XPS Does Dual Monitor when docked, black screen when un-docked

Question

I have a Dell XPS 1710 (WinXP) that runs dual monitors while in a docking station.  Dual monitor works great.  However, when I un-dock the laptop and fire it back up as a stand-alone laptop, 90% of the time no video appears on the laptop's screen.  The PC is working but no video.  I have to power it down and reboot.  When I do, windows comes up and the video color setting is very low (like 4-bit) and looks like a Jimi Hendrix acid trip.  Once I reset my color to the highest (32-bit) everything is fine.   This is the Red XPS with Nvidea 7900GTX.  Dell has not updated the drivers since I bought it over a year ago.  I've got the version 6 bios.  I've tried fiddeling with the CRT/LCD buttons to no avail.    Anybody know what's going on?

criteria · Answer

Please confirm you are powering off the external monitor and then using the CRT/LCD + Fn combo to switch the video to the Built in LCD on the laptop first and then undocking?  Or are you undocking the laptop while the power is still on and with the video card expecting 2 monitors?     Thanks - Criteria

bdtmike · Answer

I am either pressing the undock button on the docking station or choosing 'UnDock' from the start menu.  Either way, I'm not powering down any monitors.  Normally, when it's not neccessary to press the fn+crt button--you just 'pop-n-go'.  I should note that when I open the laptop up and get the black screen, pressing fn+crt has no effect.

bdtmike · Answer

as a follow-up, turning off the monitors has no effect.

criteria · Answer

Ok it sounds like what you have going on is related to docking specifically.  I tether to the RGB port at the back of the XPS directly to the monitor.  Tell me if you bypass the docking station and tether the monitor directly to the RGB do both monitors still come on?  I think the there is something going on with nVidia and Dell with Dual Monitor support.  I have had trouble tethering from time to time hence my advice.  Good luck.

bdtmike · Answer

correct.  It happens when I undock.

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XPS Does Dual Monitor when docked, black screen when un-docked

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