# Macbook with External Monitor?



## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

I have a macbook hooked up to an external monitor. The only way I can get it to display is by logging in on the laptop then putting it to sleep and closing it. Is there a way that I can just plug the DVI in and turn it on and log in using the external monitor?


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## TheDirtyOne (Sep 5, 2007)

Adrian. said:


> I have a macbook hooked up to an external monitor. The only way I can get it to display is by logging in on the laptop then putting it to sleep and closing it. Is there a way that I can just plug the DVI in and turn it on and log in using the external monitor?


Not 100% sure. I think by default, the Macbook screen will always come on.


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## sinisterguy (Oct 4, 2007)

if you power on the laptop and shut the lid right away, the external monitor should become the main and single display


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## Rampant AV (Aug 2, 2005)

Are you trying to display on both?


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## sim.all (Jul 17, 2005)

you can always use a usb mouse. Let your macbook on sleep, plug the display and plug the mouse. The macbook wakes up and detects your only _valid_ display is external, it then hooks up on it.
To answer your question : no you can't simple turn on the macbook using the display.


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## sinisterguy (Oct 4, 2007)

pressing a button on your front row remote also works to wake up the machine if you have no need of a keyboard/mouse (i.e. plugging it into a tv to watch something).


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## Eric0 (Nov 22, 2007)

Go to system preferences -> Displays -> Arrangement. Move the white bar from the Macbook monitor to your external one. That will make your external monitor the "primary" monitor allowing you to login and work with your laptop lid closed.

You will need an external keyboard and mouse to do this though. If you have a bluetooth setup make sure you choose "allow bluetooth to wake computer from sleep" or something like that from the bluetooth menu.


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

thanks alot guys..that last suggestions worked wonders. This is great I can have my itunes and msn in one window and work in the main monitor. cheers!


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## champcar (Aug 29, 2007)

Than You Everyone

Straight question with a straight answer

Much appreciated


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## MarthaJay (Apr 13, 2010)

*No display on external monitor*



Rampant AV said:


> Are you trying to display on both?


Oops...is that an impossibility? 
I'm seeing my desktop on the laptop, but only the purple sky on my external (Acer) monitor. I'm using the keyboard on my laptop. After a few minutes, the cursor moves over to the monitor screen, but nothing else comes with it.

Thanks, I feel very naive.


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## Low-gun (Nov 22, 2007)

MarthaJay said:


> Oops...is that an impossibility?
> I'm seeing my desktop on the laptop, but only the purple sky on my external (Acer) monitor. I'm using the keyboard on my laptop. After a few minutes, the cursor moves over to the monitor screen, but nothing else comes with it.
> 
> Thanks, I feel very naive.


Hey MarthaJay,

Sounds like your monitor is working fine, the reason you see the "purple sky" on your external is because OSX assigns each screen it's own desktop, by default the desktop is the "purple sky". If you head into "system preferences" under the apple menu, you can assign your ACER monitor a different desktop as well as set the screen's resolution. (When you open the Display or Desktop/Screen Saver preference panes, you'll notice that each screen get's it's own preference window )

Also, the orientation of the monitors are setup so that the laptop is supposed to be on the left, the external on the right. If you drag your cursor across your laptop screen to the far right hand side, it should cross over to the external ACER monitor's left hand side. (Even though each monitor gets it's own desktop, just treat it like one great big one). After that, just open an application and drag it all the way to the right. It should "cross over" and appear on your external monitor. Also, when you bring a program over to your external, it will always open on that monitor unless you unplug it from the laptop, or drag the application back to the laptop's screen. 

Hope that helps


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## MarthaJay (Apr 13, 2010)

*External display ok*

Hello, Lowgun,

Thanks for the info! I found the 'mirror' and rearranged the monitors. It's all working fine now!

MarthaJay


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