Reinstalling windows on laptop with broken screen

Pug · 16 Jan 2009 at 16:31

Hi all

got 2 Toshiba laptops here one working fine after a fresh XP install, the other working but with a broken screen (I use VGA out into external monitor)

I was about to wipe the one with a broken screen when a thought occured to me. When i recently did the other Toshi laptop i couldnt choose VGA output after installing XP until i had installed windows and installed the keyboard software to select VGA/LCD.

My concern is if i wipe the broken screened laptop, and then cant use an external screen to do the rest of the install i could make it totally useless - without having a screen on i wouldnt be able to install windows and then the software to use the keyboard controls to switch to external VGA.

Am i making sense? lol

any thoughts?

lew247 · 16 Jan 2009 at 16:48

Why wipe it if its got a working operating system on it and your not replacing the hard drive?
wiping should be a last option

Pug · 16 Jan 2009 at 17:34

Wiping is a lot of the time a 1st option. Having spent too many years removing spyware, uneeded proggies etc, you never get that clean feeling of an OS unless you wipe and start a fresh.

It was given to us by a family friend, and its got Mcaffee security Sky bband software and its bloating the thing down.

Reinstalling would make a slowish laptop useable as a HTPC, and would bequicker than faffing about - if you know what you're doing.

lew247 · 16 Jan 2009 at 18:40

Not tried it on a Toshiba
but last laptop I had to work on, I found that plugging the monitor in the vga socket overuled the lcd screen and the monitor had priority.
Suggest you try it, then if it works just do your reinstall knowing you'll be able to see whats going on

Pug · 17 Jan 2009 at 11:56

tbh mate - your first point made me think about it, and tbh the install on there doesnt feel to bad, so i wont risk it

just clean it up, and update.

cheers

dbeckett · 17 Jan 2009 at 19:45

Why don't you put the xp install disk in and just see if it outputs to the monitor, if it outputs to it at the first few stages (ie before you confirm you wanna install) then it should work for the entire installation process.

The laptop should output to vga (without using the keyboard shortcuts) if the cable is connected on startup