Computer Related > Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor Computing Issues
Thread Author: zippy Replies: 18
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New Sun 19 Jul 20 18:33 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - zippy
Son has broken his laptop screen.

I need to buy an adaptor to connect it to a TV to download his coursework before it goes off for repair (damage warranty included).

Thing is, I don't think that the laptop will automatically switch to the monitor without changing settings in Windows and therefore the adaptor will be a waste of money?

Anyone know if the monitor will be detected and switched to automatically?
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New Sun 19 Jul 20 18:53 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - No FM2R
It may. Both daughters have laptops, one switches automatically the other requires switching.

However it's easy enough, you should be able to see the correct button(s) to press from the keyboard, usually a little picture. Probably something like Fn and F10 together. It ought to be pretty clear and it will work.
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New Sun 19 Jul 20 18:53 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - No FM2R
p.s. if you post the make & model number then I'm sure I'll be able to find a reference to it for you.
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New Sun 19 Jul 20 19:52 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - smokie
What is the adapter of which you speak?

Does it not have HDMI output, that you could plug into your telly using the telly cable?
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New Sun 19 Jul 20 20:00 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - No FM2R
Or older stuff may have RGB.

Or buy a dirt cheap monitor
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New Sun 19 Jul 20 20:58 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - tyrednemotional
Just on the off-chance.

Is it shared on the home network. If it is (and properly configured) you may be able to access the files from another machine on the same network if it is powered up.
Last edited by: tyrednemotional on Sun 19 Jul 20 at 20:58
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New Sun 19 Jul 20 23:52 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - zippy
Thanks all,

It's a DELL 13 5000 Inspiron. It's not got a standard RGB / VGA port.

It has a tiny port that looks like a HDMI connector but about a quarter of the size, hence the adaptor thought. Of course nothing is labelled - it's all to fashionably thin for that!

I'll have a look at the keyboard re the switching when he's up in the morning.
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New Sun 19 Jul 20 23:56 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - smokie
Probably mini HDMI then tinyurl.com/y27uzhfn
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New Mon 20 Jul 20 00:19 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - No FM2R
It should be F8 apparently. (without using the Fn key)

So, connect the display via the HDMI port, start it up and give it a chance to complete startup.

Then press F8 if it hasn't switched automatically.
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New Mon 20 Jul 20 02:12 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - No FM2R
By the way, and to one side, explain to your son the benefit of Google Drive, OneDrive, Icedrive, Dropbox or any of the many other similar products.

It's free, it maintains a copy of the folder(s) in the cloud, is password protected and will shield him from ever again worrying about a PC that fails, gets stolen or is simply forgotten.
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New Mon 20 Jul 20 09:53 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - Bromptonaut
>> It's free, it maintains a copy of the folder(s) in the cloud, is password protected
>> and will shield him from ever again worrying about a PC that fails, gets stolen
>> or is simply forgotten.

As long as he can can remember and be ar*ed if he does remember..........

There's probably a post on here somewhere about extracting data from a failed laptop where somebody couldn't be. In fact it's probably twice, once using a caddy and the other by booting into Linux from a CD.
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New Mon 20 Jul 20 10:29 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - zippy
>>be ar**ed

Sums him up totally I’m afraid!

I’ve not encouraged him to learn to drive because he takes no responsibility.

I imagine him driving till he runs of fuel then moaning at us for not checking that it was full before loaning him the car!

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New Mon 20 Jul 20 14:56 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - zippy
Got it sorted and thanks for all of your help.

Micro HDMI to HDMI and all backed up now.

Kids - who'd have them.

Got the laptop from John Lewis. They were the same price as everywhere else and offered a free 3 year warranty and for £40 extra included accidental damage. Knowing how clumsy he is, it was money well spent!

I have swapped out a screen before on a Toshiba laptop from about 2012 when he stepped on it!!! They were much easier to get in to then these modern all sealed units.

I recall Toshiba wanted something like £300 to fix it and the local shop £200. Ebay sold the LCD panel for £30 odd and a 20 minute job that took me 3 hours saw it sorted. I also think the replacement screen was brighter and had a wider field of view.
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New Mon 20 Jul 20 17:14 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - smokie
I remember doing laptop hardware disassembly/assembly in a hardware course and even the instructor had some screws left over at the end...
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New Mon 20 Jul 20 18:05 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - neiltoo
Where's Rattle when you need him?
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New Mon 20 Jul 20 18:28 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - Bobby
Jings, what happened to Rattle?? There’s a blast from the past.
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New Mon 20 Jul 20 18:29 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - Zero
In this case, he's not.
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New Mon 20 Jul 20 23:44 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - Bobby
New name?
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New Tue 21 Jul 20 08:16 
 Laptop Screen Dead / External Monitor - Falkirk Bairn
Quote from a PC repair man 30+ years ago - "You can tell the number of times the covers have been off by counting the missing bolts"

Epson printers are well known but they toyed with laptops - to quote the same man. "If the covers come off the Epson it's a write-off."

Apparently it was more akin to a Jack-in-the-box than Japanese crafted electronics - you needed a Masters in Wire Origami to get the covers back on. Epson departed laptops very quickly.
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