Two Monitors via Lap Top

**Lionelgee** · 16th August 2014, 11:44 AM

Hello All,

First of all I have to admit that I am a semi-Luddite. Instead of having two monitors displaying the same information I now have a choice of only one monitor working.

My university Dell laptop died so I swapped my main computer over to my own personal Toshiba Satellite laptop. I have connected a Samsung Synchmaster B2030 external monitor to the Toshiba. The Toshiba is running Windows Vista Business 2007 as its operating system.

I used to have the monitors splitting the signal so both monitors displayed the same information. Okay this probably did not make for great screen quality.

So I went into Control Panel > Hardware & Sound > Personalisation > Display Settings and I had a play. Using my limited knowledge. Previously I am sure that when I pressed "Identify monitors" both monitors said they were "1" Now I have a choice between either monitor "1" or "2".

I am currently running off 2 as my main screen and the laptop monitor itself is off - as in it is just a blank screen.

Is it better only having one monitor displaying?

Is there someway I can go back to having two monitors sharing the same display of content?

IF you are up to the challenge please keep the directions simple. This will match my level of computer competence or lack thereof

Kind Regards
Lionel

**Wallaby Ted** · 16th August 2014, 12:29 PM

First being a laptop I would like along where your function keys are and see if one has an icon of 2 screens (usually F4 or F5). If you hold down your function key (normally bottom left of the keyboard and maybe a blueish colour) and then press this button it will change the monitor to allow:

laptop screen only -> external screen only -> both -> laptop screen only

Being a while since using Vista, if you go into the control panel under the diisplay control panel you should have a setting for Multiple displays, could either be a tick box or a pull down menu where you can set it to extend, duplicate (mirror) etc.

Richard

**Lionelgee** · 16th August 2014, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by Wallaby Ted

First being a laptop I would like along where your function keys are and see if one has an icon of 2 screens (usually F4 or F5). If you hold down your function key (normally bottom left of the keyboard and maybe a blueish colour) and then press this button it will change the monitor to allow:

laptop screen only -> external screen only -> both -> laptop screen only

Being a while since using Vista, if you go into the control panel under the diisplay control panel you should have a setting for Multiple displays, could either be a tick box or a pull down menu where you can set it to extend, duplicate (mirror) etc.

Richard

G'day Richard (Wallaby Ted),

Function F5 was the money shot

Thank you very much!

Everything is back to normal again

. Reminder to self - do not play with computer adjustment that one does not fully understand.

Kind Regards
Lionel

**Wallaby Ted** · 16th August 2014, 01:46 PM

Hi Lionel,

Not a problem.

Richard

**Bytemrk** · 16th August 2014, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Reminder to self - do not play with computer adjustment that one does not fully understand.

Lionel

The other option Lionel is play lots.... once you messed enough stuff up and found how to get it back.... you become more knowledgeable

Now you know about F5...

**Lionelgee** · 16th August 2014, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Bytemrk

The other option Lionel is play lots.... once you messed enough stuff up and found how to get it back.... you become more knowledgeable

Now you know about F5...

Hello Bytemrk,

I had played.. the trouble was I had messed up too much and could not get back to the original starting point

. I had enough knowledge to know that I had passed beyond my competence level and called for assistance

Kind Regards
Lionel

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