Lenovo ThinkPad W520 unable to duplicate to External monitor or projector

[Rak$sha]

Very unhappily, I revealed as when I press Functions F7 key on my laptop, I am not able to toggle to "duplicate" mode. It only works with project and expand screen, but when I wanted it to duplicate screen, nothing happens on the projector as well as on other External monitor as well. I am trying to connect this laptop with the dell VGA monitor which has a resolution of 1600x1200. Any idea what could be the problem. Thanks for any suggestion.

[Algonkin]

Which operating system are you using in your laptop because while doing certain function it is always necessary to take a look in OS as well, I mean to say if you are using Window vista or 7 in your machine so I would say they are very bad for such a functions. But still I according to me you should first of all check whether you are using the appropriate suitable drivers in your machine for all the respective hardware.

[Odalis]

I am quite disagree with the above user as we can also use the same with the windows 7 as well, the thing is like first of all we need to configure some of the display settings from the control panel, and you need to set the resolution according to the monitor you are using, because if you don’t configure the settings, it would just display blank screen, and nothing appears on the screen.

[Cruzz]

Definitely this is because of the Intel HD Graphics Driver that you must have been using for the GPU you have installed in the laptop, because while duplicating the screen we must have to have full support from the GPU as well, and for that it would be better to use the latest driver in the machine. So If you are still having the previous drivers only you should get the most recent drivers, and that you’ll get from the respective site of the hardware you are using.

[Kickapoo]

I think you are making some mistake in performing the steps, so please for at least one time you need to check whether you are performing the steps correctly or not. Please refer the following steps. First of all you need to push Windows-P button together and select duplicate after that Right click on the screen and select NVIDIA Control Panel and here you have to make some settings for the display so unclick analog display and click the one beneath the Quadro 1000M title and then Right Click on the grayed out number 2 monitor and the choose Duplicate with 1 and exercise 1 as source.

[switchblade327]

I was also having the same problem with my machine, even after performing the steps mentioned above so I went to BIOS and disabled the Optimus feature and toggle to discrete graphics. So if suppose you are still having the problem with duplication even after performing the steps you have to make this settings in the BIOS. And then only you can be able to do the thing as desired.

[Illinois]

hey thanks for the above suggestion, as the problem was because of the BIOS only, in fact I have also done the same steps, but still I was having the problem and after changing the option from the BIOS I am able to duplicate the monitor to any external device, but still the problem is like we need to select this option every time we connect the External monitor or projector to the laptop, so is there any way through which we can simply make the settings for one time and can use it every time.