external monitor simply not working (including via dock)

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ashirus · #1 Post by **ashirus** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:07 pm

I can't get the external monitor (aka dual screen) to work on my T60 via the VGA port. My model is currently running Windows XP and has a ATI Radeon X1300 video card.

I'm 6 months out of warantee (although this problem started while in warantee but I can't convince Lenovo of that).

I've tried the following:
- ensuring "extend my monitor onto this desktop" in windows display properties
- disabling/enabling Presentation Director and trying all the schemes
- setting all different combinations of modes for resolution/colour on both (LCD + VGA) monitor
- trying two different monitors and cables (which did work with other computers)
- Updating the video drivers (from the Lenovo website) and Presentation Director to the latest versions
- Updated the BIOS to the latest revision

I then figured it might be a hardware fault, so I tried to see if the external monitor was activated on bootup. I made sure the "LCD + VGA" option on boot was selected in BIOS. Still no joy.

Finally, I figured the actual VGA connector was broken so I bought a compatible mini docking station (port replicator) and attached the VGA cable to that and even that didn't work.

What on earth could be wrong if it's not the software and not the VGA connector? The video card is working as its powering the LCD display?

Is my only option to give it in to repair (I can't afford that)?

#2 Post by **RonS** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:16 pm

Calm down, take a deep breath, and press the Fn+F7 keys on your Thinkpad keyboard. You may have to do it twice. See if that works.

ashirus · #3 Post by **ashirus** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:32 am

RonS wrote:Calm down, take a deep breath, and press the Fn+F7 keys on your Thinkpad keyboard. You may have to do it twice. See if that works.

Thanks - tried that still didn't work.

bla · #4 Post by **bla** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:50 am

Hi there,

i'm sorry, i cant help, but i have a similar problem with my T60p and a FireGL V5250.

Its impossible to get the external monitor to work, however - it works while booting and when browsing the bios.

I have no idea what this is after trying everything as you also already described and so i guess it must be a hardware fault on the VGA-output on my T60p....

#5 Post by **Harryc** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:53 am

Both of you guys should try booting up a Linux live CD. It video out works you do not have a hardware problem.

bla · #6 Post by **bla** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:55 am

i've tried getting it to work in my Ubuntu 8.04 installation, too, but no success. However i am not sure if this might be caused by the FGLRX driver in ubuntu and i will try it with the LiveCD without a special driver for the card.

ashirus · #7 Post by **ashirus** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:06 am

bla wrote:Hi there,

i'm sorry, i cant help, but i have a similar problem with my T60p and a FireGL V5250.

Its impossible to get the external monitor to work, however - it works while booting and when browsing the bios.

I have no idea what this is after trying everything as you also already described and so i guess it must be a hardware fault on the VGA-output on my T60p....

Hmm, mine doesn't work browsing the BIOS which made me think it must be the VGA port itself so I bought a docking station that "replicates" (internally) the VGA port but I *still* get no external monitor output so something very strange is going on

bla · #8 Post by **bla** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:08 am

ashirus wrote:
Hmm, mine doesn't work browsing the BIOS which made me think it must be the VGA port itself so I bought a docking station that "replicates" (internally) the VGA port but I *still* get no external monitor output so something very strange is going on

did you set the display option in your bios to "VGA+LCD"?

However, i just tried it with my Ubuntu live CD, and similar to windows, i dont get any picture...sometimes it flashes a bit, but nothing you could use, no matter which resolution.

ashirus · #9 Post by **ashirus** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:22 am

bla wrote:did you set the display option in your bios to "VGA+LCD"?

Yes (see first post)

#10 Post by **RonS** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:24 pm

ashirus wrote:
RonS wrote:Calm down, take a deep breath, and press the Fn+F7 keys on your Thinkpad keyboard. You may have to do it twice. See if that works.
Thanks - tried that still didn't work.

When you tried that, did you see anything happen at all? The Fn+F7 keys should cycle you through
1. Internal
2. External
3. Internal+External
and back to 1.

ashirus · #11 Post by **ashirus** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:38 pm

RonS wrote:
ashirus wrote: Thanks - tried that still didn't work.
When you tried that, did you see anything happen at all? The Fn+F7 keys should cycle you through
1. Internal
2. External
3. Internal+External
and back to 1.

Yup. They cycle me though the options but there's no display on the external display (it's easy to see that the correct mode is enabled, my mouse goes off the side of the screen, the resolution changes etc.).

As stated above, I've tried the obvious stuff (updating all drivers, BIOS, ensuring "extend your desktop" (this is windows XP) is enabled etc. etc. double etc.) but it's just not working.

There's no daul display on boot-up either so it's almost certainly a hardware error but it's not just the VGA port - or it should work through the port replicator. It's very strange as I'm a hard-core techie but I can't figure what sort of hardware error would cause there to be no external display if the hardware itself is apprently ok.

The only thing I haven't tried is a Linux Live CD and I'll try that when I get a chance to burn one and reprt back.

external monitor simply not working (including via dock)

external monitor simply not working (including via dock)

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