since when did laptops require a working internal monitor?

[andreasaspenberg575]

my old acer laptop`s monitor broke and it still works with an external monitor. my newer acer from 2016 always needs to start up internal monitor first and can not access external monitor until windows starts. my toshiba from 2013 also worked without its internal monitor. guess some time between 2013 and 2016 they changed that. any information out there?

[Bad 💀 Motha]

They should still work. But you need to enter the BIOS right away otherwise no POST or OS BOOT would show on the external monitor. Then use the Fn+F# hotkey that switches and/or duplicates the screen.

I've done tbat many times even on modern day laptops

[andreasaspenberg575]

not this one. even with a connected external monitor, only monitor i can access the bios on is the internal one. it first time access the external monitor when it gets into windows.

[A&A]

Never.
Usually there should be an option in the bios to choose which monitor output to use, but for some reason there are laptops without such an option.
I don't know if you disconect the internal monitor will it be able to automatically detect it and use the external one.

[_I_]

are you using the laptops hdmi/dp/dvi/vga port or usb video adapter?

[HypersleepyNaputunia]

Mine boots into internal screen first only when linux loads does it switch for me

2019 inspiron

[Bad 💀 Motha]

If you find this happening, usually you can spam the hotkey for "Enter BIOS" or "Boot Options" and once that is done, press the proper key combo (like Fn+F6 or whatever it is for your laptop; the F key that shows two screens on it) and doing that should allow you to toggle between > Laptop Screen > Duplicate > External Screen

You must be using built-in HDMI/DP/VGA; it would not work via anything USB.

Remember that some Laptops (after around 2015 or so) have the Fn key auto enabled, thus your F# keys function by default as those media keys instead of the actual F# keys.

[_I_]

or laptop replacement panels are not too hard to get and replace
unless its a macbook

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Yea pretty much any ACER Laptop you can get a full screen replacement with wiring off Ebay for under $50 or so usually. Yea if it's Alienware model or something from Apple, then it's going to cost much more. But most of this stuff for ACER, Lenovo and HP don't cost an arm + leg

However most screen replacements will be the internals only. Which means you will have to do a laptop tear-down, unplug the screen from the motherboard, then use a very thin tool to crack open the laptop displays outer frame, then remove the internal screen and wiring; then replace with the new. Also be careful there because inside the display frame you will have the WiFi antenna wiring there, so be careful not to damage it.

[andreasaspenberg575]

obviously not for acer. my acer laptop`s screen can not be relaced, because it is impossible to find parts. though that works with external display anyway. though that is older. my newer acer laptop needs its internal display until halfway in windows boot.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Go to ACER support website and let it detect your Laptop.

Tell us the full model afterwards and I'll bet I can find a screen replacement for it.

[MonkehMaster]

you can find almost anything on eBay or sometimes Amazon and Newegg.

you just need to search for the screen with the serial number on the back of it.

if you search by the model of your laptop your search results will be limited.

[Viking2121]

I find that most laptops without a Mux chip will boot from the internet monitor because of the Integrated GPU, needs pretty much software level of detection to switch to the external monitor, With a Mux chip, they external port it directly connected to the GPU, so it should then default to the external display, some will still need to switch a setting in the bios I find.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Of course they boot of the internal monitor by default. But you have a toggle switch on every Laptop to switch to the External Display. However with UEFI booting up so fast, if you don't spam the right key on system power on, you'll be at the OS login screen in like 5-10 secs on most Laptops.

You simply use the display toggle hotkey and flip between it to switch screens or to duplicate screens.

[andreasaspenberg575]

the acer that works even with its internal monitor broken does not have an integrated gpu. though it seems i can not upgrade it, only downgrade it. the cepter is more important to get working.

[A&A]

I'm sure there's no way to doesn't have an iGPU.