Maximum PC

I am running a multi monitor setup (Windows 7). The physical power button is broken on one of the monitors, so I need a software solution to shut off my monitors.

I have searched and found multiple stand alone programs, where you double click it and it shuts off the monitors. AWESOME! Just what I wanted. However.....after 8 minutes the monitors turn back on. ???????? Why is it doing that? It does it with all three of the stand alone programs that I have tried.

Now, as a point of reference, if I go into windows power options and set it to 1 minute, the montiors will shut off and stay off after a minute, even after 8 minutes.

Any ideas on what my problem is?

Because the power buttons are a "hard off". Anything you can do over software will be a soft-off (or standby).

mon0 - http://download.cnet.com/Mon0/3000-2094_4-10789799.html

Turn Off Monitor - http://sourceforge.net/projects/turnoffmonitor/

These two programs are EXACTLY what I am looking for, except that my monitors flip back on after 8 minutes.

If there is a different program that will do the same thing, but allow my monitors to stay off, I am game.

I never said I wanted a hard off solution. I am perfectly ok with a software shut off. In fact I would rather have that.

Thanks for the obvious solution. Sometimes we need captain obvious to ask us if it's plugged in to the wall!

So what, you want to turn one or more monitors off when you're not using them? You could try http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html and make a batch file.

Otherwise, you can just configure your monitors to disable one or more when you're not using them through your display properties.

Or you can go fix the damn button yourself.

We're not technical support for those programs, so we can't answer your question on why these programs aren't keeping the monitors in standby.

I was expecting a little more professionalism here. I guess not.

Since I am seeing the problem with two different programs, we can rule out it being the programs issue. I am thinking it may be windows service that is keeping the monitors awake. It also may be something in the graphics card or motherboard. That's all I can think of.

Display properties, I have tried, it's not a good idea. I want them off now, I don't want to have to wait xxxx minutes. And resetting that value every time I want my monitors off is a pain, plus this needs to be user friendly for my family as well.

I will try nirmd thanks for the tip!

nircmd did not work either.

You do realize this is a public forum, and I'm pretty sure there's a disclosure that says anything written on this forum is not reflective of MPC or who it associates with. Professionalism be damned.

In any case, yes, it's probably a Windows or driver thing that's waking them up. If I were to guess what's going on, the monitor goes to standby if it's not getting a signal, and the OS/driver only does this if there's inactivity.

And by display properties, you're supposed to configure your monitor setup for less monitors.

Honestly, at this point, if the monitor is under warranty, take it back. If not, break it open and fix the button or find someone who will. Asking software to fix a hardware problem is going to give you no end of nightmares and headaches.

It's not under warranty, it is three years old. Besides the on/off switch, it's in great condition.

I already tore it apart and identified the problem. A cheapo plastic piece broke, but it's not something that's fixable or replacable. The "fix" is to poke in there with a q tip and shut it off that way. I can shut it on and off, but it's not something my 7 year old can do.

http://factorydirectcraft.com/catalog/products/1302_1302_2533_1974-5705-6_foot_basic_electric_white_power_cord_with_onoff_switch.html?utm_source=bingp&utm_medium=bingfeed&utm_campaign=bingfeed the easy way, if not a brick with an on off switch. I am sure you could find a black one as easily, home depot should have them.

Or make your own peg. I'm pretty sure the switch is one of those small membrane based MOM switches.

Getting back to the original question, there are a couple of possibilites as to why your monitors are comming back on after a few minutes.

I'm not chekcing out the links, but are these by chance trial programs?

Do you have any background processes running, i.e. windows search indexer which would be my first thought... the built in Windows power settings ignores it but third party programs may see it as user activity.

Do you have folding @ home running? For some reason, F@H seems to wake one of my monitors about 8 - 12 minutes after it goes into standby mode, but if I leave it alone & let it go back into standby mode on it's own, it will stay off after that.

Other possiblities include:
Windows updates, scheduled virus / malware / spyware scans, or scans set to start up after a certain length of inactivity.

Those are all great thoughts, thanks. I am not sure where to start with those. I work from home, so if it is something related to my work I can't get rid of it. I don't let much else run, I am pretty strict about what runs on my computer and what doesn't.

Is there an easy way to go into windows diagnostics, or something similar, and see WHAT is making the monitors wake up?

If not, at this point I will probably go to radio shack and pick up a power strip and just flip it off that way. Easy solution as was mentioned earlier.

Could the reason why your monitor turns on is because the monitor is set to turn on with mouse movement? You may want to turn that feature off and only have your monitor turn on with a keyboard.