the correct driver.

One of the best graphics cards you can get is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 because of its excellent performance and ports to connect multiple monitors.

Finally, consider that device manufacturers (such as Dell, HP, Razer, Acer, and Microsoft) usually modify the original drivers to optimize them for their devices. This means if you have a branded computer (also known as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) computer), you should always consider using the graphics driver available through the manufacturer before trying those available through the video card company to minimize the chances of running into other issues.

Thanks for Reading...

Masud Rana

,,

How to use Microsoft Defender Antivirus with Command Prompt on Windows 10

How to use Microsoft Defender Antivirus with Command Prompt 

on Windows 10

 You can use Command Prompt to control various aspects of Microsoft Defender Antivirus, and in this guide, we'll show you how on Windows 10.

 On Windows 10, Microsoft Defender Antivirus provides advanced real-time protection to protect your device and files against viruses, ransomware, spyware, rootkits, and other forms of malware, including hackers.

Although you can easily control the feature using the Windows Security app, you can also handle various aspects of the antivirus (updates, scans, and quarantined items) through Command Prompt. Usually, managing the experience with commands can be useful in many situations. For instance, when you need to use a script to automate some of the anti-malware tasks. You want to set a specific schedule to download updates or perform a quick, full, or custom scan. Or when you need to complete particular tasks on multiple computers.

In this Windows 10 guide, we will walk you through the steps to manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus with Command Prompt.

·        How to check for updates on Microsoft Defender

·        How to perform quick virus scan with Microsoft Defender

·        How to perform full virus scan with Microsoft Defender

·        How to perform custom virus scan with Microsoft Defender

·        How to perform boot sector malware scan on Microsoft Defender

·        How to restore quarantined items on Microsoft Defender

How to check for updates on Microsoft Defender

To check and download updates for Microsoft Defender, use these steps

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to open the antivirus tool location and press Enter:

   cd C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\4.18*

4. 4. Type the following command to check and update Microsoft Defender Antivirus and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -SignatureUpdate

Once you complete the steps, the tool will check and download any update available for the built-in antivirus.

Uninstall definitions updates

You can also remove previously installed updates with these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to open the antivirus tool location and press Enter:

   cd C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\4.18*

4. 4. Type the following command to remove the most recent definitions and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -RemoveDefinitions -All
The -All option restores the previous definitions from the backup or original default set of signatures.

5. 5. Type the following command to rollback the engine version and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -RemoveDefinitions -Engine

1. The -Engine option rolls back to the previous version of the antivirus engine.

2. 6. Type the following command to remove dynamic signature updates and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -RemoveDefinitions -DynamicSignatures
The -DynamicSignatures option uninstalls only the dynamic signatures.

After you complete the steps, the definitions will be removed from your computer according to your configuration.

How to perform quick virus scan with Microsoft Defender

To perform a quick Microsoft Defender scan, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to open the antivirus tool location and press Enter:

   cd C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\4.18*

4. 4. Type the following command to perform a quick antivirus scan and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -Scan -ScanType 1

1. Quick tip: You can also replace 1 with the 0 option in the command to start a default scan according to your configuration.

Once you complete the steps, the scan will begin, but it takes more than one day, the process will stop automatically.

How to perform full virus scan with Microsoft Defender

To perform a full Microsoft Defender scan with Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as a 2. dministrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to open the antivirus tool location and press Enter:

   cd C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\4.18*

4. 4. Type the following command to perform a full antivirus scan and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -Scan -ScanType 2

After you complete the steps, the antivirus will perform a full malware scan on your device. Depending on the amount of data, this process can take a very long time.

How to perform custom virus scan with Microsoft Defender

To customize a malware scan using Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2.  Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to open the antivirus tool location and press Enter:

   cd C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\4.18*

4. 4. Type the following command to perform a custom antivirus scan and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File PATH\TO\FOLDER-FILES
In the command, make sure to specify the path to the folder you want to scan.
   For example, this command scans the "Downloads" folder:
   MpCmdRun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File C:\Users\username\Downloads

1. 5. (Optional) Type the following command to perform a custom scan with timeout time and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File PATH\TO\FOLDER-FILES -Timeout 1
In the command, make sure to specify the path to the folder you want to scan.
   For example, this command scans the "Downloads" folder and sets the timeout to one day:
   MpCmdRun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File C:\Users\username\Downloads -Timeout 1

   Quick note: You can always change the number for the timeout option to specify another number of days. The option is also available for quick and full scan commands.

Once you complete the steps, the anti-malware solution will only scan the location you specified. If you are using the "-Timeout" option, then if the scan is taking a long time, it will timeout once the time you specified has been reached.

How to perform boot sector malware scan on Microsoft Defender

On Windows 10, the boot sector is an essential section in the installation drive that stores the instructions on how to start the boot process. Sometimes, viruses can also attack the boot sector causing unwanted behaviors, which can be challenging to troubleshoot and fix. However, Microsoft Defender Antivirus includes an option to check and remove malicious code that may be residing in the boot sector.

To scan the boot sector for malware with Microsoft Defender, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to open the antivirus tool location and press Enter:

   cd C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\4.18*

4. 4. Type the following command to perform a custom antivirus scan and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -Scan -ScanType -BootSectorScan

After you complete the steps, Microsoft Defender Antivirus will scan the boot sector for any malicious code that may be affecting the device.

How to restore quarantined items on Microsoft Defender

The Microsoft Defender Antivirus command-line tool also includes an option to view a list of quarantined items and another option to restore items that might have been detected as malicious when they are not harmful.

