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Question
Saturday, March 4, 2017 9:26 PM
Hi,
I have just been advised by an Answers Forum moderator to ask my question here because it was more complex than what is typically asked there.
(This is the original post: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/how-can-i-use-an-external-monitor-for-the-recovery/f9882d42-4559-43b2-bcdc-8f10b418b5a2 )
Basically, because the backlight of my laptop's monitor is dead I use an external monitor via HDMI to HDMI connection. It is set as the default monitor. The problem is that after powering the laptop on it doesn't get a signal until the screen with the blue Windows logo ends. And that means all the stuff that can be reached via the advanced startup can't be displayed too. I have tried it with its proprietary driver installed and uninstalled; didn't work.
Any help is appreciated; thanks is advance.
My system:
Win10 Home 64bit
GeForce GT 425M, Driver 378.66 (the latest as of today)
All replies (5)
Sunday, March 5, 2017 11:20 PM
doesn't get a signal until the screen with the blue Windows logo ends.
I don't see the problem for the Advanced boot options. You need to dismiss the Lock Screen in order to get to the Log in screen (which is where the Power menu is) but once there you can press Win-P, CursorUp, Enter (to switch the display from Extend to Duplicate, for example). Does that not hold both monitors active long enough? I will try to remember to test this scenario to get a clearer idea of what is possible with it.
Otherwise, I can understand that you would have a problem "seeing" both the Lock screen and even more so, any BIOS screens the machine might have. Interesting problem.
Robert Aldwinckle
Monday, March 6, 2017 7:54 PM
Hi Robert,
Thanks for your reply.
I am not sure if I was clear enough while describing my problem. There might be a misunderstanding.
Basically, my external monitor doesn't get activated while any BIOS screen displays. The lock- and the login screens are displayed.
For example, a possible scenario at the end of which I end up staring at two black screens:
During a Windows session while the external monitor is active and set as the default monitor if I do this:
Settings > Update and Security > Recovery > Advanced Startup, "Restart Now" > Choose an option, "Troubleshoot" > Advanced Options > Startup Settings, "Restart"
From now on the external monitor doesn't get any signal so I can't see those bunch of options among which safe mode options are.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 6:59 AM
Settings > Update and Security > Recovery > Advanced Startup, "Restart Now" > Choose an option, "Troubleshoot" > Advanced Options > Startup Settings, "Restart"
From now on the external monitor doesn't get any signal so I can't see those bunch of options among which safe mode options are.
OK. I see. I can get that far in a simulation but then for Restart I would have a legacy boot menu which does display only on my tablet. However, there is a timer for it and an Enter key would be accepted there. In fact, I think what you would want is F8. I'll have to retest that. Do you have a boot menu to deal with too? In any case as I hoped Win-P, CursorUp, Enter allowed me to switch from Extend to Duplicate and then I was able to see all of the above on the secondary monitor. What would really help I suspect is if Narrator could be started that early.
A complication in my case was that I like to have my tablet in Portrait orientation and that presentation was preserved on the wide screen monitor. It looked fine. The problem then was that monitor's landscape orientation inexplicably (and undesirably) became the default for both when I restarted! I may have missed an opportunity to avoid that but can't think what it will be.
Robert Aldwinckle
Sunday, March 26, 2017 6:27 AM
Hi Robert,
Sorry for the late reply...
Where exactly were you able to use Win+P, CursorUp, Enter?
After the last "Restart" of the sequence I described in my previous message the PC restarts and the screen that you can see here (imgur . com / Nz4jp5B . jpg) displays on my laptop's monitor (it still doesn't work but if I press the "Display" button on my keyboard it works for a split second so I was able to record it with my mobile phone's camera). On this screen Win+P doesn't work. But to see whether I will be able to use Win+P at some point I chose "Enable safe mode with networking". And then on the login-screen I tried Win+P again. The vertical bar slid in from the right side with a warning like "You don't have necessary graphics drivers to project to a second monitor".
I also tried F8 during a normal startup but nothing happened.
Sunday, March 26, 2017 3:56 PM
Where exactly were you able to use Win+P, CursorUp, Enter?
It is only available in the Login screen. So you have to do something to get past the Lock screen. Supposedly Narrator works even there (press Win-Enter), so see if it can give you a clue about what you are missing on your broken Tablet screen.
I know that you are going to have to do some things blindly because they are going to show only on your Tablet screen but I think you can minimize what you miss there. I try retesting to refresh my memory.
Robert Aldwinckle