Auxilary Monitor won't display desktop

[Hassy501]

I have an external monitor plugged into my Sony Vaio laptop and was using the external to show clients proofs from my laptop.

I recently updated Windows XP and now the external is NOT displaying like it was. It is only displaying the desktop background with NO desktop icons, and not showing what my laptop is showing.

I have gone into the control panel and tried several different settings in setting the monitors but to no avail.

Is there some other area that i need to make the adjustments from besides the control panel monitor settings ?

Thanks....George

[saphalline]

If you upgraded the OS to WinXP, did you also install the correct drivers? It doesn't sound like you did, otherwise the option to clone the two outputs would be readily available.

Check Sony's site for your model - they should have the appropriate WinXP drivers.

[Hassy501]

The laptop already had XP installed and i re installed it because i had lost the sound driver...........i have no sound.............the external was working perfectly until i re installed XP......still no sound and now all that the external monitor shows is the desktop background and is only an extension of my laptop and not a clone..............

Just for the sake of redundancy, what is the procedure for for creating the cloned external monitor ?

Thank you.

George

[saphalline]

what is the procedure for for creating the cloned external monitor ?You need the drivers. That's all. Go to Sony's website and download and install the drivers for your laptop model.

[Hassy501]

Ok thanks......

George

[Rick]

Also in the display settings
Make sure you do NOT have the extend desktop box checked

In advanced settings under the second display find and check the clone box

[Hassy501]

Rick, I'll bet thats the key..........thank you !!!!

[Hassy501]

I went to the advanced settings for the auxiliary monitor but there was NO clone box to check......... and i unchecked the "extend desktop" box also and the auxiliary monitor went black.......?????

[saphalline]

Well, it's actually not called "clone" per se, it could be listed as something else. Maybe not even a check box, but a drop-down or even buried in the Advanced Settings. Unfortunately, due to the proprietary nature of laptops, the only way to be certain what the setting is exactly called would be for us to have that exact same model in front of us.

If something was working before and is no longer working, then it was changed by one of the updates. But seeing as how Sony has full control over the hardware and drivers on that system, they would be the only ones with a definitive answer. All we can really do is point you in the right direction.

[Rick]

Also it is controlled my the advanced settings of the video card
Not the advanced settings of the monitor

It may even be hidden in the video card control panel
As above without first hand knowledge of the hardware it's hard to say exactly where it is

[Hassy501]

Ok thanks...i will dig deeper into the video card settings........its funny because i ran into this problem about a year ago, was given the specific instructions for fixing it, and they worked.......but i lost the instructions since then.......and i do remember it was a very simple fix right from the control panel monitor settings........i didn't have to go into any extensive advanced settings.......oh well, its a learning lesson..............but this time i will tape the instructions beneath the laptop.......!!!

[Rick]

If it was done in control panel display/monitor control

It may have something to do with the display control you have installed

Did you install the original video and display control programs from the original disks when/after you did the reinstall ?

if not that may be the problem.
The OEM version may have them where the XP installed version doesn't have them in the same area or even include it

[Hassy501]

No the update i installed was from another OEM XP disc.....i had it in my files.....and was having issues with no sound on the laptop so i installed the XP disc, it performed an "update" and since then i have not been able to clone the exterior monitor.

I do not have the xp disc that came with the laptop.

[Rick]

You should be able to go to the manufactures web site and download the drivers and utility for that system

Among them you should find the utility to control the ports and or devices included on the original disks

It is not uncommon for updated drivers to remove or over write system specific controls

On a reinstall it is always a good idea to start with the original drivers and utility's
then update from there

[Hassy501]

Okay thank you.....that's what probably happened......Sony here i come.....

Thanks !!

George

[rond36]

On my HP/Compaq NX9600 I can use fn + f4 to cycle through the display modes. Maybe your Sony has a similar feature.

[Hassy501]

I downloaded the factory drivers from Sony and now i have my sound back.....yippee......but still cant get the auxilary monitor to clone the laptop.......I can still only get it to extend......and when i UNCHECK "extend monitor", the auxiilary goes black........it only comes on when i check "extend to auxiliary" monitor.............

[Hassy501]

Still unable to clone the laptop to the auxilary..........does the "hot key" feature enable the clone feature ? I try it but it says " hot key feature not available with current settings"..........

[Rick]

The hot keys can be controlled from both video settings in advanced area and By a utility installed by the manufacturer

In a few cases they are set in the bios

Again dealing with a system I have not worked on personally or have one to check
I can't tell you exactly where to look.

I don't know what Sony is using for a Code key-control these days
Look in your startup area and see if maybe the key control is being loaded or disabled

[Hassy501]

Ok Thanks Rick....something else to try...i'll let you know......startup menus is a good place to check......

[George Hallam]

ok do you have an Nvidia graphics card? if so there are numerous setting in Nvdia control panel

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/2535/untitledvr3.jpg

im sure you can download it from Nvidia

also like rond36 said press the blue Fn (bottoM left usually) AND F4

or try this (when the other monitor is plugged in)

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8994/untitledtb8.jpg

[Hassy501]

Hi George, im not sure if i have the video card but i will check that out....its an older Sony Vaio laptop so it probably doesn't. How do i access the video card control panel ? Once im there, i can navigate the menu and see what is available .....thanks...........getting great info here !!!

George

[Rick]

It should be in Control panel
But I don't think you have an Nvidia card in that sony

However that is one of the possible locations sony placed the video control panel along with the display control panel

Also check the start menu and system tools area under the start menu

[George Hallam]

to enter the bottom pick on your screen
simply right click > properties > settings then click the down arrow next to what monitor you are using.
ok if you laptop is old i doubt it will have it then. maybe more the laptop graphics settings will be in the control panel

[Rick]

It's just as simple to go

Start/control panel/Nvidia Control Icon
IF It is there