How to default to external monitor?

hari-bhari · 12-23-2008, 11:35 PM

When I pull my laptop out of standby upon turning the car on, it doesnt display to the external monitor about half the time. I have to cycle it in and out of standby a couple of times to get it to show up on the external display. I have checked the connections and everything seems to be intact, and the display is on before the laptop comes out of standby. How can I make sure it it defaults to the external each time? It's a PITA to reach in the back and manually switch....

madmunky · 12-24-2008, 04:38 AM

I was about to post the same thing, I have a HP laptop and you have to keep pushing fn + F4 to output to the VGA port, can this be set any way by default otherwise you miss stuff like the boot screen/resume screens on the VGA port.

HiJackZX1 · 12-24-2008, 06:59 AM

There is a option within Windows to change the Identity of the screens with in Windows. Right click on desktop, go to properties, then settings tab, then under advanced somewhere. Cant tell you exactly because my processor hasnt come yet. My ATI embeded graphics had this issue, doing that seems to have fixed it.

WarDriver · 12-29-2008, 03:59 PM

Just shooting from the hip but...can you set it in the bios?

silvi4000 · 01-07-2009, 12:11 AM

I had a similar issue with my Fujitsu. Once in a while it wouldn't switch to external monitor when booting even though it was configured as primary on the BIOS.
My Fujitsu uses an Intel graphics chip. You can configure the intel software to switch between internal and external monitor by pressing a key combination, in my case I use Alt-F1.
I wrote a small vb script the uses the sendkey command to send the key combination that switches to external monitor. I have it set to run on start up and as a scheduled task that runs every 3 minutes. So far its been working perfectly and theres no flickering or anything during normal use.

Code:

Option Explicit
Dim WSHShell
Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WSHShell.SendKeys "^%{F1}"
WScript.Quit

stephenzheng · 01-14-2009, 12:40 PM

I have same problem with Dell laptop running winXP home, and I have try every tip found here and still can get the the touch screen to turn on after came out the stand by or sleep mode. any tip?

silvi4000 · 01-14-2009, 12:59 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by stephenzheng

I have same problem with Dell laptop running winXP home, and I have try every tip found here and still can get the the touch screen to turn on after came out the stand by or sleep mode. any tip?

At a minimum, using your graphics card management software you should be able to define a hot-key to switch monitors. If you can do it from the keyboard then it should work from the above script. All this is assuming you have setup your TouchScreen to Auto-ON when power (or maybe signal) is restored.

stephenzheng · 01-14-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by silvi4000

At a minimum, using your graphics card management software you should be able to define a hot-key to switch monitors. If you can do it from the keyboard then it should work from the above script. All this is assuming you have setup your TouchScreen to Auto-ON when power (or maybe signal) is restored.

I'm knowing very little about computer, and have no idea how to do that can you show me step by step how is done? thank you very much!Stephen

PS, I don't have the mian monitor anymore, am have no problem with the usb touch screen if I boost the PC with the power botton.

silvi4000 · 01-14-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by stephenzheng

I'm knowing very little about computer, and have no idea how to do that can you show me step by step how is done? thank you very much!Stephen

PS, I don't have the mian monitor anymore, am have no problem with the usb touch screen if I boost the PC with the power botton.

From the top then,
you say it doesn't automatically switch to the external monitor. When this happens what exact steps do you take to make it work?
How do you make your computer use the external monitor once windows is running?

stephenzheng · 01-14-2009, 04:42 PM

it only happen when the computer went to standby after X amount of time I set when I turn the car off (running the laptop battery) when I start the car I can hear the laptop running (the HD and the fans) but the 7" LCD not turnning on doesn't matter how long I waited. when that happen I have to hold the power botton for like 5sc to turn it off then back on (re-boost)thanks.
the lid is off the laptop and I have a magnet on the sensor to make it think the lid is closed.

silvi4000 · 01-14-2009, 05:03 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by stephenzheng

it only happen when the computer went to standby after X amount of time I set when I turn the car off (running the laptop battery) when I start the car I can hear the laptop running (the HD and the fans) but the 7" LCD not turnning on doesn't matter how long I waited. when that happen I have to hold the power botton for like 5sc to turn it off then back on (re-boost)thanks.
the lid is off the laptop and I have a magnet on the sensor to make it think the lid is closed.

Whats the model of your DELL?
Do you know what graphics card it has?
Can you see a Function-Key on the laptop keyboard to switch monitors?

stephenzheng · 01-14-2009, 05:44 PM

Inspiron 6000
and I will try to find out other info later.

silvi4000 · 01-14-2009, 05:56 PM

From the specs it seems it has an ATI card. Go to control panel and open the catalyst control center. If given the option, switch to advanced view. You should see a "hotkeys" menu on top. Go there and then select Hotkeys manager.
Select "Display manager" on the hotkeys filter list. Now you should see a list of actions below. Find "switch among displays" and edit that. Select something like ALT + F1 and save the changes.
If you plug a USB keyboard you should be able to switch the display by pressing ALT+F1. If you cant, go back and make sure you saved the change. Once you can switch via keyboard you can use the script I posted before to have windows automatically switch the display on start up.
Make a scheduled task that runs the script every 2 or 3 minutes and you should be ok.

stephenzheng · 01-14-2009, 06:02 PM

I'll go to the car and try it now. be right back.

stephenzheng · 01-14-2009, 06:19 PM

can't find catalyst control center under control panel .

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