External monitor

[rockyracoon]

My brother has a Dell Inspiron 6000 (xp) laptop, the display monitor is knackered, nothing showing at all, we have a desktop monitor which we have connected to the laptop, is there anything we need to do to get the external monitor to work. Laptop and monitor are both switched on but the screen is blank.

Many thanks RR

[VHG]

You normally need to press one of the keys across the top of the keyboard to get it to work. They key will often have a small "monitor" icon on it.

This will often be the keys that have F1, F2, F3 on them as well.

I have had a look on the interent and I THINK you may need to press the F1 key, if not that the one with the monitor logo on it, or then try all the keys across the top.

[VHG]

btw In laptops I have had each time this key is pressed it offers another option.

Default is of course laptop screen

First time button is pressed it may display on laptop screen AND monitor.

Then next time button is pressed it is JUST monitor.

Then next time JUST laptop screen (the default).

Then if button is pressed again it goes round the "loop" again and will do laptop and monitor again and so on.

I know your laptop screen does not work, but that is what the button is trying to do.

So just keep pressing it till you see an image on the monitor.

[whiskeryron]

I don't know whether this will help but I have my ( desktop) pc connected to my tv via vga lead & it works a treat, I can select via tv screen whether to watch tv or pc.
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

Ron.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks VHG, we're having trouble finding the correct sequence of F's. Ron, thanks anyways, we've tried that but the tv is not picking up anything from the pc. I'm wondering if the lead is damaged.

[SeaJayPea]

On my Inspiron it's F8 you press

[rockyracoon]

Thanks SeaJayPea, we tried F8, which I think t's what it should be, but no luck. Think he will have to take it into a computer shop. All his itunes purchases are in there and he wants to get them off and deauthorise the computer.

Thanks all x

[LCDMAN]

You have to press, and hold, the Fn key to - to make the key do its "F" function. On my Dell Inspiron it's Fn key + F8 to enable the external monitor. Subesquent presses of Fn+F8 scroll though the options - LCD, then LCD + external, then external alone then back to LCD.