VGA port alternatives

[Tanzy_m]

Hi all,

I recently did a fresh XP home install on my Toshiba Satellite A30
notebook. Something seems to have gone wrong somewhere because now I
can't use my VGA port! There is nothing wrong with my external monitor
(I checked it out on another machine), and have installed all the
latest drivers but nothing has worked.

So I now have a laptop with a broken VGA port and a external monitor
with nothing to do. I've been looking around for alternative connector
and adapters. The only option so far that I have seen is a VGA to USB
adapter, but it's quite pricey (upwards of £50 on ebay, over £80
everywhere else), and I'm not even sure if it will work. Here's a link
to one:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=9701944528&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

Has anyone tried this cable and got it working? Or does anyone know of
any cheaper alternatives? I have a S-Video port, a parallel port and a
pc card slot.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I'm really
missing having two monitors!

 

[Mike]

After you reinstalled XP, did you make sure that all of your devices are
working. Don't know? Here's how....

Right click on My Computer
Click on Properties
Click the Hardware tab
Click the Device Manager tab

If something is not enabled, or the device driver is not loaded, you will
see either a yellow exclamation point or a red X on that particular device.

More than likely, when you reinstalled, your USB device driver did not get
installed. Typical if you have 3rd party software. ie having to use the
Dell, Compaq, Gateway driver cd to install all the drivers. XP does not
always have the drivers you need.

Did you reinstall the software that came with the product??

Hi all,

I recently did a fresh XP home install on my Toshiba Satellite A30
notebook. Something seems to have gone wrong somewhere because now I
can't use my VGA port! There is nothing wrong with my external monitor
(I checked it out on another machine), and have installed all the
latest drivers but nothing has worked.

So I now have a laptop with a broken VGA port and a external monitor
with nothing to do. I've been looking around for alternative connector
and adapters. The only option so far that I have seen is a VGA to USB
adapter, but it's quite pricey (upwards of £50 on ebay, over £80
everywhere else), and I'm not even sure if it will work. Here's a link
to one:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=9701944528&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

Has anyone tried this cable and got it working? Or does anyone know of
any cheaper alternatives? I have a S-Video port, a parallel port and a
pc card slot.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I'm really
missing having two monitors!

 

[Tanzy_m]

Thanks for replying! I have been through Device Manager and nothing is
flagged as having any issues.

I'm not sure if you understand my problem but the issue is with my VGA
port. The external monitor I have is plug and play - although I have
also downloaded the driver for it and installed it, but that didn't
change anything! So now I want to try and connect my monitor to
anything other than my broken VGA port!

Anya

 

[Mike]

Sorry, I misread your first msg. Did you ever have to push a certain key
sequence to use the external monitor function. Like pushing FUNC and the
external monitor key. I had to do that with my Gateway laptop. Have you gone
into the BIOS to see if the port is actually turned on?

I am suspecting something else may be wrong here also. This setup of yours
is really simple and it should work with little or no input from your end.

 

[Not Gimpy Anymore]

Sorry, I misread your first msg. Did you ever have to push a certain key
sequence to use the external monitor function. Like pushing FUNC and the
external monitor key. I had to do that with my Gateway laptop. Have you
gone into the BIOS to see if the port is actually turned on?

I am suspecting something else may be wrong here also. This setup of yours
is really simple and it should work with little or no input from your end.

Also, try starting up the notebook with a monitor connected to the VGA
port - many NB's will sense if a monitor is connected externally.

NGA

 

[Tanzy_m]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for all your suggestions but I've tried everything you suggested
and more, including talking to Tishiba hardware support. It seems that
somehow my VGA port broke!

I'm not too cut about anymore though, I got a USB to VGA adapter, and
after a quick software installation I am back using my two monitors!

Thanks for all your help,
Anya