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How-To Geek Forums / Windows Vista

laptop viewed on separate monitor

(14 posts)
  • Started 3 years ago by semiretired
  • Latest reply from LH
  • Topic Viewed 2472 times

semiretired
semiretired
Posts: 1214

I have done this many times in the past, but now I'm stumped.

I have hooked up a laptop to a monitor and either it sends the pic to the external monitor with the functions or it has the picture on both screens with the functionality on the external monitor.

I have now hooked up a laptop to an lcd monitor and the wireless mouse and keyboard have functionality on both screens. It's cool, but I wanted how things used to work in this instance only. I will probably love what's going on right now, in the future.

The cursor travels between screens seamlessly. I can drag a non maximized screen from one monitor to the other. I cannot just have the external monitor be "the" monitor.

This all comes about through an nview desktop manager. Like I said, I love this, but I just wanted to use the external monitor as "the" monitor and I have had this just happen automatically in the past.
I am trying to use the laptop as a tower. It used to be automatic.

Posted 3 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

So you just want to have the external monitor on, and the laptop screen off ?

Posted 3 years ago #
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semiretired
semiretired
Posts: 1214

yes LH

Posted 3 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Do you not have a function key on your laptop marked CRT/LCD ? That should toggle between the 2.

Posted 3 years ago #
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semiretired
semiretired
Posts: 1214

LH, No I do not have that key, but since I'm not intimate with this laptop, I had to look.

Posted 3 years ago #
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JHubbard92
JHubbard92
Posts: 454

@ semiretired

Our very own Geek created an article on how to create a shortcut to turn Computer/Laptop monitor on/off...

Click here to see it

Hope this helps

Jordan

EDIT: Sorry just realised this probably will not work as you want one on and the other off. :-)

Posted 3 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

What is the make and model of the laptop please.

Posted 3 years ago #
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ScottW
ScottW
Posts: 6609

semiretired, most laptops use the key combination Fn+F7 or Fn+F8 to cycle between different display modes. Typically, they cycle between just the built-in LCD display, just the video output, and both.

Posted 3 years ago #
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semiretired
semiretired
Posts: 1214

This hp pavilion zv5000 has fn keys, but not the ones you mentioned ScottW. They were dim and bright buttons.

I did hit the fn = f1 question mark and the hp help site came up. I'll investigate later.

Posted 3 years ago #
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ScottW
ScottW
Posts: 6609

Try Fn+F4 on your HP.

Posted 3 years ago #
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semiretired
semiretired
Posts: 1214

doesn't work.

Posted 3 years ago #
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ScottW
ScottW
Posts: 6609

Fn+F4 seems to be the common key combo for this HP Pavilion series. There are 45 different zv5000 models -- which one do you have exactly?

Posted 3 years ago #
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semiretired
semiretired
Posts: 1214

I can make one moniror clone the other with Nvidia software.

Posted 3 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Have you tried Fn with the other F keys. I did see Fn + F8 mentioned somewhere. Try them all, it can't hurt.

Posted 3 years ago #
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