Multi-monitor still broken, does anybody have a solution / workaround ?

[kgersen]

I used VM Workstation for years in a multi-monitor setup without issues but since a couple of months back after an update the multi-monitor is broken.

As in, if I start my Windows 10 VM, switch to two screen, it blink a couple of times and fail, I have to go back to single monitor mode and try again, if it fails again go back and try again... again and again until after 20-30 tentatives suddenly it "stick" and I have my two monitors working.

But then it's not finished, if I leave my computer for some time and come back, it is back to one monitor only and I have to restart again the whole process and waste between 5-10 minutes trying to have it working again.

It's incredibly annoying, it would seem to be a basic feature and it was working before, but now despite several updates the issue is still there and it doesn't seem it will be fixed anytime soon.

So I was wondering if anybody manage to find an unofficial fix / workaround or if, as somebody suggested, the only fix is to switch to Virtual Box ?

[rickard67 · Accepted solution]

This may work (it does on my machine).

Open windows services in your guest. Find the service "VMware SVGA Helper Service" and set the start method to disabled.

Restart your guest and try again.

[kgersen]

*deleted*

[kgersen]

It works! Thanks a lot, it was driving me crazy.

Just by curiosity did you find it be experimenting or was it in some knowledge base that I missed ?

[rickard67]

Experimenting... I had the same problem myself.

[shragam]

Thanks 🤝

[STTH]

You're indicating to disable the service on the host, and then reboot the host. Yet I don't see any such service on the host. However, I do have it running on the VMs though. So which is it ?

[rickard67]

It should be inside the guest operating system (VM). I have edited my response above.

[FlirtyToad]

Disabling the "VMware SVGA Helper Service"  in the Guest VM worked! Dual monitors work again in the Guest VMs.

I am using this fix on 2 of my PCs (Workstation Pro 16.2.3):

Windows 10 21H2 HOST:  WIN10 21H2 GUEST

Windows 11 21H2 HOST: WIN11 21H2 GUEST and WIN10 21H2 GUEST

Thank you!

[Wim_van_Gool]

What also seemed to at least improve the situation for me was to disable (uncheck) the 'Accelerate 3D graphics' on the display adapter in the VM settings. I have now also disables this windows service inside the guest, just to be safe. The less the guest will try to do with the dispay adapter the better I guess...

[STTH]

A few months have passed and several tickets have been open with VMWare regarding this issue. They don't seem to know what exactly is causing this. However, they seem to agree that something is going on, but that is hard to replicate. They likewise invited me to disable GPU acceleration and although it did not fix all problems, it solved most dual screen-related issues. So it's pretty obvious there is a link between GPU virtualization and the dual-monitor bug.

[kgersen]

I can confirm that the issue is still present with VMWare 17Pro and the latest VMWare tools. At least the work around still works.

[thidalgo]

You are my hero +1000000

[jgoldvm]

This worked on my machine!  I can't believe after YEARS of having this problem something actually works. The SVGA helper service must be really really helpful.

[TJ_Lucky]

Working for me. Thanks