Blank Screen on Laptop during Presentation

[Ted]

How do I get my laptop screen back on?

When I plug my Vista computer into a projector for a PPT presentation, the
screen on my laptop goes blank-black. This didn't happen before; I don't know
how to fix this bug.

I'm not getting any help in the "Windows Mobility Center" when I click
"presenting" in Presentation Settings.

The blank laptop screen makes for difficult presentations.

 

[Lucy Thomson]

Hi Ted

Many laptops have 3 settings when attached to an external source in clone
mode - laptop screen only, laptop & projector, projector only. You need to
cycle through your options to get to 'laptop & projector'. What button you
press depends on the make of laptop - for example on my Dell I need to press
the Fn button and F8. Look at your F buttons to see if one looks like
screens or has CRT/LCD on it.

Lucy

 

[Ted]

Hi Lucy-

Thanks for the kindness of your reply!

I tried your suggestion and discovered another problem. On my Dell laptop
with Vista, when I perform FN-F8, the icons on the start up screen bloat up
uncontrollably! It takes several tries of right-clicking/checking "classic
icons" to resolve the problem, sometimes with a restart required.

So I thought, maybe I could perform FN-F8 with the PowerPoint up in
presentation mode. When I did that, I get the "ding" sound that tells me I
performed an incorrect function and when I close PowerPoint, I find my icons
are again bloated up.

Any ideas on how to ultimately solve the problem--getting my laptop screen
from black to mirroring my PPT presentation that's on a screen?

Ted

 

[Lucy Thomson]

Hi Ted

What start up screen? Do you mean your desktop or something else? It could
be that Dell has pre-loaded some 'useful' software that is trying to 'help'
you... Or it could be something to do with your video card.

Lucy

--
Lucy Thomson
PowerPoint MVP
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au

 

[Ted]

Hi again Lucy-

Thanks for your continued attention. Yes, I'm refering to the desktop screen
that appears when the computer is first started. It's in this desktop screen
that the icons bloat up when I press FN-F8.

Again, I'm pressing FN-F8 in the hopes of getting my laptop screen to turn
from black to whatever is appearing on screen in a PPT presentation. But no
luck. Yet.

 

[Lucy Thomson]

Hi Ted

So does the screen go black immediately when you attach the projector? What
model of Dell do you have? What is written in blue on the F8 button? With
the projector attached, right click the desktop background (which is now on
the projector screen) -> properties -> settings -> which tick boxes are
ticked?

Lucy

--
Lucy Thomson
PowerPoint MVP
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au