Ok, now I've really bunged it up - heeeeeeeelp!

woodstock

woodstock

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I have been trying to get the %^&*% new 24 inch monitor to show up correctly with the laptop.

And between the back and forth, at one point I had them both showing as monitors. No idea how.

So I decided to re-start and unplug the spare because I wasn't getting the settings right - it was either cutting off the ends (showing black) while simultaneously making it impossible to reach/see the "start" button on the left, or the entire bottom row... or it was full bleed but doing the same thing. i.e. too big.

welp, somehow when I managed to get it all back over to the main laptop screen, I migrated that problem. Now it's a full bleed screen, but, if I want to see the bottom row and buttons I have to put my cursor way at the bottom and the display moves up and I can see the bottom.

I tried to reset the resolution to go back to exactly where it was, but, when I look at the properties I have two monitors to choose from (even though the other one is unplugged) AND the "number 1" and "number 2" are now showing as the same size, whereas before the "number 1" was considerably bigger than the "number 2".

Help?
 
Beth,

I feel for you; I just went through this at work.

Part of the problem is Windows (duh) and how it handles the displays' different aspect ratios. The laptop's ratio is 4:3 (1024x768 for example) but the new 24" displays are 16:10 (1900x1200). If you have both hooked up so you have one large workspace across both screens (see if the "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor" checkbox is checked in the Displays control panel), then when you unplug the external monitor, your desktop will then be "too large" to fit on your laptop screen. Thus, you will have to scroll around to find the edges of it. This will be a pain if you want to take the laptop with you and then plug it back in.

What I ended up doing is running my laptop with the lid closed, and using an external mouse and keyboard. This forces your external 24" monitor to be your main and only screen (i.e. makes it screen 1 instead of #2), but when the laptop is removed from the dock and taken to a meeting, the resolution and desktop are normal. I have the "Extend desktop" checkbox turned off in this case.

Whatever you choose, be sure to set the resolution to 1900x1200 on the 24". That's the native resolution and will look the best.

Perhaps some other Windows people could chime in with more detail
 
Thanks for the info, Rich! I'm running to work so I will have to address this, this evening.

What a PITA!
 
woodstock said:
What a PITA!
Click to expand...
Yeah, OBTW, BUY A MAC!!! (hahaha couldn't help myself)

But I will say, I got my little white Macbook running a Samsung 32" HDTV (32A550, nice!) with a DVI-to-HDMI cable with absolutely no trouble at all. Most excellent for my now-aging eyes. :cheerswine:
 
rpadula said:
Yeah, OBTW, BUY A MAC!!! (hahaha couldn't help myself)

But I will say, I got my little white Macbook running a Samsung 32" HDTV (32A550, nice!) with a DVI-to-HDMI cable with absolutely no trouble at all. Most excellent for my now-aging eyes. :cheerswine:
Click to expand...

Not only that but my Macbook Pro handles plugging and power on/off the external monitor transparently and reliably every single time. Deciding monitor arrangment and which is main is a simple drag and click in System Preferences.

You know. I could be wrong. We know that computers don't work that way, just like all computers need Norton because they can get viruses and suffer from worldwide security attacks. :no:
 
mikea said:
Not only that but my Macbook Pro handles plugging and power on/off the external monitor transparently and reliably every single time. Deciding monitor arrangment and which is main is a simple drag and click in System Preferences.

You know. I could be wrong. We know that computers don't work that way, just like all computers need Norton because they can get viruses and suffer from worldwide security attacks. :no:
Click to expand...

Consider yourself lucky--My Macbook does an OK job at it. But sometimes it messes up and I have to kill the dock. I've noticed this problem on both a Macbook Pro and Macbook running either 10.4 or 10.5

Macs aren't perfect, but they're not too far most of the time.
 
Thanks Rich, I figured it out. Good "help desk" advice!

Now, to get the other bloody one to work. I tried doing what Mike suggested and that's when I managed to screw it up.
 
woodstock said:
Thanks Rich, I figured it out. Good "help desk" advice!

Now, to get the other bloody one to work. I tried doing what Mike suggested and that's when I managed to screw it up.
Click to expand...

Huh? The only thing I suggested it to reboot often so Windows figures out the extra monitor is attached and then lets you expand the desktop onto it.

This Windows system I'm on right now has two monitors with 1 desktop that's double wide. It takes several reboot tries to get Windows to do that.
 
mikea said:
This Windows system I'm on right now has two monitors with 1 desktop that's double wide. It takes several reboot tries to get Windows to do that.
Click to expand...
Sounds like your drivers suck--something is wrong. Windows will do multiple monitors reliably without issue. Like many things Windows, a good chunk of the problems are caused by manufacturers writing poor drivers. A problem Apple has less of.
 
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