To view and restore quarantined items with Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to open the antivirus tool location and press Enter:

   cd C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\4.18*

4. 4. Type the following command to view quarantined items and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -Restore -ListAll

1. 5. Type the following command to restore all quarantined item and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -Restore -All

2. 6. Type the following command to restore a specific quarantined item and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -Restore -Name ITEM-NAME
In the command, replace the "ITEM-NAME" for the name of the quarantined item you want to restore.

3. 7. Type the following command to restore a specific quarantined item to a specific path and press Enter:

   MpCmdRun -Restore -Name ITEM-NAME -FilePath PATH\TO\RESTORED
In the command, make sure to specify the path to restore the item.
   For example, this command restores a specific item to the Documents folder:
   MpCmdRun -Restore -Name app.exe -FilePath C:\Users\username\Downloads

Once you complete the steps, the items will be restored in the original or alternate location, depending on the command.

This guide focuses on the more important commands you can use with Command Prompt, but the tool includes additional options, which you can view running the MpCmdRun command.

While you can manage a number of functions through Command Prompt, the tool is quite limited. For example, you cannot start an offline scan or change preferences. If you want to manage settings and control virtually every aspect of Microsoft Defender Antivirus with commands, you should be using the PowerShell modules instead.

Thanks for reading ...

Masud Rana

,,

How to check .NET Framework version on Windows 10

Do you know the version of .NET on your device? In this guide, we'll show you four ways to find out quickly on Windows 10.

On Windows 10. the .NET Framework ("dot net") is a development platform made up of programming languages, libraries, and tools for developers to build different types of traditional and modern apps for desktop, laptops, and web apps, games, and more.

The .NET platform is not limited to Windows since it is open-source and cross-platform, which means it's supported on Linux and macOS.

Although regular users usually do not need to worry about the version of .NET installed on Windows 10, some programs require specific releases to run correctly. Also, programmers typically have to use multiple versions of the development platform to build their applications. This means that depending on the situation, knowing the version of .NET installed on the computer can be useful.

Whether you are a developer or regular user, Windows 10 provides at least four ways to check the .NET Framework version using PowerShell, Command Prompt, File Explorer, and Registry.

In this Windows 10 guide, we will walk you through the steps to determine the .NET Framework version installed on your computer.

• How to check .NET version using PowerShell

  How to check .NET version using Command Prompt

  How to check .NET version using File Explorer

  How to check .NET version using Registry

How to check .NET version with PowerShell

On PowerShell, there are multiple methods to check the versions of the .NET Framework installed on Windows 10, including crafting a complex command or installing a command-line tool.

Check version with command

To use PowerShell to check the .NET version on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to determine the version of .NET installed and press Enter:

   Get-ChildItem 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP' -Recurse | Get-ItemProperty -Name version -EA 0 | Where { $_.PSChildName -Match '^(?!S)\p{L}'} | Select PSChildName, version

1. 4. Confirm the version of the .NET Framework installed on the machine.

Once you complete the steps, the command will return the information for both the client and the full version of .NET installed on Windows 10 (if applicable).

Check version with DotNetVersionLister

Alternatively, you can use a community tool available at GitHub that makes it easier to query a list of installed .NET versions.

To find out the list of .NET versions installed on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to install the module and press Enter:

   Install-Module -Name DotNetVersionLister -Scope CurrentUser #-Force

1. 4. Type Y and press Enter.

2. 5. Type the following command to determine the version of .NET installed and press Enter:

   Get-STDotNetVersion

1. 6. Confirm the version of the .NET Framework installed on Windows 10.

After you complete the steps, the tool will let you know the versions of the .NET Framework available on the device.

How to check .NET version with Command Prompt

To check the version of the .NET Framework with Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

3. 3. Type the following command to determine the version of .NET installed and press Enter:

   reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Net Framework Setup\NDP" /s

If you want to make sure that version 4.x is installed, then use this variant of the command:

reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Net Framework Setup\NDP\v4" /s

1. 4. Check the "Version" field to confirm the releases of the .NET Framework installed on Windows 10.

Once you complete the steps, the versions of .NET running on your device will be revealed.

How to check .NET version using File Explorer

To use File Explorer to check the .NET Framework version on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. 1. Open File Explorer.

2. 2. Browse the following path:

3. C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework

4. 3. Enter the folder with the latest version – for example, v4.0.30319.

4. Right-click any of the ".dll" files and select the Properties option.

1. 5. Click the Details tab.

2. 6. Under the "Product version" section, confirm the version of .NET – for example, 4.8.4084.0.

After you complete the steps, the file details will reveal the framework platform's version installed on your computer.

How to check .NET version using Registry

To find out the .NET Framework version with the Registry, use these steps:

1. 1. Open Start.
2. 2. Search for regedit and click the top result to open the Registry.

3. 3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP

   Quick tip: On Windows 10, you can now copy and paste the path in the Registry's address bar to quickly jump to the key destination.

4. 4. Select the main version key – for example, v4 or v4.0.

5. 5. Select the Client key.

1. Quick tip: In releases older than version 4, the key will be a number or "Setup." For example, .NET version 3.5 includes the version number under the 1033 key.

2. 6. On the right, check the "Version" string to determine the release of the .NET Framework.

Once you complete the steps, you will know the releases of the Microsoft framework available on Windows 10.

Thanks for reading ...

Masud Rana

,,