Toolbar Icons and Image Files do not display on Secondary Monitor Images show up as Empty Frames
Description of Issue
I was baffled when I opened my images in IrfanView and Paintshop Pro. I later observed that when editing using MS Word that the icons in the tool bar would disappear when I dragged a mouse over them. A googling I went and found nothing for days until I found an entry mentioning how it was a secondary monitor issue. I then confirmed that issue by dragging PaintShop Pro and MS Word to the primary built in monitor of the laptop I use. With MS Word when I dragged the mouse over where the icon should be it would reappear. With PaintShop Pro I tried moving the image and that did not make the image return. When I changed the zoom by rolling the mouse wheel the image returned.
Confirmation of Solution
When I found Graphics Bug in Windows 7 after installing August 2017 Security Updates I realized I had a good fit for my problem. Upon uninstalling the KB4034664 patch and rebooting the problem was fixed.
Research Links
- Outlook 2007 missing icons – first webpage that gigged me to try the primary monitor. ( most of my work is on the 27 inch secondary so I did not think to do )
- Graphics Bug in Windows 7 after installing August 2017 Security Updates – see snippet below: What triggers the problem.
- Support.Microsoft.com: August 30, 2017—KB4039884 – Improvements and fixes – how is that for a generic title?
What triggers the problems
The problem appears when all of the following conditions are met:
- Windows 7 (or Windows Server 2008)
- The patches of KB4034664 or KB4034679 are fully installed
- The currently logged on user is not a local System Administrator on the computer, but a user with limited rights or a domain user
- The system has multiple monitors
- The monitors are setup such that certain parts of the screen have negative screen positions. For example a secondary monitor is setup to be left of the main monitor. Or a monitor is setup to have a higher top border than the main monitor
- An application window is positioned so that it is within the area of the screen that has negative screen coordinates.
- This application window uses the Windows API function “StretchDIBits” (or a variant) to draw a graphic on a device context directly linked to that window.
Workarounds
These workarounds exist:
- Upgrade to Windows 10 / Server 2012
- Uninstall KB4034664 / KB4034679 patches from the system
- Log on with a user that is a full local administrator
- Only use the application on the main monitor, not a secondary monitor
- Arrange the monitors such that no part of a monitor has negative screen coordinates. (See details in next paragraph)

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