No video when docked?

[Nick]

I’m having a problem with my Dell Precision M90 from 2007. When my dad first bought it in 2007, he also got a docking station with it, which is very useful. I wish I could still use it, but at the moment, if the laptop is docked, the display just doesn’t turn on. If I connect an external display to the dock via DVI, the external display will turn on, and if it doesn’t, I can use the old hotkey of Fn+F8 which changes which display is used. I can then go into display settings and resolution from the external monitor and try to enable the built-in display from there by setting it as the only one being used, but it still doesn’t turn on. There are no erratic beeps during POST, and my video card seems just fine. If it’s not docked, everything works perfectly, including a dual-monitor setup. Does anyone know what’s going on and maybe how to fix it?

[veeg]

Hello Nick
Hopefully some of our members will chime in soon.

@phillpower2

[phillpower2]

I notice from your thread on another forum that the docking station is a Dell PR01X, can I ask what the power supply is that it is hooked up to.

[Nick]

I notice from your thread on another forum that the docking station is a Dell PR01X, can I ask what the power supply is that it is hooked up to.

It’s just the regular Precsion M90 charger that many Dell laptops still use today, the PA-1131-O2D2. Note that the dock has worked perfectly fine with this computer and charger for 10 years up until just recently.

[phillpower2]

Which is 40W more than what the docking station when new needed to function, got the charger specs from here

Note that the dock has worked perfectly fine with this computer and charger for 10 years up until just recently.

Having anything for 10 years without it failing is a rarity nowadays.

Have you tried using the docking stations VGA port as opposed to the DVI port and less likely but would it be possible to try the docking station with another Dell notebook.

At the moment it looks like connecting the docking station is knocking out your onboard graphics port.

Does the Dell have a setting that makes it the primary display, either in the BIOS or within Windows.

Edit to ask, A most valid point to mention courtesy of Rustys (y) did the docking station ship with an installation disk at all, some do some do not.

[Nick]

Have you tried using the docking stations VGA port as opposed to the DVI port and less likely but would it be possible to try the docking station with another Dell notebook.

I haven’t tried it with VGA, but even if no monitor is connected to the dock at all and the laptop is docked, there’s just no video on the display.

At the moment it looks like connecting the docking station is knocking out your onboard graphics port.

I think so too… this laptop has had display problems in the past to the point where my dad actually had it rebuilt twice under warranty, including video chip and display. Sometimes when I use it, the display makes a flickery mess of itself and I have to restart the laptop to get the video chip responding again.

Does the Dell have a setting that makes it the primary display, either in the BIOS or within Windows.

In the BIOS, it has a setting that allows you to use the video card in the dock if the dock has a video card an is present, and with both choosing to not use the dock’s video card and instead use the laptop’s card or vice versa, I’m still having the same problem. Within Windows, I’ve tried changing which screen is primary, to extend the displays, to disable and re-enable the laptop screen, and nothing seems to work (whether in Windows XP or Windows 7).

Edit to ask, A most valid point to mention courtesy of Rustys (y) did the docking station ship with an installation disk at all, some do some do not.

I wouldn’t have any idea, because my dad got it 10 years ago and if he used any disk that came with it, it has probably long since been discarded. I’m pretty sure the answer is no, however.

[Rustys]

I have 2 question to add to @phillpower2 advice.

1. Are you attaching the system to the docking station correctly?
2. With some system and OS’s there are key combination that are used to change for the on-board display to an external one. Have you tried those. On most Dells it is the Function key + F8 if the lid is open.

Refer to the instructions found on the Dell web site.

[Nick]

I have 2 question to add to @phillpower2 advice.

1. Are you attaching the system to the docking station correctly?

yes.

1. With some system and OS’s there are key combination that are used to change for the on-board display to an external one. Have you tried those. On most Dells it is the Function key + F8 if the lid is open.
   Refer to the instructions found on the Dell web site.

If I connect an external display to the dock via DVI, the external display will turn on, and if it doesn’t, I can use the old hotkey of Fn+F8 which changes which display is used.

[Rustys]

Check the Display Properties by right clicking on the Desktop and selecting Display Properties.

Not to sure where to look and you will have to have the dock and external monitor connected.

[Rustys]

You stated settings I asked about properties.

Settings and properties are sometimes confused with one another, but they are functionally quite different. As a general rule, properties are attributes that affect the design experience, while settings are specific values that affect configuration.

[Nick]

I was using the “Display Properties” menu, but I called it settings because I can setup/change different things within it. Sorry for the confusion.

[veeg]

Any updates for us?

[Nick]

I have a sneaking suspicion my motherboard or video card is on its way out. The Precision M90 was notorious for bad motherboards, and my dad actually had the original motherboard in it replaced under warranty when it failed while it was still his main machine.

[veeg]

Any updates for us now?

[Nick]

No, I have no idea what’s going on. I’ll update this thread if I find antyhing out.