Lost Desktop Icons & Task Bar on Laptop's External Monitor

[Guest]

I downloaded & ran the Vista system scanner this morning. During the scan,
my external monitor to my Gateway laptop was disabled. I was able to
re-enable the external monitor (a 21-inch Gateway LCD) but when I got the
resolution size reset and restarted the computer, I got my Webshots
background/screen saver only. There are no longer any desktop icons or task
bar on the external monitor, only on the laptop screen. I have the Control
Panel/Display/Settings set to "extend desktop" on the external monitor. I
can move applications from the laptop screen to the external monitor but can
no longer use the external monitor independently. Also, I have lost the use
of the FN-F3 toggle to shift from screen to screen. My video adapter is ATI
GForce 7500. What can I do?

 

[LS \(V\)]

Put Windows XP CD in CD drive and Install XP.
Sounds like you installed Vista before you checked your hadware for the
ability to run it.

 

[Guest]

No, I didn't install Vista. I was just running Microsoft's new download
which is a "scanner" to see if the computer you own is capable of being
converted to Vista. It's only supposed to recommend which version of Vista
you should/could install when it becomes available. But it apparently
affected something in my video driver when it scanned it. Gateway has
already pinged my machine, took over my keyboard/mouse and did some
troubleshooting. They can't get the monitor to display anything other than
my Webshots background either.

 

[Malke]

No, I didn't install Vista. I was just running Microsoft's new
download which is a "scanner" to see if the computer you own is
capable of being
converted to Vista. It's only supposed to recommend which version of
Vista
you should/could install when it becomes available. But it apparently
affected something in my video driver when it scanned it. Gateway has
already pinged my machine, took over my keyboard/mouse and did some
troubleshooting. They can't get the monitor to display anything other
than my Webshots background either.

Can you get into Safe Mode? If yes, then do a System Restore to before
you ran the Vista scanner. If you can't get into regular Safe Mode, you
can also try Safe Mode Command Prompt. This will start Safe Mode
without the graphical user interface - at the command prompt type:

c:\Windows\System32\restore\rstrui.exe [enter]

To get into Safe Mode, repeatedly tap the F8 key as the computer is
starting up. Use your arrow keys to navigate since the mouse won't work
there.

Malke