Trouble with external monitor acer laptop

clp71300 · 11-12-2009, 03:15 PM

I have an acer aspire 4330 laptop with a totally destroyed screen. I am currently using a dell computer monitor but I have only been able to get it to work by starting the laptop in safe mode. None of the fn + f5 or similar combinations have worked. I think there is a way to adjust some display setting on the monitor or on the laptop so that it will be able to start up normally, but so far I have been unable to find any information on that. Can anyone help me?

joeten · 11-13-2009, 09:19 AM

Hi and welcome to TSF have you tried control panel display settings you can set it up for a external there

IT_Consultant · 11-13-2009, 10:03 AM

You can also try search for updated videocard drivers and see if that helps.

IT_Consultant

clp71300 · 11-13-2009, 01:26 PM

yes I tried playing around with the display settings...I used different monitor resolutions and restarted the computer with no luck. Also looked into the advanced settings under monitor options...which it doesn't really give any options it just displays "default monitor"...so i'm kind of out of ideas.

clp71300 · 11-13-2009, 01:28 PM

How do I search for an updated videocard driver? I apologize for not knowing what that means in the slightest..

GrTech2009 · 11-13-2009, 02:15 PM

you need to reset your video card settings to OEM default then play around with the settings in control panel again.

clp71300 · 11-13-2009, 10:29 PM

could you tell me how to do that?

joeten · 11-15-2009, 07:32 AM

Hi for your driver update go to the card makers support website and find your model any driver should be there

clp71300 · 11-16-2009, 03:01 PM

Hi, thanks but I gotta say I have absolutely no idea what any of you are talking about. I don't know what a video card driver is how to access it what a driver update is or how to find out what model I have what OEM default is supposed to mean or what any of this has to do with the issue. I do appreciate all of your time, but none of this really helps me without any specific instruction.

joeten · 11-17-2009, 01:03 PM

Hi no problem you just have to let us know what you do not understand and we will try to be mre specific and a little less technical,driver is need to get the video,sound,and network stuff to work properly a update can normally be found at your computer manufacturers support web site,or if you have a particular model of video card like nvidia,ati etc, you can find updated drivers on their site,to find info on your make and model of computer you will have stickers on it telling you much of the info either on the bottom along with the serial number and a code for your operating system,you may have others around your keyboard area if it is a laptop or on the front of the case if a tower to check out which operating system look in control panel system,to check for errors with your drivers look in control panel in classic view device manager error flags are yellow ! or red Xs if you need more info please let us know we all started somewhere and needed things explained

clp71300 · 11-17-2009, 07:54 PM

thanks a lot for the response, let me update you on what ive been able to figure out so far...i found the support website for acer and found driver updates here:

http://us.acer.com/acer/service.do?L...CRC=2054404012

i believe what i am looking for is under the VGA category? there are three options for the VGA downloads which are ATI, intel and NVIDIA. i think i have the intel because i tried all three and that was the only one that was able to download completely... the other two came up with messages that it couldnt find anything to be updated. there is an intel sticker on the front of the laptop now that you mention it so i guess that's it. so anyway i downloaded the intel driver update, rebooted and i still cant use the monitor not being in safe mode. So i'm not sure what to try next...

im not sure what you mean by "to check for errors with your drivers look in control panel in classic view device manager error flags are yellow ! or red Xs" i opened up the device manager, dont see any flags or Xs. Also not sure what you mean by classic view.

ill wait for feedback..thanks again

clp71300 · 11-17-2009, 07:58 PM

oh let me add though that after i rebooted i was able to use the fn + f6 to toggle between displays, of course it didnt work on the monitor but it was turning the laptop screen off and on, which it was not doing before. Maybe that will be helpful to you somehow.

clp71300 · 11-17-2009, 08:03 PM

also i think i might not be able to switch to classic view while in safe mode.

joeten · 11-18-2009, 08:16 AM

Hi first the error flags you would find them in device manager under sound,video and game controllers you click on the + to expand the view,also check the cable is firmly seated,is not damaged by streching,or has bent pins,could you borrow another monitor to test if that works,I'am not sure about your model but on moine I have F5 and F6 keys related to the monitor settings,try the display settigs in control panel again since you have updated the driver you should see something like screen1 screen2 you need to enable screen 2 if memory serves me

clp71300 · 11-20-2009, 01:47 PM

When i go into the display settings there isnt even an option to enable screen 2..it's only showing a box with a 1 in it.

11-12-2009, 03:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
clp71300 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9 OS: vista	Trouble with external monitor acer laptop I have an acer aspire 4330 laptop with a totally destroyed screen. I am currently using a dell computer monitor but I have only been able to get it to work by starting the laptop in safe mode. None of the fn + f5 or similar combinations have worked. I think there is a way to adjust some display setting on the monitor or on the laptop so that it will be able to start up normally, but so far I have been unable to find any information on that. Can anyone help me?

