# How do I change my default monitor?



## Jet_Smooth2000 (Dec 22, 2008)

I have a Toshiba laptop running XP the main screen back light went out so I added another monitor its native resolution is 1440 x 900 the highest the laptop will go is 1024 x 768. my problem is I can't get the new monitor to go to it native resolution it maxes out at 1024x768, unless I extend the desktop then it works but since my main screen is broken I can't use it because no icons on the extended side. and every time I set it as default it just goes back to the original setting but at 800 x 600. Its running Intel graphics. device manager shows 2 display adapters both identical Intel(R) 82852/82855 GM/GME graphics controllers. and as for monitors device manager shows 3 different ones. Default monitor, Toshiba Internal 1024x768 panel, and ViewSonic VX1932wm the last one is the new one and I've installed all the drivers and software for it I'm really at a loss. I know my graphics card can display the higher resolution but it just won't change over. Alternatively if the is a way to duplicate my desktop on extended desktop that may work? Thanks for any help.


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## OscarTT21 (Dec 11, 2008)

Have you checked in the BIOS? I'm not familiar with laptop settings but there may be an option to set the BIOS for an external monitor as default/primary display. The bios setup menu should display on both screens.
Failing that you can drag the Taskbar from one screen to another in an extended desktop setup by right clicking on some free space on the Taskbar and making sure there is no tick next to the 'lock the taskbar' setting and simple drag it over to the other screen keeping cursor towards the bottom and drop it there.

Problem is if the back light is completely out you may struggle to be able to see what you are doing...

Edit: Also if you do manage to set it up by dragging the taskbar over you may find that when diaglogues or programs open they may open on the dead screen in extended desktop mode and will continue to do so until you drag them over to the other screen.

Any chance you can put on some screen shots of the *Display properties window* under the *Settings tab* for all screens its showing?


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## Jet_Smooth2000 (Dec 22, 2008)

In my display properties it shows two monitors #1 is listed as both Toshiba Internal and the Viewsonic. #2 is listed as default monitor is ther a way to set 2 as the Viewsonic


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## OscarTT21 (Dec 11, 2008)

You need to place the image as an attachment


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## Jet_Smooth2000 (Dec 22, 2008)

OK sorry bout that. alright as you can see in sc1 it shows 2 monitors #1 being used and #2 greyed out. You can also see its running under Multiple monitors. In sc2 you can see I selected #2 and that its set as "default monitor". SC3 shows the properties of #2 monitor. And sc4 shows the properties of #1 as you can see #1 lists two both the Toshiba and the ViewSonic. I guess what I'm looking for is a way to set the VewSonic as #2 monitor so I can set it as default instead of #1. (hope that makes sence) As it stands now if I set #2 as default it just goes back to #1 but at low resolution.


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## OscarTT21 (Dec 11, 2008)

have a look at this information here...

http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intel852gm/sb/CS-009064.htm


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## K7M (Feb 27, 2000)

On my Toshiba laptop I hold the fn key and depress f5 twice and my desktop goes to the monitor and the LCD on the laptop goes off. My laptop is newer (running Vista) but the fn key functions should be similar.


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## Jet_Smooth2000 (Dec 22, 2008)

yea my computer has most of those options, but it won't let me change the primary and secondary monitors. I have tried every possible combination output to just the monitor, monitor + laptop, and extended desktop. I still can't change the resolution to anything higher than 1024x768 the only exception is in extended desktop I can. But since my main screen is broken this is no good I have to fish around in the darkness and try to drag things over. Is their no way around this? Do I have to just settle for 1024x768 witch on this monitor is just not a great resolution, text is hard to read and videos look horrible.


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## OscarTT21 (Dec 11, 2008)

The more i look in to this i think the problem is the supported display resolution being output from the laptop. 1024x768 is not a wide screen resolution so it will look bad on a widescreen display like the ViewSonic VX1932wm.

If you have a look at this page http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-022544.htm it may help if it is possible to get different resolutions.


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## dchambers4296 (Oct 24, 2007)

Did you install the drivers for the monitor?


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## Jet_Smooth2000 (Dec 22, 2008)

Thanks for the link. Ok from what I can tell it says that the monitor needs to provide EDID info to the computer, well as you can see the software to get the EDID info came with the monitor, but how do I give this info the the computer?


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