windows - Can I use my laptop as a second monitor?
2014-07
Edward Tanguay
Is it possible to make my laptop's screen act as a second monitor for my desktop computer?
8088
LeakyCode
Maxivista is a commercial software that lets you do this.
harrymc
The following product is advertised as compatible with Windows 8 :
Air Display is an app that lets you connect an iPad, Android tablet, or Mac or Windows computer as a secondary display to a primary Mac or PC desktop using your wireless network. By default Air Display is set to function in Extended Desktop mode.
Timidger
Though perhaps not exactly what you want, you could use synergy between computers (OS independent too!). As well, you can copy both text and files across the computers, so for all intents and purposes they act as one computer (though still use their own hardware).
Juha
You can also do it via remote assistance, if you have a second output on your display adapter. I mean that you have to be able to hook another display to your desktop PC via cable. The remote assistant is able to show the secondary desktop (as well as the primary) even if the monitor is not physically hooked.
No third party programs required for this solution.
Edit: In details, if you have a multiple outputs in your display driver but no monitors (not hooked), you can do the following (works for nvidea quadro 2000 and win 7):
- go to: nvidea control panel -> workstation -> view system topology
- from there: (main display port) manage EDID... -> export EDID...
- same place: (secondary display port) manage EDID... -> load EDID... (choose the file that you saved in the previous bullet)
- Now you have a 'virtual' secondary screen and you can use remote assistant to zoom to it
This trick does not require admin rights nor extra software.
Ayodhya
You can use your laptop as second monitor using " Real VNC " Software. I have done many times you can operate by laptop or desktop anyone and you can see in other.
milktea
dmx.sourceforge.net - have to fool around before you can get it to work. But you can create video-walls with it. (or just two screens)
Example : buy a raspberry pi for 30$ and a hdmi screen for 140 $ ... no : buy 15. Put a HQ switch between all. install dmx (Distributed Multihead X Project) and you have a nice 7920x4320 desktop.
John Dyer
I have a T61 running Windows Server 2008 (yes as a desktop OS) and I use an external second monitor. The external monitor sits to the left of the laptop. When I sleep the laptop and then use it as a laptop it properly reverts to single screen mode. However, when I re-dock it thinks that the monitor is to the right of the laptop.
Every morning I need to re-open the display properties and put the monitor back to the left.
I seem to think that when the OS was fresh it properly remembered the setting but at some point it started to "forget" and revert to the default.
If I sleep and don't open the laptop but later just re-dock it works fine.
hanleyp
Vista (Server 2008 is essentially Vista SP1 with server features) has a service called Transient Multimonitor Manager that is intended to aide in handling changing the monitor configuration on the fly. My experience is that it is best not to use TTM.
There are a few utilities you can use to manually fix the configuration:
- Ultramon is what I use on my Server 2008 Workstation. It isn't 100% stable, but when it crashes, nothing has even gone down with it.
- Your video manufacturer's display manager. ATI has profiles support, Nvidia should have the same.
- OEM's utilities/drivers. Sometimes installing the OEM (Lenovo) drivers will fix these sort of issues or the OEM may provide their own Display Configuration utility. (Sorry, I don't have any experience with Lenovo).
lexu
Does Lenovo's screen utility (the ugly black thing that comes up when hitting work under WS2008? That's what I use under XP (Thinkpad T60s).
My Home and Office docks are a mirrored setup...
Nick
If you were to undock it, use as laptop, turn off the laptop (or maybe even sleep), and then redock it, it would display correctly, right? It only displays incorrectly if you undock, use, then redock while the laptop is on?
If so I had a similar situation on 2 different windows machines: on one, I just always had to redock when the laptop was off, on the other I was only able to fix it through the video card's tab on Display->Settings->Advanced. It allowed me to set up different profiles, and so every time I would redock I would just choose the "redocked" profile.
Jon Hadley
I had exactly the same problem (even resetting it every morning, great way to start the day!) and spent a few days going back and forth to Microsoft Support in an attempt to fix it. Here's what was said - hope it helps.
Microsoft Support:
Please provide me with the following details. a) I would like to know if you are using UltraMon software .
b) Please follow the steps given below : Click on Start - Type "Msconfig" in the instant search - It will open up the system >configuration utility - choose "selective startup" - Uncheck load startup Items - go to >Services tab at the top - put a check mark on hide all microsoft services - click on >disable all . Make sure to uncheck "Windows Event Log" service from the list - click on >apply - click on close - Restart the computer .
Try to save the settings and then restart the computer to check if the settings are saved
My reply:
No I'm not using UltraMon.
I followed these steps and it seemed to fix the problem. However, I obviously can't usually operate with a selective start up routine, not least because one of the things disabled is my virus protection. So what's next to narrow down the potential culprit?
FYI, the non-Microsoft services that were disabled were:
- Apple Mobile Device
- Bonjour Service
- Eset HTTP Server
- Eset Service
- iPod Service
- lxcf_device (Lexmark printer)
- ServiceLayer (Nokia)
Microsoft Support:
As the system is in selective startup . I will request you to put your system back on >Normal startup but make sure you keep the "Windows Event Log" service unchecked in the >services window , Then apply the changes and click on OK , Restart you computer once and >check if everything works fine . To me it seems that "Windows Event Log" service is >creating the problem . Try this and please let me know if it is works .
My reply:
I tried this today and it worked. However, it caused problems with other services. Namely, Virtual Server 2005 R2 would not connect (giving a 'No Connection error'). I confirmed this was the sole cause, by turning Event log on and off and rebooting a number of times.
I rely on Virtual Server 2005 in my day to day work, so this is not currently an acceptable solution to my problem.
I gave up here, as I'd spent too much time on it already - but you might not have the problem with Virtual Server 2005.
Oh and no ... no idea why 'Windows Event Log' should affect the position of a monitor!
AdamV
You could use Display Changer.
I know this won't fix the problem but at least you can use the command line version to set the resolution, position and offset of your monitors, and then create a shortcut so this is only one double click away (or one click if it's in your quick launch).