Thinkpads Forum

I have an R500 running windows 7 with intel GMA integrated series 4 graphics in a thinkpad advanced mini dock. I'm curious if there is a way to get dual display using the VGA port on the back of the dock, and the VGA port on the side of the laptop.

If the laptop is undocked, opened and I have an ext. monitor plugged into the side port, I hit fn+f7 3 times and I can get display on both the laptop LCD and the ext. monitor

If the laptop is closed and docked I get video out of the VGA port on the back of the dock, but I can't get any signal on the monitor plugged into the side port, the light turns green like it's getting power but no video signal.

The intel display settings control panel in windows only gives me a single display setting option, and the display options in windows 7 does not detect another monitor when I click detect. I have the bios settings at default.

Any idea how I can accomplish this without any additional hardware? Software suggestions are welcome, thanks in advance.

no you can't, the side ports get automatically disabled when docked.

Not entirely, I figured out how to do it, you have to use the displayport port with a displayport to dvi dongle to another monitor, and it works awesomely.

so even when you are docked, the displayport on the R500 with the Intel GPU works? Hum that is strange, i will give it a try on my R500 with the ATI GPU see whether that works too.

The DisplayPort is not wired through the docking station (there is no DisplayPort on the R500 docks), so they should not be related...

i actually did the same thing .. screen 1 to the VGA port of the R500 dock .. brot a $11 display port to DVI adapter and plugged into my second screen .. now i have two displays .. but sadly, it switched off the display on my R500 .. was wondering if there was a way to enable that via a hack or change in settings ..