Vmware Workstation 17 Multiple Monitors

[colincci]

I just upgraded to Workstation Pro 17 for Linux from the latest 16.  After the upgrade things seemed to be working fine.  I run several Windows 10 VM's which use 4 monitors full screen.  This was working until I upgraded the VMware-Tools to the included version 12.  This completely broke multi monitor support.

I was able to get it working again by downgrading the VMware-Tools to version 11.3.5.

Is this a known problem?  What version of the NVidia drivers are required?  I am currently using 515.65.01.

[rayjaymor85]

I'm seeing this issue as well.

It's annoying because Workstation 17 fixes a HUGE bugbear of mine which was dodgy rendering in Chrome on Linux guests on a Windows 11 host. But I can only run one monitor at a time now.

Hoping they can fix this because this will save me from needing to dual boot.

[rayjaymor85]

Okay so I managed to fix mine in the dumbest way imaginable.

So I have a triple screen setup. All I had to do was have the "main" virtual machine screen (before you click the expand monitors button) on the far left monitor, and THEN change the layout to three screens.

Works like a charm now.

Go figure.

[colincci]

I received a request to generate some logs from @banackmatt .  Thanks!  I reinstalled the VMWare Tools vs 12 to generate these logs and I am no longer able to reproduce the problem with the multi monitors not working.  I am using these VM's daily, so I will keep vs 12 loaded and an eye on things and provide a update back here in a few days.

[banackmatt]

Hi rayjaymor85,

Unfortunately multimon can be sensitive to things like this, and it can depend on what your host topology is and which host monitor you enter the fullscreen view from.  But it's supposed to work regardless of your host monitor layout and window position, so that's a bug.

I'll follow up internally to make sure we fix this for an upcoming WS/VMTools release.

Matt

[Jatz76]

I also see this issue. Running VMware v17 in fedora 37 with a Win11 22H2 guest. I have 5 screens (laptop + 4 external in 2x2 config through USB-C daisy chaining). Before starting the guest I need to make sure that VMware Workstation is on the bottom left monitor. Any other monitor and the order after cycling to the 4 external monitors is all over the place.

Also, is the Cycle Monitors button supposed to show a dropdown list of layouts like in Windows? i have to click it 10 od times to cycle to the right layout which will very quickly get tiring.

[colincci]

Hi Jaz76

I have a 4 monitor, 2x2 layout. I also have to click many times (7 in my case) to get to the full 4 monitor layout. I have not seen the drop down for window layout, but that would be a massive improvement!

[Dave35]

Disabling the VMware SVGA Helper Service in the Windows 11 guest still works for me with Workstation 17. I had to do this with Workstation 16 also.

[stevo937]

Vmware Player 17 multiple monitors also does not work for me.  Pressing the cycle monitor button extends Ubuntu guest two screens wide ...but only stays on my first monitor.  I have to scroll over to see the "second" monitor.  

[banackmatt]

> Also, is the Cycle Monitors button supposed to show a dropdown list of layouts like in Windows? i have to click it 10 od times to cycle to the right layout which will very quickly get tiring.

Unfortunately the Linux WS UI doesn't have the dropdown layout selector, so yes you have to click repeatedly until it gets to the layout you want.  That is definitely a less usable workflow than the Windows UI, but adding a similar feature on the Linux UI depends on team workload and priorities.

[Martin_Forster_]

I solved the Problem this way:

Run Vmware Player "As Admin" 
I have Win10 Host and Win10 Guest and actual VMware Tools V12.1.0 installed

I have opend Ticket a VMware Support for this problem

[angeletdemon]

Using far left monitor worked for me as well. Back in 16, I used to do all kinds of things every morning to get all 3 of my monitors working, and after 17, issue disappeared but just recently reappeared.. so for now, using left hand screen, hitting full screen, and switching to 3 screen view worked.

[darkdarkdark]

I have the same issue with Windows 10 Pro (1903) Host and Windows 10 Pro (20H2) Guest. After upgrade issue occured. 

Suggestion to stop SVGA Helper service makes it work again.

[Hartkase]

I have the same problem using VMware Player 17.0.1 build-21139696 and VMware Tools 12.1.5 with a triple monitor setup.

Host: Windows 11 Pro 22H2, Guest: Windows 11 Pro 22H2.

Having "main" virtual machine screen (before you click the expand monitors button) on any monitor does not fix it.

Running VMware Player as admin does not fix it.

Disabling the VMware SVGA Helper Service in the Windows 11 guest does not fix it.

It's a very, very annoying problem for me.

[Martin_Forster_]

You can solve it this way:

[Hartkase]

That worked! Thank you very much for the suggestion.

[thele]

In my case, having 3 monitors in different orientations and resolutions, as well as the fact that I'm actively using my laptop's screen as the third monitor, made things more difficult...

Neither changing the screen order, using my main or my laptop screen to start cycling, or light color scheme helped... Not to mention about SVGA driver (I use Ubuntu Guest which, doesn't seem to expose equivalent to that)...

In my case, fiddling with refresh rate of the virtual screens made the difference... Changing the main screen from 60hz to 59.9hz and switching to multi-monitor mode made it work.

PS : all my monitors work at 60hz, but built-in screen works in 59.999 (which, at resonator/crystal level, translates to 60 and should be identical)

[Chalk_Board]

I am having the same problem--cannot get both monitors to show in Windows 10 Guest. I do not see this whole screen in my Preferences screen, it ends after the Join the Customer Experience paragraph.

[dterry25]

How do you disable the VMware SVGA Helper Service, I have looked into all of these option but none of them have worked correctly

[dterry25]

Happy that worked for you but its not working for me or anyone else.