Tom's Hardware > Forum > Laptops & Notebooks > General Laptops & Notebooks > Laptop won't recognize external monitors please help

Laptop won't recognize external monitors please help

Forum Laptops & Notebooks : General Laptops & Notebooks - Laptop won't recognize external monitors please help

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duhflavah   12-30-2008 at 09:03:14 PM

Hi guys I'm having problems connecting to a second monitor. The thing is, my dell 700m no longer recognizes a second monitor at all when I go into properties --> settings. I have installed all the drivers for it as well, is anyone else having the same problem? I had reformatted the computer using korean windows xp for my dad, our toshiba runs fine w/the the korean windows xp and can support dual monitor features, but for some reason my dell is no longer showing any kind of support or response for the dvi output. any help?

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jtt283   12-30-2008 at 09:08:21 PM
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Is there a key combination you need to press to turn the optional output on? It is probably a key labeled "Fn" plus one with a symbol for the two monitor types on it to toggle between them.

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duhflavah   12-30-2008 at 09:10:33 PM
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hey jjt283 thanks for the response i am a total newb so sorry if i'm computer illiterate. yes i've tried the fn+f8 it no longer works for some reason. The interesting thing is that when I go to settings under properties it shows an icon of an old computer monitor (not a flat panel) and that is it pretty much. Before there was "Monitor 1" with "Monitor 2" in gray. But that feature no longer shows up. Thanks again JJ and Happy Holidays bro.

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duhflavah   12-30-2008 at 09:11:38 PM
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I thought it had to do with the version of Windows of XP I was running, but it works fine on my dad's old Toshiba notebook. Should I try re-installing all the drivers for it?

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will_chellam   12-30-2008 at 10:35:21 PM
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I remember I had an NEC versa laptop with an ATI mobility graphics chipset - i discovered after a particular driver revision the multiple monitor support stopped working.....

I'd still bet on Fn+F8 - press the combination once with the monitor connected and wait for a few seconds then try again to cycle through the options sometomes they need a Fn+F8 holding the function key and giving the F8 two or three presses then letting go of everything and waiting for a second....

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Jake_Barnes   12-30-2008 at 11:25:05 PM
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This topic has been moved from the section CPU-Components to section Laptops & Notebooks by Jake_Barnes

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duhflavah   12-31-2008 at 01:29:57 AM
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nope no luck, do you think it has to do with my dvi output?

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duhflavah   12-31-2008 at 01:30:49 AM
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it literally does not recognize or seem to have an external monitor function anymore.

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dwellman   12-31-2008 at 04:23:50 PM
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What happens when you boot with the second monitor attached?
Is there a setting in the BIOS setup for enabling/disabling external display?
Do you have a port replicator of a docking station?
Have you tried the S-Video?

Regardless, as far as I know the Inspiron 700m has only a VGA out, not a DVI

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Anonymous   02-03-2009 at 09:20:44 AM
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I had the same problem and it took me a while to figure it out. I suspected it was a driver problem, but then I was misled and told that was probably not it.
But..my initial thoughts were correct: It's a missing driver.

I uninstalled all ATI related drivers.
Then I google my computer model+display drivers. I downloaded ATI display driver and then it worked.
You have to download the ATI display driver before you download ATI Radeon... It wouldn't even let me download ATI Radeon.
To make sure you have the same problem, right click my computer, go to properties and look at the missing drivers (the icon is a question mark and then it shows each missing driver with an exclamation mark). It'll probably say VGA something or other ( I wish I had written this down)...
Anyway... look for a basic display driver of your choice, I Like Ati...
Hope this helps those poor souls with the same damn problem I had for a month.

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