External Monitor - Broken Screen

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Level 8

41,856 points

External Monitor - Broken Screen

Posting this question for my daughter; dropped her MBP and the screen cracked. She has a flat screen monitor from her old Mac and wants to use it with the MBP but when it is connected all that shows is the desktop background, no Dock, Menu bar or desktop icons. She has a Wacom tablet so can work with that.

The support article about use of external monitors in the clam shell mode doesn't help in this case since the Dock, etc., don't show.

Anybody have a suggestion? She doesn't have time to take it to the Apple store for genius help.

Thanks for any help you all can offer.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.4.11), iPad

Posted on Aug 16, 2010 3:35 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Aug 16, 2010 3:45 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

Whether or not she can see anything on the MBP's broken display, pressing Command + F1 should toggle the external display into mirrored mode and allow her to use it, though probably not at an optimal resolution.

Message was edited by: eww

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Answer 2

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Sep 9, 2010 6:46 PM in response to Holly-ilex

Use the MBP in clamshell mode:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3131

This will make the external display the primary one, with the Dock and menu bar on it, and allow it to operate at its native (highest) resolution. You will need to use an external keyboard and mouse and keep AC power connected at all times.

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Answer 3

iVmichael

Level 6

13,740 points

Aug 16, 2010 3:41 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

Open System Preferences/Displays and check Mirroring then you should see the normal Desktop on the external.

(Just realised she maybe can't open the Displays panel ... in which case can she see anything on the laptop monitor at all or is it black ?)

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Answer 4

Ralph Landry1 Author

Level 8

41,856 points

Aug 16, 2010 3:44 PM in response to iVmichael

Michael, thanks for the quick response, but that is the problem, she can not see any of the normal menu bar or dock items. Only her background for the desktop.

I know this is hard to answer this way, she is in New York and I am in Maryland trying to remote help solve her problem.

From what she said, she gets nothing on the MBP monitor. The ViewSonic flat screen only has the background picture.

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Answer 5

Ralph Landry1 Author

Level 8

41,856 points

Aug 16, 2010 3:49 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

OK, just called her and said to use the Command+F1, and it worked...not optimal, especially for a graphic designer/art director but she is operational again.

Thanks everyone for the quick response...this group has always been a life saver.

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Answer 6

Sep 9, 2010 1:02 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

hi, im having a similar issue. When i first connected my external monitor and hit command f1, it worked. I shut down my mac last night and restarted it this morning. I hit command f1 again and it worked for about 5 seconds before reverting back to the mac screen. my mac screen is broken so i cant access the mirror or display preferences quick enough with only 5 seconds to play with...please please help. I really need this issue resolved soon, all of my income in based on working on this computer and i have a massive deadline this week. Thanks.

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