OBS which is what twitch streamers use works perfectly for any desktop recording needs. You set it to file instead of stream. However its flexibility also makes it difficult to setup for first use. Its designed to allow for multiple video devices in a "scene". Quite simply all one has to do is add a source by right clicking on the sources list and adding a monitor or window or whatever it is you want to record. However this simple instruction often isn't followed and people come back to me saying they couldn't figure it out.
Back on windows 7 I used to use fraps because checking monitor DWM allowed it to record the desktop. I needed something that worked on 8 and 3rd free thing I tried was Open Broadcaster Suite. Stuck with it ever since.
