Aka Gambit

New Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
8
Hello to anyone who reads this. I am new to the Windows 7 Forums, and have been searching all over for an answer for a while now but I have had no luck, but maybe someone here can help me.

I have an "HP Pavilion dv6744ca" laptop, and am currently connected to a TV through an S-Video cable. It runs fine and what not, but when I close the lid the monitor turns off. Now the monitor turning off is not a big issue but when the laptop's monitor goes off the TV becomes the default (and only) monitor for the laptop. Now the TV I have hooked up is an old fat one, CRT I think they are called (not sure if TVs are called that like monitors are...) anyways so the resolution is much lower then my laptop monitor, so when I open my lid, 2 (sometimes more) things have happened:

1. All my icons are scattered all over the place as the resizing of the default monitor has moved them so they fit.

2. All my windows have been resized ridiculously small, and any that were on the TV are now on the laptop monitor.

Also, if I have a movie running in full screen on the TV its now full screen on the laptop, and I have to exit out and restart the video to have it display full screen on the TV once again.

so basicly, every time I close my laptop lid, I have to resize and reorganize everything. Now before you make a comment...I know I can just disable the TV before shutting the lid, but that would get very annoying and troublesome, plus then I'd still have to reopen the video and set it to where I was in it previously, which just gets bothersome after a while.

So I was wondering if there was a way around it. Some way to let the monitor shut off but not let the TV take full control afterwords.

Any help on this is greatly appreciated. Thanks in Advance.
 
Solution
Welcome to the Windows 7 Forums! Your issue with the default monitor switching to the TV when you close the laptop lid is a common problem with multiple monitor setups. Here are a few suggestions on how to resolve this issue:

Solution 1: Adjust Power Settings​

  1. Control Panel: Go to Control Panel > Power Options.
  2. Choose what closing the lid does: Click on "Choose what closing the lid does" from the left panel.
  3. When I close the lid: Change the setting to "Do nothing" for both "On battery" and "Plugged in."

    Solution 2: Graphics Settings​

  4. Graphics Control Panel: Right-click on the desktop and select your graphics control panel (often Intel Graphics or AMD Radeon).
  5. Multiple...
Welcome to the Windows 7 Forums! Your issue with the default monitor switching to the TV when you close the laptop lid is a common problem with multiple monitor setups. Here are a few suggestions on how to resolve this issue:

Solution 1: Adjust Power Settings​

  1. Control Panel: Go to Control Panel > Power Options.
  2. Choose what closing the lid does: Click on "Choose what closing the lid does" from the left panel.
  3. When I close the lid: Change the setting to "Do nothing" for both "On battery" and "Plugged in."

    Solution 2: Graphics Settings​

  4. Graphics Control Panel: Right-click on the desktop and select your graphics control panel (often Intel Graphics or AMD Radeon).
  5. Multiple Displays: Look for a setting related to multiple displays or external monitor behavior.
  6. Disable Automatic Switching: Disable any option that automatically switches the default monitor when the laptop lid is closed.

    Solution 3: Keyboard Shortcut​

    You can also try using a keyboard shortcut to quickly switch displays. The shortcut usually involves pressing a combination of the Windows key and another key (e.g., Win + P) to cycle through display options.

    Additional Tips:​

    • Check for any updated drivers for your graphics card that might provide additional control over external displays.
    • Consider using third-party software designed to manage multiple monitors for more advanced control.
    By adjusting these settings or using shortcuts, you should be able to prevent the default monitor from switching when you close the laptop lid. Remember to test the changes to ensure they work as expected. Let me know if you need further assistance!
 
Solution