# mirror dual monitor challenge



## jkyprodigy

The story,

By default my laptop mirrors my screen onto other monitors.
I extended my laptop monitor onto the other monitor once,
and now, I want to mirror the screens again.
I cannot do this.

Simply unchecking the box in display settings and hitting apply does not fix it.

My Question is: Is there any Windows XP setting that would fix this?


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## sniperchang

Not in XP, it is done by whatever driver the graphics card had. Have a look for a program that governs the graphics.

Alternatively, you could get a program that can do mirror, like the multi-monitor utility Ultramon.


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## jkyprodigy

It's a work computer, so loading on another program isn't allowed.

No program came with the computer to change graphic settings.
Nothing in the control panel looked like a solution either.

What program names should I be looking for?


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## sniperchang

jkyprodigy said:


> It's a work computer, so loading on another program isn't allowed.
> 
> No program came with the computer to change graphic settings.
> Nothing in the control panel looked like a solution either.
> 
> What program names should I be looking for?



ATI, AMD are major graphics card companies. However, Intel graphics card are quite often used in work laptops.

If the graphics drivers are installed, you can usually find control panels by Right-clicking on the desktop, and see if there's AMD Panel, or Graphics options, or something from ATI. Also, if you go to Display Properties (also by right-clicking on desktop) -> Select "Settings" Tab, the Advanced button opens a new window which usually contains a tab for the graphics card driver.

If still nothing, you could try disabling the secondary display when you have the other screen hooked-up to your laptop, and use the fn-display keys (See below for reference).






If you look on the F-keys there's one that look's like a laptop, and a rectangle. This represents the monitor switch, press fn and this button to use the monitor switch. Sometimes it looks like this depending on your laptop:






For some laptops, the monitor switch will cycle through having only the monitor, having both laptop screen and monitor, or just laptop screen.


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## jkyprodigy

I thought AMD was ATI.
I've used both Fn f4 and Display Properties to try to fix the problem, they both seem to default to extended monitor settings.
Restarting with the the second monitor unplugged then pressing fn f4 extends the monitor now. 
It's a pretty old, ati card.

You are right though, Fn f4 might allow me to cycle through options, I don't think I've pressed it multiple times, I'll try that when I make it into work on Monday.

Complete description, though, thanks.


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