External monitor flashing after closing laptop lid

ramblingmay · 02 Jan 2013

I recently got a new monitor (samsung sync master s27b350), and when I connect it to my laptop (alienware m11x r2) it works perfectly fine through either vga or hdmi

UNTIL I close the laptop's lid. Then the image on the external monitor either flickers or goes completely black (I have settings to 'do nothing' on lid close).

All my drivers appear as up to date and working, and with the lid open, there is no flickering.

I have tried several different cables of each hdmi and vga all with the same results

This didn't happen for the first 3 days with the new monitor, but then the problems started shortly after

what could be causing this problem?

thanks!

ramblingmay · 04 Jan 2013

bump? anyone?

bobafetthotmail · 04 Jan 2013

just a thought, have you tried setting the external monitor as primary monitor?
Right click on free part of the desktop and select "screen resolution" to open the panel with that setting.

ramblingmay · 07 Jan 2013

The external is already the primary monitor

strollin · 07 Jan 2013

Just a shot in the dark but I wonder if the switch that detects the lid being closed needs adjustment or perhaps there's a small foreign object in between the lid and base that prevents the lid from fully closing and causes the switch to make/break.

Does this only happen with this particular monitor? What happens if you use a different monitor?