Is thankful for techno-friends...

[srotu27]

Help! My cat sat on my computer and it can't get up

Comments

[boat_of_car]

laptops usally have a 'multi screen' mode that gets switched via a [FN]-x key combination-

[srotu27]

Thanks--- that's a start, but I need more information. Maybe if I provide more? It's a Compaq laptop from five or so years ago, I have no documentation on it, and given that nothing that I press seems to have any effect (there is an FN key that has a monitor icon on it, but it doesn't do anything when I press it), can you suggest something for me to do?

I've been looking online and I saw something that said "take the battery out, then reinsert it and all will be well," but that's for if the keyboard is locked. Do you think it will work for this?

[boat_of_car]

On Compaq laptops, it's usuall FN-f8

So- make sure everything is powered on, then:
hold the FN key and tap f8
count to 10
if the external monitor is still not on, repeat, up to two more times...

if that *still* doesn't work, the only other things I can think of would be to check the monitor settings in BIOS or troublshoot for a bad video card ( maybe it overheated with the cat on it and burned out?)

good luck

[boat_of_car]

btw- you can sure try the battery-removal thing. I have a laptop that won't come on after it's gone into sleep mode, and thats the only way to fix it...