Dual monitor help needed

[Wonka]

Today, I setup my work laptop to run dual monitors using a docking station at home. I have a large 28" established as the primary and a 19" as the second monitor. I'm running 2003 Office Pro, under Windows XP Pro.

I can move a Microsoft work document from the large screen to the smaller, but that's about it. I can't move an excel spreadsheet, or open outlook on the smaller computer. My wife has no problem on her setup.

Does anyone have a suggestion? If I can't get this to work, I'll just use the large monitor. But, I had hoped to start using two monitors using excel, etc.

 

[GregGH]

Hi

Is your wife using the similar setup? What fooled me when reading this - is you are NOT using the screen for the laptop at all? Or is your laptop the 19" screen ( in which case - wow - one big laptop - biggest one I have seen it a 17").

Also you say the big screen is the main screen - - what happens when you reverse this and have the main screen the 19" ?

I am writing this on a dual screen - have an handmedown laptop and a older but large flat screen - the default 'home screen is the laptop - and you can drag to your hearts content.

You need to keep playing with the settings - windows wasn't meant to be easy.

Greg

 

[rhonda]

I am driving two monitors from my laptop with a docking station; using built-in XP drivers. A recap of my basic settings:

Control Panel > Display (Properties) > Settings (tab)

• Shows two monitors located side by side. Use the [Identify] button to determine which monitor is primary/secondary.
• Select the primary monitor either by clicking on the graphic or using the "Display" drop-down control. Verify:
  • Two grayed out Check Box options below the Screen Resolution:
    a) [Enabled] Use this device as the primary monitor
    b) [Enabled] Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor
• Select the secondary monitor either by clicking on the graphic or using the "Display" drop-down control. Verify:
  • The two Check Box options below the Screen Resolution are now active (shown in black, not gray).
    a) [Disabled] Use this device as the primary monitor.
    b) [Enabled] Extend my Windows desktop to this monitor.

One of the configurations in my conference rooms uses ATI video drivers. The configuration for dual-monitor has to set using the ATI config tool. Hope this helps ...

EDITED TO ADD: My dual-screen config only works when the laptop remains CLOSED. If I open the laptop every changes ... and it isn't pretty.

 

[pagosajim]

I can move a Microsoft work document from the large screen to the smaller, but that's about it. I can't move an excel spreadsheet, or open outlook on the smaller computer. My wife has no problem on her setup.

Doesn't make sense that it works in Word and not in other apps.

By chance, are Excel and Outlook maximized on the screen? You can't move between screens when the application is in that state. Click the "Restore" icon in the upper right of the app and then try to drag it across screens.

 

[Wonka]

Both laptops are on docking stations. Each of our second monitors is 19", her large monitor is 25".

By the way...the new large monitor is working properly. I did notice, however, there appears to be one dead pixel when the screen first boots up and is black. Otherwise, it isn't noticeable. I'll probably just keep it and not worry about the pixel.

I have found moving from screen to screen will be a learning experience. I have to move data from the large monitor to the smaller one (on the left) by moving the mouse right . Seems kinda "wacky", but everything works.

 

[Wonka]

Doesn't make sense that it works in Word and not in other apps.

By chance, are Excel and Outlook maximized on the screen? You can't move between screens when the application is in that state. Click the "Restore" icon in the upper right of the app and then try to drag it across screens.

Yes...that's what I found if I click the "restore down" and then move, they work.

 

[Ken555]

I have found moving from screen to screen will be a learning experience. I have to move data from the large monitor to the smaller one (on the left) by moving the mouse right . Seems kinda "wacky", but everything works.

You should be able to position the displays in the control panel to their respective location so the system thinks the small display is on the right, so mouse can drag items to the right...