Issue w. laptop & external monitor

harpua · 07 Oct 2009

I recently got a 24" 1920 x 1080 external LCD monitor for my laptop. It's awesome. I've been using laptops only for many years and now I'm very sorry I waited so long before getting one. But, on to my issue:

I want to only use the external monitor and keep the laptop screen turned off. The problem is that when I resume from sleep sometimes, but not always, the laptop display comes back on showing only the desktop wallpaper. So I then have to hit the windows key plus "p" (for projector) and select projector to get the laptop display turned off again.

I know how to select the external monitor in W7. Basically, one goes to screen resolution from the desktop right click context menu and make the proper selection under multiple monitors (see screenshot below).

But windows 7 seems to forget this setting sometimes and it's a mild annoyance to have to check the laptop monitor and if it's on, hit the windows key plus "p" each time (or almost each time).

So I'm wondering if there's some way to force windows 7 to remember to use only the external monitor and keep the laptop monitor off until I tell it otherwise? I suppose this issue is likely due to some bug in one of my drivers but I am using all the latest drivers.

Perrybucsdad · 07 Oct 2009

Why not just keep the laptop lid closed? The external monitor will display, and your laptop display will be turned off. OR, are you using the keyboard and touch pad on the laptop? If that's the case, do yourself a favor and get a full size keyboard and mouse, and plug it into the laptop, push the laptop off to the side, and keep the lid closed. Alternately, you could invest in a docking station so you don't have to plug everything in each time. That's what I do at work.

ccatlett1984 · 09 Oct 2009

You might try disabling the primary monitor, although it might not automatically re-enable if its the only monitor (meaning your projector is not attached.)

jimofmex · 18 Dec 2009

I am now having this problem, but the symptoms are somewhat different. With my previous Acer Aspire 5610z, Vista Home Premium 32-bit and Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics connected via a VGA cable to an external monitor, I had no problem.

With my new Acer Aspire 5536-5142, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and ATI Radeon HD 3200 connected to the same external monitor but with an HDMI-to-DVI cable, the driver in the laptop forgets that there is an external monitor every time it goes to sleep. The Catalyst video configuration app no longer even lists a second monitor. I have to reboot. On reboot, the external monitor is again used without my having to re-select. When I check Catalyst, it again lists two monitors.

This is more than annoying.

jimofmex · 20 Aug 2011

The solution was to stop using the HDMI-DVI cable and revert to using the analog VGA cable. I can discern no difference in video quality and the external monitor is no longer forgotten.