How to switch external monitor attached to my laptop?

Asked by Neil De Mel

I am trying to switch external monitor attached to my laptop so that the video is displayed on both monitors. Please help.

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Thomas Krüger
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Cristi Nistor (cristi-nistor) said :
#1

Which version of Ubuntu you are running?

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Neil De Mel (nawaneel) said :
#2

Hi, I am running Ubantu 9.04, thanks.

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Best Thomas Krüger (thkrueger) said :
#3

First you should try to press the key combination for switching the monitor on your laptop. In most cases it is Fn and one of the function keys. Look for a blue or green symbol with two monitors on it.
If that does not work go into the display preferences (gnome-display-properties), press the "Detect Monitors" button and see if your external monitor appears.
If it does set it to mirror your primary display. If not tell us which graphics card you are using. (The command "lspci" will give a hint.)

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Cristi Nistor (cristi-nistor) said :
#4

You can use URandR http://www.albertomilone.com/urandr.html to set up dual monitor for your laptop.

A tutorial for xrandr and Nvidia graphics card can be found here :

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6480694

A reference about dual monitor in Ubuntu here:

http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Jaunty#Monitors_.2F_Displays

In System --> Preferences --> Display you have the option to detect monitors, so after you plug in your monitor you should find it in the list.

Also here is an older post on ubuntu forums about Dual Monitor:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=221174

Good luck.

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Neil De Mel (nawaneel) said :
#5

Many Thanks,

I am using Toshiba Satellite M300 laptop in dual mode (Windows Vista and
Ubuntu 9.04).

The Fn key combination works well in Vista and does not activate in
Ubuntu (need support to activate in Ubuntu).

I tried gnome-display settings. It does not mirror external monitor in
parallel with primary LCD monitor. When external monitor activates,
primary monitor does not show the same.

My graphic card details are as follows:

VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960
Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated
Graphics Controller (rev 03)

Thanks and best regards,

Neil

On Tue, 2009-10-13 at 07:27 +0000, Thomas Krüger wrote:
> Your question #85661 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/85661
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Thomas Krüger proposed the following answer:
> First you should try to press the key combination for switching the monitor on your laptop. In most cases it is Fn and one of the function keys. Look for a blue or green symbol with two monitors on it.
> If that does not work go into the display preferences (gnome-display-properties), press the "Detect Monitors" button and see if your external monitor appears.
> If it does set it to mirror your primary display. If not tell us which graphics card you are using. (The command "lspci" will give a hint.)
>

Revision history for this message
Neil De Mel (nawaneel) said :
#6

Dear All,

My problem of detecting external monitor is now solved. (My laptop is
Toshiba M300 running Windows Vista and Ubuntu in dual mode)

> The display preferences (gnome-display-properties), works perfectly.
> I pressed the "Detect Monitors" button and the the external monitor appears as "unknown monitor" in black.
> Select the on button and set it to mirror primary display.
>
> Many thanks to all who responded.
>
> I greatly enjoy using Ubuntu.
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
>
> Neil

On Sun, 2009-10-18 at 09:48 +0530, Neil De Mel wrote:

> Many Thanks,
>
> I am using Toshiba Satellite M300 laptop in dual mode (Windows Vista and
> Ubuntu 9.04).
>
> The Fn key combination works well in Vista and does not activate in
> Ubuntu (need support to activate in Ubuntu).
>
> I tried gnome-display settings. It does not mirror external monitor in
> parallel with primary LCD monitor. When external monitor activates,
> primary monitor does not show the same.
>

> My graphic card details are as follows:
>
> VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960
> Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
> Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated
> Graphics Controller (rev 03)
>
> Thanks and best regards,
>
> Neil
>
>
> On Tue, 2009-10-13 at 07:27 +0000, Thomas Krüger wrote:
> > Your question #85661 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
> > https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/85661
> >
> > Status: Open => Answered
> >
> > Thomas Krüger proposed the following answer:
> > First you should try to press the key combination for switching the monitor on your laptop. In most cases it is Fn and one of the function keys. Look for a blue or green symbol with two monitors on it.
> > If that does not work go into the display preferences (gnome-display-properties), press the "Detect Monitors" button and see if your external monitor appears.
> > If it does set it to mirror your primary display. If not tell us which graphics card you are using. (The command "lspci" will give a hint.)
> >

Revision history for this message
Neil De Mel (nawaneel) said :
#7

Thanks Thomas Krüger, that solved my question.