Multiple Screen configuration problem

[cheetahdriver]

I have been using the Surface Pro3 for a desktop replacement since it came out. However, in the last week or so, I have had a new issue come up.

Setup 1 - Desktop
2 Dell U2412M Monitors, 1 Dell U2711, All 3 running from the Mini-Displayport on the dock to a EV3A DP-hub

Setup 2 - Walking Desk
2 Dell U2412M Monitors, the SP3 Screen as the 3rd. The 2 Dells running from the Mini-Displayport on the dock to a EV3A DP-hub

Setup 3 - Travel
HP Elite L2201 screen off the Displayport, and a USB screen off the portable hub I carry

So during the day, I will change back and forth between Setup 1 & 2. Start on 1, change to 2 to get in 4 miles of walking, back to 1. When this started, I had some issues I initially thought were boot problems in the desktop setup, which resolved themselves after booting in setup 2. However, what I came to find out was that while Setup2 would work, Setup 1 now will not. Tried swapping docks , and hubs without any result. Tried swapping some cables, also no results. I can get any 2 of the screens to work with Setup 1, but going to the third gets a blank screen all the way around requiring removing the surface from the dock to get something you can turn off.

I am thinking that they may have done something to the driver recently? I haven't loaded anything new. This may be related to the memory of various configurations as well. Is there any way to wipe that?

Looking forward to any thoughts. Running my old desktop now on the desktop, but it is Win10 and I worry a bit about doing actual work on it.

 

[agt499]

I think there was a video driver update a few weeks back - in my case it re-enabled DisplayLink, which had previously stopped working (and was documented as such by DisplayLink).
Also since that update I can now run the SP3 screen + 1xDisplayLink + 2xDisplayPort daisychained off the dock, which had only ever previously worked off the device mDP for me.
Clearing the remembered configurations is worth a go - perhaps disable all externals in each setup, do a complete proper shutdown between docking cycles, then renable.

Also, have you always run the MS Driver, or had the Intel one on at any stage?

 

[GreyFox7]

Where do you clear remembered configurations?

Not sure the OP has any DisplayLink in configuration 1 or 2, only the Travel setup. Windows would confuse monitor configs though it's a special gift.

 

[cheetahdriver]

I have always used the MS driver, just didn't think the intel driver was worth the perceived problems.

Where do you clear remembered configurations? I know there must be a place for this, or I think there must be. Oddly enough, I have never seen it confuse the two configurations (in 1 there is a monitor in portrait) even when it was trying to run partials. It's weird.

 

[agt499]

I have always used the MS driver, just didn't think the intel driver was worth the perceived problems.

Where do you clear remembered configurations? I know there must be a place for this, or I think there must be. Oddly enough, I have never seen it confuse the two configurations (in 1 there is a monitor in portrait) even when it was trying to run partials. It's weird.

I tried the Intel driver as I had some initial problems with the the mDP out on the dock driving my chained monitors, and then again once the MS driver stopped working for my DisplayLink in travel setup.
I agree that it's worth avoiding if all is running well.

I don't know if there is a specific place to clear remembered configurations, hence my best guess was to disable the external monitors, full shutdown and re-dock : my logic here is that it will then 'remember' the monitors being disable (I agree that the remembering is pretty reliable, so a method that over-writes the remembering is the next best thing to clearing it)
The other thing that I find with my setup is that sometimes my monitors (which do the chaining) lose the plot, and are most reliably fixed by a full power-off at the wall. I assume you have tried a full power cycle of your EV3A hubs?