I have a couple of Dell laptops. One is a Latitude D810 and the other
is a Precision M90. Both have external monitors (the M90 actually has
two external monitors). When I shut the lid of my laptop, the laptop
LCD turns off and everything (including the start menu) gets forced
onto the external monitor, basically making it the primary monitor now
instead of the secondary. The problem is I have running applications
set up just the way I want on the external monitors and I don't want
anything on these monitors to change when I shut the lid on the laptop.
My old Latitude had a very small plastic cylinder that got pushed down
to signal that the lid was closed, but neither of these newer models
have that switch.

Does anyone know how to disable the feature?

"Chris" <CWShannon******.com> wrote in message
news:1160599591.947796.106140@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com
> I have a couple of Dell laptops. One is a Latitude D810 and the other
> is a Precision M90. Both have external monitors (the M90 actually has
> two external monitors). When I shut the lid of my laptop, the laptop
> LCD turns off and everything (including the start menu) gets forced
> onto the external monitor, basically making it the primary monitor now
> instead of the secondary. The problem is I have running applications
> set up just the way I want on the external monitors and I don't want
> anything on these monitors to change when I shut the lid on the
> laptop. My old Latitude had a very small plastic cylinder that got
> pushed down to signal that the lid was closed, but neither of these
> newer models have that switch.
>
> Does anyone know how to disable the feature?

The first thing I do when I get a new laptop is to go into Power Option
Properties and click on the Advanced tab and to select "When I close the
lid of my portable computer" I select "Do nothing". Did you try that?

--
Bill

BillW50 wrote:
>
> The first thing I do when I get a new laptop is to go into Power Option
> Properties and click on the Advanced tab and to select "When I close the
> lid of my portable computer" I select "Do nothing". Did you try that?
>
> --
> Bill

Yea I tried that too. The laptop doesn't sleep or hibernate, but
unfortunately it doesn't "do nothing" either. I'm beginning to worry
that this is going to end up being a hardware modification. This is
for a project and right now we're building the prototype system. Once
complete, we will buy multiple laptops along with all of the other
equipment.

Maybe another brand of laptop would have the option to keep the LCD
active while the lid was closed. This would prevent the external
monitor from becoming the primary. Anybody know of one?

"Chris" <CWShannon******.com> wrote in message
news:1160653883.514840.39710@i3g2000cwc.googlegrou ps.com
> Yea I tried that too. The laptop doesn't sleep or hibernate, but
> unfortunately it doesn't "do nothing" either. I'm beginning to worry
> that this is going to end up being a hardware modification. This is
> for a project and right now we're building the prototype system. Once
> complete, we will buy multiple laptops along with all of the other
> equipment.
>
> Maybe another brand of laptop would have the option to keep the LCD
> active while the lid was closed. This would prevent the external
> monitor from becoming the primary. Anybody know of one?

My Gateway MX6124 acts they way. Although I wanted it to kill the lamp
when I close the lid, but it doesn't. But the manual says it will. Hmmm.
I too use an external LCD monitor. Although I can set it for Standby and
Hibernation and that works. But that isn't what I want to happen when I
close the lid. :(

--
Bill

I have an Asus A3Ac and an external monitor and have had no problems with
the external when closing the lid on the notebook. Out of curiosity which
graphics adapters or chipsets are in the notebooks you're using? I know the
Intel 915/910 chipsets should function the way you seem to desire.

"dave" <faqu@ufaq.com> wrote in message
news:b688a$452e90f2$47132422$20290@MOUNTAINCABLE.N ET
> I have an Asus A3Ac and an external monitor and have had no problems
> with the external when closing the lid on the notebook. Out of
> curiosity which graphics adapters or chipsets are in the notebooks
> you're using? I know the Intel 915/910 chipsets should function the
> way you seem to desire.

I'm using Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 900. And when I close the
lid and have it set to do nothing, that is what it does even with an
external monitor. I also have the CMOS/Setup for an external monitor.
This keeps the build in LCD screen dark while booting too. Although I
don't see the post or anything on the external monitor until Windows is
booted half way through. Same with you?

--
Bill

If I have it set to clone mode it fires up right away...if its in extended
it fires up after the win startup screen.

dave wrote:
> If I have it set to clone mode it fires up right away...if its in extended
> it fires up after the win startup screen.

If your laptop is using the external monitor to extend the desktop and
you close your laptop lid, is the desktop still extended to the
external monitor? This is what I want to happen. I don't want to see
the start menu or anything else that supposed to be on the primary
display show up on the external monitor regardless of whether or not
the lid is closed.

On the Dell laptops I was able to achieve this, but it's not an optimal
solution. The "lid closed" switch is actually hidden underneath the
buttons for the touch pad. A magnet in the LCD bezel activates the
reed switch as it approaches the touch pad area which happens as the
lid is closed. Unfortunately, the laptop LCD stays lit up the whole
time.

If your laptop is using the external monitor to extend the desktop and
you close your laptop lid, is the desktop still extended to the
external monitor? This is what I want to happen. I don't want to see
the start menu or anything else that supposed to be on the primary
display show up on the external monitor regardless of whether or not
the lid is closed.

Yes the external monitor keeps its settings (extended) when the lid is
closed and if I have apps running on the extended desktop they are still
functional.

dave wrote:

> Yes the external monitor keeps its settings (extended) when the lid is
> closed and if I have apps running on the extended desktop they are still
> functional.

Nice!! Do you know if your LCD stays lit when you close the lid?

"Chris" <CWShannon******.com> wrote in message
news:1161111935.203678.15590@m7g2000cwm.googlegrou ps.com
> dave wrote:
>
>> Yes the external monitor keeps its settings (extended) when the lid
>> is closed and if I have apps running on the extended desktop they
>> are still functional.
>
> Nice!! Do you know if your LCD stays lit when you close the lid?

Mine doesn't and I wish it did. :( The manual says it is supposed too.

--
Bill

My LCD shuts off when the lid is closed....I also have a HotKey function
that allows me to turn it on or off while the lid is still open, when I turn
it off the external monitor retains its settings which is pretty
handy....all in all I'm quite pleased with the way it works HTH.

It's possible that it appears to shut off, but that if you look very,
very closely (possibly with a flashlight), only the backlight is
shutting off, the image itself is still present (meaning that the actual
LCD panel is still powered), but with no backlight the screen is still
going to look solid black unless it is examined very, very carefully.


dave wrote:

> My LCD shuts off when the lid is closed....I also have a HotKey function
> that allows me to turn it on or off while the lid is still open, when I turn
> it off the external monitor retains its settings which is pretty
> handy....all in all I'm quite pleased with the way it works HTH.
>
>