Getting multiple monitors to work using only keyboard

May 23, 2008 4:30 PM

How do I turn off "extend my desktop to multiple monitors" in XP only using the keyboard?

I broke the lcd screen on my laptop and I hooked up an external monitor. I was playing with the settings to get the best resolution, and I turned on the "extend my desktop to multiple monitors" by accident.

Now, whenever I try to open the desktop properties window, it opens on my lcd monitor, and it is so broken that I can't do anything on it. Is there anything I can do using only the keyboard to restore that setting to default?

If it helps, I do have linux running on this computer that handles the multiple monitors fine. So it would be an option to edit the registry (if that is possible from linux).

Thanks!

posted by fingo to computers & internet (5 comments total)

I believe booting up in Safe Mode will disable multiple monitors.
posted by aerotive at 4:40 PM on May 23, 2008

Aerotive's response will probably work, but I've found the following trick to be really handy when a window is "stuck" on a non-existent screen (I switch between multiple and single screen configurations often, and some programs have the annoying habit of saving their positions, and restoring them without regard for whether the desktop still extends that far):

When you know the window is active (e.g. right after you tried to open the desktop properties window), hit ALT-SPACEBAR followed by the M key, and then hit one of the cursor keys (doesn't matter which). Now move your mouse and the window will suddenly pop into view.

Works on XP, at least. Not sure about other flavours of Windows.
posted by Emanuel at 5:27 PM on May 23, 2008 [1 favorite]

If all else fails, you ought to be able to do a Windows-button-plus-arrow-keys kinda thing. The Safe Mode idea is a better one, though.
posted by box at 5:47 PM on May 23, 2008

After opening display properties:

1) Shift+tab
2) Right-arrow, 4 times
3) Alt+E.
4) [enter]
posted by Sonic_Molson at 9:09 PM on May 23, 2008

Laptops also often have a Fn key combination that messes with the display settings, typically cycling them between: laptop panel only, external monitor only, laptop + external cloned, laptop + external extended desktop. On my Dell, this is Fn-F8. Look for function-key-colored writing something like "CRT/LCD" or a little picture that might be a screen.
posted by flabdablet at 9:34 PM on May 23, 2008