[Trekman]

Hi and thanks for the opportunity to post!

Have a Dell E1505 with a cracked LCD WSXGA+ screen. It still worked but it was getting worse, so I ordered a new screen with the inverter (same res).

While waiting for the new one to arrive, I hooked up the laptop to my HDTV set to do a little work plugged in thru the external connector (what the heck, I thought...the computer part still worked fine!).

Upon receiving the screen today, I plugged everything in, fired it up and no power to the screen. I even bought a new flat cable...neither that one nor the old one makes a difference.

The laptop is still putting out on the HDTV fine. When I hit function+F8 to toggle the display (which I have used fine for years), the message that "no external monitor is available" or something to that effect. The laptop thinks that the external HDTV is the primary default monitor.

When I go into my ATI Graphics X1400 card utility, I attempt to enable the secondary monitor. It flickers, then reverts back to the HDTV monitor as my "default". I noticed in the display settings that my HDTV monitor is checked as the default monitor and because it is shaded - I can't uncheck it.

I have no idea what to do next minus taking it into a laptop repair shop and paying LOTS of money not to mention being without it for 4-5 days!!!

Question is: Why does it think that the HDTV external monitor is the external monitor? How can I change it????

I appreciate any suggestions!!!

Dell E1505
2.0 duo core procs
2 gb RAM
100 GB HD
WSXGA+ screen