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recently my SSMS started working really weird, wasting my time. I am working on a laptop connected to additional monitor. SSMS starts without login prompt, and stays inactive as long as I dont shut its process down in Task Manager.

Only way of making it work is disconnecting my additional monitor, starting SSMS, logging in, and then plugging monitor back on - this takes a whole load of time.

Weird thing is, it started being weird like this a week ago, it worked just fine before.

Any ideas how to fix it?

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2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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It looks like SSMS starts and shows the window somewhere, where you do not see it. (Maybe in some "virtual area", that SSMS belives to exist because of some bug.) Try the following: after you have started SSMS and you belive it should be showing main window press Ctrl+Space: this opens old good "window context menu". If you have luck then it will be shown in visible area of one of your monitors. Select "move".(If You have no luck and Menu does not appear in visible area, then just press "M" - I think this is shortcut for "move" in EN version of Windows (I have German version. Try this with any other window)) This allows to move the window USING ARROW KEYS. Now try to press left or right keeping pressed first left, then right,up and down arrows and wait till window appears. When you see it - press ENTER and it will be moved to new position.

Another way (it also supposes that app is showing in "nowhere"): press repeatedly Shift+WindowsKey+LEFT Arrow (Or Right Arrow): this is windows shortcut to move the window to next monitor.

Good luck !

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  • Unfortunately none of this works, as the shortcuts work in current active window. My SSMS window stays unactive which means I can't interact with it in any way, until I disconnect my second monitor and restart SMSS forcing it to display prompt window on laptop screen :(
    – Matt
    Apr 4, 2013 at 13:59
  • I had this issue where the window was below the viewable area of the monitor - SQL Server 2014 MS, Windows 10 - and this was first Google result. Not sure if it's changed, but Alt + Space got me the context menu. The rest worked perfectly.
    – Robbie W.
    Jul 28, 2020 at 23:45
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Maybe shows the window on some 'imaginary' second monitor (probably due to the previously connected second monitor), or some weird coordinate.

You could work around this by changing the display 'projection' to 'duplicate' contents. You can usually press Windows Key + P to change the way to handle your 'imaginary' second monitor. If you set it to "duplicate" it will move (show) all windows on each screen, hopefully including your lost dialog.

Drawback: it will move all windows, so not just SSMS, but also your other Windows. So after fixing your dialog, you may have to rearrange the other Windows (drag back to the other display). (But that will be the same if you unplug your display.)

(This question is old, and I was looking for something completely different, but hopefully this is still useful for OP or anyone. Hey, why not try?)

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