Dual monitor setup question

[Ghery]

I've been using an external monitor with my laptop at work for some time. Works great. But I'm trying something new (to me) and can't find the answer without wasting other peoples' time around the office.

How do I -

1. Set different resolutions, etc for the laptop screen and the monitor? I've got them set the same right now (to optimize the external monitor) and the image is larger than the laptop screen can support, so the whole screen scrolls.

2. Set it up so the two screens show different applications (or simply serve as an extention of each other)? This is the real reason for messing with this in the first place.

Thanks. If it matters, the laptop is an HP (Compaq) 6910p and the monitor is labelled Dell.

 

[Mxfarm]

Go to your video settings. I can get to them on my 'puter right click on the desktop - PC, right?

marc

 

[Ghery]

PC. I got to those settings before asking. Nothing jumps out at me as allowing different settings between the laptop display and the external monitor. But, I could easily be missing something.

 

[gprellwitz]

Generally (I'm using XP here) right click on an empty area of the desktop. Select Properties, then the Settings tab. You should see both of the monitors that are connected. Select each of them in turn and set the screen resolution. That's part 1. Part 2 is to select the checkbox that says "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor."

This is presuming that the video card in the HP supports this.

 

[Ghery]

I've got that so far. I think part of the problem is different aspect ratios for the laptop display and the monitor. I'll keep fooling with it.

 

[Ghery]

Now if I could just swap them so the external monitor was the primary display. My old eyes like the larger screen.

 

[gprellwitz]

I've got that so far. I think part of the problem is different aspect ratios for the laptop display and the monitor. I'll keep fooling with it.

Go into the Advanced button for each of the monitors (click the monitor in the graphic or select it with the pull-down, then click Advanced). Make sure that the monitor type is set properly on the Monitor tab. When you click OK to close the Advanced Properties tab, the Screen Resolution for each of the monitors should be appropriate to that monitor, and can be adjusted by using the slider. It definitely supports different ratios for the two monitors, at least on XP Pro. Which version of Windoze are you using?

 

[Ghery]

XP Pro. I think I've got things sorted out right now. Looks like the "console" (for us old guys who understand that that was) will be stuck on the laptop display, but I can alway drag the application I'm using to the external monitor (just did) and get the benefit of the larger screen and better viewing angle.

 

[Mxfarm]

A lot of what's available is dependent on your video card. Not all cards offer the same options.

marc

 

[EppyGA]

In your settings you should be able to click on the monitor you want to be primary and check that. The screen shot I attached shows where you would check it but it's grayed out since I'm only using one monitor.

If your laptop is 1 and the monitor is 2 then click on 1 and deselect it then click on 2 and select it as the primary. You may then also have to drag them around so they match the physical relationship.

 

[Ghery]

I think I've got it set. I've now got the external monitor as the primary and the laptop display as number 2. I will be interesting to see what happens when I run the laptop separately while not plugged into the docking station. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[EppyGA]

I think I've got it set. I've now got the external monitor as the primary and the laptop display as number 2. I will be interesting to see what happens when I run the laptop separately while not plugged into the docking station. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Glad it worked out for you. :smile:

 

[gprellwitz]

I think I've got it set. I've now got the external monitor as the primary and the laptop display as number 2. I will be interesting to see what happens when I run the laptop separately while not plugged into the docking station. Thanks for all the suggestions.

And that is precisely why I didn't suggest you make the external primary. Let us know how that works out for you!

 

[CJones]

I think I've got it set. I've now got the external monitor as the primary and the laptop display as number 2. I will be interesting to see what happens when I run the laptop separately while not plugged into the docking station. Thanks for all the suggestions.

It *should* recognize that there isn't an external monitor hooked up and go back to a default 'notebook' monitor setup.

*should* is the kicker there...

 

[Ghery]

It *should* recognize that there isn't an external monitor hooked up and go back to a default 'notebook' monitor setup.

*should* is the kicker there...

It did. We'll see if it remembers the other setting when I fire it up at my desk in the morning.

 

[EppyGA]

It did. We'll see if it remembers the other setting when I fire it up at my desk in the morning.

I'm thinking it might not. I have a computer at home I'm using as a movie player as I rip all of my dvd's to disk. The computer has a physical connection to my TV and I control it using VNC. It likes to revert back if the TV isn't there and I have to reset it when the TV is on.

 

[Ghery]

I'm thinking it might not. I have a computer at home I'm using as a movie player as I rip all of my dvd's to disk. The computer has a physical connection to my TV and I control it using VNC. It likes to revert back if the TV isn't there and I have to reset it when the TV is on.

It didn't, and I can't convince it to make the external monitor the console. I can't remember the secret handshake from yesterday afternoon.

 

[PilotAlan]

It didn't, and I can't convince it to make the external monitor the console. I can't remember the secret handshake from yesterday afternoon.

My laptop at work is set up this way. The first time I did it, it didn't remember. After that, it did. Every once in a while I have to remind it.

Go to display settings, drag the monitors to match the way they are on the desktop, select "Extend desktop to this monitor" on the external monitor, then select "Make this my primary monitor" on the external monitor.

If no one mentioned it, when you select the external monitor, you can drag the resolution slider to get it set right for the monitor size. They CAN be set to different resolutions (and in fact, that may help keep them set up right).

 

[Ghery]

My laptop at work is set up this way. The first time I did it, it didn't remember. After that, it did. Every once in a while I have to remind it.

Go to display settings, drag the monitors to match the way they are on the desktop, select "Extend desktop to this monitor" on the external monitor, then select "Make this my primary monitor" on the external monitor.

If no one mentioned it, when you select the external monitor, you can drag the resolution slider to get it set right for the monitor size. They CAN be set to different resolutions (and in fact, that may help keep them set up right).

The funny thing is that what you suggest is exactly what I was doing yesterday morning. On Thursday it worked, on Friday it wouldn't. Setting up dual monitors is easy, it's the getting it to move the "console" to the external monitor that is problematic. I'll mess with it again on Monday morning.

 

[PilotAlan]

The funny thing is that what you suggest is exactly what I was doing yesterday morning. On Thursday it worked, on Friday it wouldn't. Setting up dual monitors is easy, it's the getting it to move the "console" to the external monitor that is problematic. I'll mess with it again on Monday morning.

I've had it not "take" occasionally. Usually unchecking "Extend my desktop to this monitor" to reset the whole thing, then rechecking it and rechecking "make this monitor Primary" will get it to go.