computer help- dual monitor setup

[mtlelantra]

So I'm having a bit of trouble with my work setup and IT here haven't been too helpful...
I have a Thinkpad T61 laptop with an nVidea quadro 140M card, Win XP pro service pack 2 (although doctored with corporate stuff).
At work, it docks to the cheap Lenovo dock station that has a monitor output which goes to an HP 1740 flat panel as my secondary display.
Getting the dual monitor is no problem... however, about 50% of the time, when I shutdown, undock, take the laptop home, bring it back the next day, dock it and power on, it doesn't automatically turn on the flat panel monitor (which is "on" but on standby). This is regardless of whether or not I've used the laptop at home un-docked without the secondary monitor. It's that sometimes it turns it on, sometimes it doesn't. I've tried looking through the nView stuff to see if it can try to force on the dual display to start, but couldn't find anything...
Does anyone know how I can force win XP to try to do the dual monitor on startup??

[04 elantra cvvt]

XP can be fishy when it starts up. I would say this is something you are going to have to get used to, and if it doesn't see the docked monitor right away, you'll have to tell it to output to it.

But, then again, I'm no IT guy either.

[Munky]

Are you waiting until the laptop is docked before you turn it on?

With my Dell D620 at work, I have to dock it, make sure the lid is fully closed, and THEN turn it on, or else it won't bring up my secondary monitor.

[Silentwolf]

Thats my call too Munky.
I can't exactly test that out tho since i have a Mac. ;)

[mtlelantra]

Yeah, it's docked before I start, but I usually open the lid... I'll try with the lid closed before startup...
There's nothing within XP itself (or nView) that can force it??

[Munky]

Nope. The only thing you can do is make sure you have checked "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor" in the display properties for your second monitor.

[jobzombi]

check your function keys. For example, I do the same thing too, sometimes ?I connect it to my TV. there is a function key for me, I press and hold the Fn key for mine and then I press one of the F buttons on top that shows a turned on monitor/turned off monitor and it allows me to cycle between using th elaptop display, the aux display and both.

[jobzombi]

http://www.elantraxd.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=7176&stc=1&d=1201188435

Thats the function key I use.

[mtlelantra]

Nope. The only thing you can do is make sure you have checked "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor" in the display properties for your second monitor.

Yes I have it checked, but when it the flat panel doesn't come on and I go to the display properties, it's unchecked. One I re-check it, it's fine, but it's like something is unchecking it between when I shutdown at the end of work and when I dock it in the morning, and it only seems intermittent, regardless if I use the laptop by itself or not... wtf dang XP!!

zombi- The monitor switching function doesn't work for me because I'm on a docking station that the monitor is connected to and the monitor is not actually connected to the monitor-out on the laptop.

[Munky]

Try to undock your computer before shutting it down...see if that makes a difference.

The only advice I can give you is

• Make sure the computer is completely shut down before physically undocking it

• Make sure you keep the lid closed when starting up the computer

• Resist every urge to chuck it out a window

[mtlelantra]

• Resist every urge to chuck it out a window

Thanks!!! I tried the "lid closed" thing which seemed to be okay on a quick test, but I'll have to try it again when I do the routine tomorrow.
Much appreciated!!

[mtlelantra]

Update:
So the lid closed thing works, so long as I don't use the laptop on its own.
Once I do, Windows XP (or nVidia) switches off the 2ndary monitor in the Display Properties itself, so that when I go back dock, I still have to manually enable the 2nd monitor. Fortunately work purchased a license for Ultramon for me and switching on the 2nd monitor is a lot simpler.
I just wish that I could tell XP to always try to enable the 2nd monitor on startup...
BTW- when I use Fn+F# (it's F7 on my computer, F4 on the picture above) when the 2nd monitor isn't enabled, it switches to a mirror of the laptop monitor, it doesn't enable the dual-view setup.
Thanks again for the tips and suggestions.