Windows XP: Laptop tries to use 2nd screen when it's not there
Laptop tries to use 2nd screen when it's not there
by TheGear - 9/6/08 5:59 AMWhen I'm at home, I use a second monitor with my laptop (which runs XP SP3). When I'm traveling without a second monitor, XP still remembers which monitor I was using for each program, and it tries to put each on its proper monitor. If I start a program which was on the second monitor at home, it will show up on Task Manager, but it's not displayed on the laptop, because it's off in phantom-display-land. Before traveling, I try to remember to drag everything to the main laptop display before exiting; and if I do that, each program will start in a visible window on the single-display system. But I always forget at least one program. What do I do when I'm sitting in a hotel room trying to run a program that thinks it should be on a non-existent display? Is there a variable I can toggle somewhere?
Try this
by MarkFlax
- 9/6/08 2:22 PM
In reply to: Laptop tries to use 2nd screen when it's not there by TheGear
When you are away from the 2nd monitor and you open applications that disappear off to the phantom monitor, goto
Display Properties > Settings and remove that 2nd monitor.
Those missing apps should then reappear on the laptop display.
I don't believe there is a simple toggle switch you can use.
However, there is another trick you can use. Try it when you have the 2nd monitor attached to see how it works.
With the 'would have been missing' application displayed on the 2nd monitor, right click the application's icon in the Taskbar and select "Move". See how the cursor jumps to the top of the application window along the title bar? Hold down the left mouse button and drag across to the laptop display.
This will only work if the application window is not maximized to full screen.
Mark
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