How+to+use+a+second+monitor+with+your+XP+or+Vista+laptop


 * How to use a second monitor with your XP or Vista laptop**

More and more folks buy a laptop to use as their only computer these days.

Portables are getting more powerful, but when you're working at home, you might want more screen real estate than your laptop has to offer, especially if you prefer the compact, lightweight models for travelling.

You probably know you can hook up an external monitor to your laptop, but did you know you can extend the desktop so as to use both the external monitor and your laptop screen in a multiple monitor configuration? Here's how:


 * 1) Attach the external monitor to the video port on your laptop (most have analog connectors; if your monitor has only a DVI connection you can get an adapter to connect the DVI cable to the laptop's analog port).
 * 2) In XP, right click the desktop and select Properties. In Vista, right click and select Personalize, then Display Settings. Alternatively, click Start | Control Panel and select Display properties.
 * 3) In XP, click the Settings tab. You should see two monitor icons in the display. The laptop's LCD will show up as the primary display. Click the secondary display icon and check the box that says "extend my desktop onto this monitor." Vista automatically detects a new monitor when you connect it and displays a New Display Detected dialog box by which you can specify whether you want to extend or mirror your desktop on the second monitor. Select to extend the desktop across all displays.

Now you can use both monitors and drag applications and windows from one to the other, greatly increasing your desktop space.