Dell Inspiron laptop screen smashed

Peter B

My Inspiron 2650 was in a bag that was rolled over by a car. I want to access the computer. Everything seems to be working file except the screen is smashed. I can hook it up to another screen but that screen only stays on just after startup but then goes on to standby.

I have to chose the multiscreen option on the display settings in the control panel to set it up but cannot access that as I cannot see where the mouse is pointing to.

Anyone any ideas how I can use a reserve monitor as my laptop screen.

Thanks

Kimbot

Get a replacement screen from <mod edit>

He seems reasonable on the prices and all if you can do some DIY!!

Tom Dunne

Is that your answer to everything?

You have pimped that site one too many times.

Take a holiday for a week.

Silly question, but I assume this wouldn't be covered under the warranty (presuming it's still valid)?

johnny_adidas

if its the same screen as a 8600 i have one in my adverts

Tom Dunne

Myth wrote:

Silly question, but I assume this wouldn't be covered under the warranty (presuming it's still valid)?

I don't think accidental damage is covered under any warranty - more like insurance.

Peter B

May certainly be going down the insurance route. Just want to access my info in the mean time. Is there an easy way to use the secondary screen?

Tom Dunne

Peter B wrote:

May certainly be going down the insurance route. Just want to access my info in the mean time. Is there an easy way to use the secondary screen?

Connect the monitor, make sure it is powered on and power up the laptop.

If it is possible with your laptop, power it on with the lid closed. Some laptops have the power switch just under the screen, so this may not be possible.

Peter B

Unfortunately switch is under lid. Tried start it up and straight away put lid down but no luck.
Dont actually think the laptop can realise if lid is up or down. Before it was broken I could be downloading large files and close the lid and the laptop would work as normal (would not go on to standby or anything) as if the lid wasn't down.

Would be ideal if I could create a boot disk that could automatically switch on multiple monitors.

Tom Dunne

Peter B wrote:

Unfortunately switch is under lid. Tried start it up and straight away put lid down but no luck.
Dont actually think the laptop can realise if lid is up or down. Before it was broken I could be downloading large files and close the lid and the laptop would work as normal (would not go on to standby or anything) as if the lid wasn't down.

Would be ideal if I could create a boot disk that could automatically switch on multiple monitors.

There is always a key combination that switches between the internal monitor and the external - how is the keyboard?

It is usually a combination of the Fn key and a number key, but it differs for each make. Time to RTFM, I'm afraid.

This will do exaclty what you want.

Enright

boot up and press Fn key with either F8 or F5
these are the usual keys in dell to swop the op to the external monitor

just look at the keyboard, it will have CRT/LCD written in blue on it, press this button as well as the Fn button at the same time

matt-dublin

when you're sure its fully booted up press together Fn and F8 keys, should solve the problem

tuxy

The problem could be that windows is set to display a mode that the monitor can't display. You can you can see the windows botting screen right?

So on bootup press f8 then select "enable vga mode"
This will get windows to boot into a low res screen that just about every monitor supports.