11-13-2009, 09:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
joeten Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3,181 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop Hi and welcome to TSF have you tried control panel display settings you can set it up for a external there __________________

11-13-2009, 10:03 AM	#3 (permalink)
IT_Consultant Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 52 OS: Windows XP Professional	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop You can also try search for updated videocard drivers and see if that helps. IT_Consultant

11-13-2009, 01:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
clp71300 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop yes I tried playing around with the display settings...I used different monitor resolutions and restarted the computer with no luck. Also looked into the advanced settings under monitor options...which it doesn't really give any options it just displays "default monitor"...so i'm kind of out of ideas.

11-13-2009, 01:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
clp71300 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop How do I search for an updated videocard driver? I apologize for not knowing what that means in the slightest..

11-13-2009, 02:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
GrTech2009 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 113 OS: WinXP SP3 Win 7	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop you need to reset your video card settings to OEM default then play around with the settings in control panel again. Last edited by GrTech2009; 11-13-2009 at 02:16 PM.

11-13-2009, 10:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
clp71300 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop could you tell me how to do that?

11-15-2009, 07:32 AM	#8 (permalink)
joeten Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3,181 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop Hi for your driver update go to the card makers support website and find your model any driver should be there __________________

11-16-2009, 03:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
clp71300 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop Hi, thanks but I gotta say I have absolutely no idea what any of you are talking about. I don't know what a video card driver is how to access it what a driver update is or how to find out what model I have what OEM default is supposed to mean or what any of this has to do with the issue. I do appreciate all of your time, but none of this really helps me without any specific instruction.

11-17-2009, 01:03 PM	#10 (permalink)
joeten Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3,181 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop Hi no problem you just have to let us know what you do not understand and we will try to be mre specific and a little less technical,driver is need to get the video,sound,and network stuff to work properly a update can normally be found at your computer manufacturers support web site,or if you have a particular model of video card like nvidia,ati etc, you can find updated drivers on their site,to find info on your make and model of computer you will have stickers on it telling you much of the info either on the bottom along with the serial number and a code for your operating system,you may have others around your keyboard area if it is a laptop or on the front of the case if a tower to check out which operating system look in control panel system,to check for errors with your drivers look in control panel in classic view device manager error flags are yellow ! or red Xs if you need more info please let us know we all started somewhere and needed things explained __________________ Last edited by joeten; 11-17-2009 at 01:04 PM.

11-17-2009, 07:54 PM	#11 (permalink)
clp71300 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop thanks a lot for the response, let me update you on what ive been able to figure out so far...i found the support website for acer and found driver updates here: http://us.acer.com/acer/service.do?L...CRC=2054404012 i believe what i am looking for is under the VGA category? there are three options for the VGA downloads which are ATI, intel and NVIDIA. i think i have the intel because i tried all three and that was the only one that was able to download completely... the other two came up with messages that it couldnt find anything to be updated. there is an intel sticker on the front of the laptop now that you mention it so i guess that's it. so anyway i downloaded the intel driver update, rebooted and i still cant use the monitor not being in safe mode. So i'm not sure what to try next... im not sure what you mean by "to check for errors with your drivers look in control panel in classic view device manager error flags are yellow ! or red Xs" i opened up the device manager, dont see any flags or Xs. Also not sure what you mean by classic view. ill wait for feedback..thanks again

11-17-2009, 07:58 PM	#12 (permalink)
clp71300 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop oh let me add though that after i rebooted i was able to use the fn + f6 to toggle between displays, of course it didnt work on the monitor but it was turning the laptop screen off and on, which it was not doing before. Maybe that will be helpful to you somehow.

11-17-2009, 08:03 PM	#13 (permalink)
clp71300 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop also i think i might not be able to switch to classic view while in safe mode.

11-18-2009, 08:16 AM	#14 (permalink)
joeten Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3,181 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop Hi first the error flags you would find them in device manager under sound,video and game controllers you click on the + to expand the view,also check the cable is firmly seated,is not damaged by streching,or has bent pins,could you borrow another monitor to test if that works,I'am not sure about your model but on moine I have F5 and F6 keys related to the monitor settings,try the display settigs in control panel again since you have updated the driver you should see something like screen1 screen2 you need to enable screen 2 if memory serves me __________________

11-20-2009, 01:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
clp71300 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 9 OS: vista	Re: Trouble with external monitor acer laptop When i go into the display settings there isnt even an option to enable screen 2..it's only showing a box with a 1 in it.